Hello, Hi, Hey, Hi, Good morning, How are you? What’s up? A hand shake, hands joining, shaking, clapping, a hug, a few kisses, 1, 2, 3 or 4 kisses, a smile, a look, a reverence… so many ways to greet each other, to recognize each other, to tell the other person that they exist, to open up to the other.
Saying hello is an outward sign of recognition and civility to the person in front of us. A simple definition that manifests itself at every moment of our lives in countless ways.
How do we say hello? Have we ever thought about the impact of those few seconds when humans meet, souls cross paths and hearts speak?
As a former teacher and now a convinced coach, I am familiar with two marvellous professions at the service of human beings. The multitude of common points between these two worlds fascinates me: relationship, listening, presence, rules, autonomy, feedback, self-regulation, trust, respect, responsibility, integrity, humanity, limiting beliefs, cognitive biases, complexity, systemic, pragmatism, complexity, co-learning, silence… And so many others! Only one desire, to make them meet, to know each other, to mix them.
Some of these concepts are already widely studied and proposed in training within the French education system. Charles Hadji, for example, convinces us of the benefits of self-regulation. His 10 tracks presented are each an invitation to use and abuse this pedagogical concept: one of the paths to responsibility and autonomy, without a doubt. The links between these two worlds are really starting to be woven, and school coaching is already appearing in the work of the French National Education.
Without trampling on the work that has been started, let’s reflect together, for the time being, on the first moments of an encounter. What if a hello had therapeutic and pedagogical virtues? In coaching, the hello is the first point of the conversation: simple, not fancy, essential, never optional.
And at school, what do we do with this Hello?
With this question about the benefits of Good Morning, I am now concerned about the well-being of teachers and students. I wonder, when I was a teacher, if I thought at the beginning of the class to be well, to make sure that my students were in the necessary conditions to participate serenely in the pedagogical activities…
Jean-Jacques Rousseau already said: “Dare I state here the greatest, the most important, the most useful rule of all education? It is not to gain time, it is to lose time.”
Wasting time when the programs are so full of knowledge and skills to impart…
Nancy Kline explains that we need to allow time to let go of our emotions before we can expect to think clearly. This is especially important in the educational context because education is very fertile in terms of emotions, including fear, preoccupation with others’ gaze, and various degrees of anxiety. The repression of emotions hinders rational thinking.
Good morning, enriched by a fine systemic observation, is a liberator of emotions: a word, a question, a smile, a hand on the shoulder, a look… In other words: welcoming students with their emotions, having a sustained attention would awaken intelligence. Putting attention in our Good Morning.
What more can we put into it?
When we really look into someone’s eyes, it is impossible for us to think of anyone else… Don’t believe me, try it! Very often, it is not the light that is missing in our eyes, it is our eyes that lack light. Put light in our eyes, in our Hello.
And what else?
Presence to the other…. It resonates with maximum openness, a firm intention to accompany, the ability to accept light and darkness, the acceptance of jumping into the void and being in the not knowing; “When I am present, you are.
Putting presence in our Hello.
Jean-Paul Belmondo gives us a fundamental lesson in Itinéraire d’un enfant gâté: “Learning to say Bonjour is one of the most important things in life”, this extract is iconic.
Let’s choose to slide into our Bonjour some attention, some light, some presence, but above all what defines us, what we are, simply, in all humility, in full awareness with kindness that speaks!
A multitude of teachers from elementary to high school are already consciously concerned about this Hello, it is a reality. Humanity is widely present in our schools, I share their words:
“I say Hello individually with eye contact, I care about it a lot.”
“I say Hello to them with a smile in front of the door, even if they don’t answer me, we can all arrive with our bad mood!”
“I squat down, mine are very small, a hello to each: I want them to answer me, I like their Hello. Then I slam the door and greet them all, it’s the gong!”
“I say Hello to them individually in the schoolyard, it allows me to listen to their little and big stories, there are so many things going on in their lives. The beginning of the day is my favorite time with them!”
“In the classroom I always make two or three more personalized, anodyne comments so they see that I’m watching them: did you change your haircut, did you not bring a sweater? Be careful not to be cold. You are very smiley, I see you happy to start math class…”
“Hello kids, how are you doing? Answers in thumbs up, thumbs down, or upside down. This is also a time for oral interaction to hear what’s going well and what’s not…”
“I greet the students already in the classroom while waiting for others to enter, and address one or a few students individually if I have specific information to share with them.
Then, “Good morning everyone, I hope you are well…” and I immediately give the topic we are going to discuss, straightforwardly, as well as the format of the session. From then on, roll call is taken, which allows us to greet each student and get their attention.
Just before I walk out the door, I discreetly arrange my hair and greet the floor supervisor.”
“I am one of those people who believes that listening to the student is essential without going overboard.
I don’t have any special preparation beforehand, I am, nothing else.”
I want to get into their whole class, how lucky their students are!
I salute all those teachers who waste time,
I salute all those teachers who choose to listen and be present,
I salute all those teachers who never stop looking for excellence and humanity for their students,
I salute all those teachers who salute their students!
And if coaching would inspire all those involved in education, students, teachers, parents, to be fully aware and to take the time to do good, to do good to each other in order to make our children fully free, equal and fraternal beings… already in front of Good Morning!
Virginie Dor, Convinced Coach
[email protected]
“Always be the first to say hello”
– H. Jackson Brown
