The Power of Hello by Tyler Wedemeier, K-12 Instructional Coach At a garage sale recently, my wife found the perfect shirt for Eve, our almost two year old. The front of the shirt was adorned with a heart and the word "hi" in big, bold letters. Eve loves to say hi to every person, animal, and object we meet. As the adult companion of this two year old, I have not always enjoyed the small talk that follows with our new found friends. However, as I reflected on these many occurrences, I realized these passing moments almost always end with a smile from both parties. When passing students and colleagues in the hall, I usually offer a polite smile as we meet. With a mask on, this smile often goes unnoticed. I have found this covered smile exchange to be even more awkward as neither party knows if the other even notices the smile that is offered. I decided to start intentionally saying "hello" to those I meet in the hallway. While at first it felt awkward, especially when passing people I do not know as well as others, it allowed smiles to be visible (even under the mask). In a quick Google search on saying "hi", I found the article, The Power of Hello, in Psychology Today. It is a quick three minute read. While it is written from the viewpoint of a university, the principle message is applicable at all levels of the education system, and really it applies for all humans. The subtitle of the article left the most impact on me, "The simplest way to make the world a better place." On Wednesday, Sam informed me that Eve had to say" hi" to each person that they came across while at the park followed by "bye" before she left. This simple exchange, no doubt, put a smile on the faces of those she met. She also wanted to offer kisses. I would caution all of you on that.
3 Comments
Lizabeth Fox
5/10/2021 11:06:26 am
First of all, I love that your daughter says hello to everyone! As the product of two very friendly parents, I'm not at all surprised. Secondly, I want to thank you for sharing this sentiment. I do believe that the small ways we take notice of students (and fellow staff members) can make a big difference in how people feel about themselves and school in general. No one should ever feel invisible, and saying hello ensures that no one will.
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Nicole Cody
5/10/2021 12:39:30 pm
I love this. I have made a point of always greeting any student I know by name in the hallways and as they enter my classroom. I think going the extra step and using a name is powerful. I have to do a better job of doing it with adults too!
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Tracy Maher
5/10/2021 03:58:54 pm
Just this two letter word to a student or co-worker can give you a definite read on how this person is feeling. Some students are more willing to open up to me after they feel I have made an effort to initiate a brief conversation with them. With our masks on, I find it very helpful to read the eyes as their smile. Just because our faces are hid this year, find the way to make the connection especially with those that feel necessary to hide, give them an extra "HI!"
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