Published on 12, July, 2020
Does anyone else struggle sometimes to do ‘appropriate’ greetings? You know, as the social skills textbook instructs, especially when hugely distracted by something else? Usually I can manage it, but this morning I may have managed to diversify!
I happened to need to pop to the Scout shop this morning to buy some badges for my Beavers. After I got out of my car I realised that there was what looked like a dead hedgehog by the side of the car park. So I had to stop for a few minutes to investigate whether a) it was actually a hedgehog, and b) it was actually dead. So after establishing those facts, I walked into the shop and rather than doing the textbook greeting, I just said “there’s a dead hedgehog in the car park!” Luckily they were fine with it, they even asked what group scarf it was wearing BUT this really isn’t the appropriate way for me to greet people who I haven’t seen for a few months!!
I think I prefer "There's a dead hedgehog in the car park". But that's probably because I'm plum tuckered out by teaching appropriate social greetings . It can be absolutely soul-destroying; and probably for the students too. It sounds like the shop staff kind of enjoyed hearing something different.
Might, also, the tone in which these things are said have a greater impact that the actual words.
I can do socially appropriate greetings when I have to but in this instance I was too distracted by the dead hedgehog to bother! It made my mask slip! In what capacity do you teach social greetings?
Tone may have an impact but I’m quite monotone most of the time unless I’m forcing myself to vary my tone of voice, I wasn’t then. Because they were just glad of something a little different after a very busy morning!