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Ways to Greet Others

Greetings are an important life skill that helps us connect with others. They may be brief like passing an aquaintance on the street, or deep as in welcoming a relative home after being away. 

Check out LessonPix symbols: greetings here. 

 

Getting kids ready to learn starts with activating their social connectedness. Greet learners with a warm hello and show genuine care. Teachers who stand at the back of the class and just say "come in" do not start the day with a strong social conduit for learning. A caring instructor greets learners at the door, lowers to their eye-level, gives them 100% attention, and lets them know they are important.

There is a great deal of cultural sensitivity and empowerment for children to tell how they want to be greeted. Here are visuals to help students choose how they want to be greeted. 

 
 

This greeting time also gives the teacher information about the learner. Teachers use this personal time to see each child. Are the students physically and emotionally okay today? Also learning more about a learner's personal preferences will help with connections throughout the day.

Some children need to be explicitly taught how to greet. They may need to know the unspoken rules such as how close is too close, repecting comfort levels of others, and body language. These social narratives help teach how to greet. 

 

 

Visual cues may also be used to teach how to respond to greetings. The teacher may take time to discuss how to handle greetings that are uncomfortable or teach choices on how to respond differently in different sitautions.

 

 

Posted visuals offer reminders of greetings to use with friends and staff. 

   

 

LessonPix offers many symbols to show ways to greet others. You can also upload photos of individual students using these new skills. Use your individualized pictures and text to create greeting games, posted visuals, and fun activities.

 

Find more ideas of greetings in the Sharing Center. Don't forget to share your ideas too!