A North Carolina
Fifth grade English teacher, at Ashley Park PreK-8 School in Charlotte, Barry
White, Jr. has an fancy, personalized handshake with every one of his
students.
White told ABC News:
“They know when they
get to the front door we do our ‘good mornings,’ and then it’s time to go,” his
enthusiastic greeting brings them excitement and pumps them up for a
high-energy class.”
Each handshake is
different, using custom moves inspired by the student’s personality.
“I started with one
simple handshake last year with a 4th grader,” he explained. “She would wait
for me every morning before she’d go to class. She’d get in trouble sometimes
for being late because she’d wait on the handshake."
“This year I started
making handshakes with the kids at recess. It was just one or two students and
then it became contagious,” he added.
“I saw how much it
meant to them, so I said, ‘Come on. Everyone come on.’ Then it was my full
class, then it was kids from other classes. Now I have 3rd graders wanting to
do it too.”
White said
remembering all the different moves isn’t as tricky as you’d think.
He said:
“It’s muscle memory
at this point”. “I do it so much with them. They love coming up to me and doing
it. I just know the certain moves that go with certain kids because it’s personalized.
For example, I started a step team at the school. Some of my 5th graders I
teach are on that step team and you’ll notice we step a little bit in their
handshakes."
White says he was
inspired to do the handshakes with his students after noticing his favorite
basketball player, LeBron James, doing the same thing with his teammates.
“You see that bond
and how close they are,” he said of the Cavs. “I wanted to bring that feeling
into the entire 5th grade.” His administration loves the enthusiasm White
brings to his students each day.
“The only way to
help our scholars achieve at high levels every day is to embrace the need for a
meaningful and deep relationships,” said principal Meaghan Loftus.
“Barry’s handshakes
represent his own authentic take on building those relationships. When I walk
into my teachers’ rooms, I see the impact of those strong and trusting
relationships. When kids know their teacher cares, they are attentive, engaged
and driven to be successful. That’s the culture we are building at Ashley
Park.”
Watch the video
below:

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