Teach your students about personal space!

These little misses are talking about our mini-lesson about keeping your hands to yourself and staying in your personal space.  It made me smile to watch them.  I demonstrated arms at my side bent at elbows like I was carrying a tray. Then moved my arms from side to side...I even turned all around in a circle..."like I am in a bubble."  They made bubbles with their arms.

Children are always touching each other!  When uninvited or rejected, it can turn into a fight very fast.  I have always had the policy "Hands off your friends!".  Of course, that has morphed into feet, head, breath, looking, pencil, tongue...and so on!  Standing in lines is the worst case scenario for these break downs.  Teach children what to do and hold them accountable.  "If you want to keep getting in your friend's personal space, come walk with me and hold my hand!"

As an adult, do you like someone's face in your face?  It depends on who it is, when, and where...but when you are pressed to answer...most likely you will say NO!  Children need to be taught what is appropriate for school (out in public) and what is allowed in their home (you don't control that!).  When a child tells another child "No, don't touch me." or "Don't do that." or "I don't like that." or "Stop!", it is our job as a teacher to act quickly and deal with that issue.  I tell my students, "No one should ever have to tell you twice to "Stop" or "Don't".  We live in an age where people don't respect other people because they have not been taught to do so.  We deal with children who are taught not to respond to people till someone is yelling.  That is wrong!

Children should never be allowed to lay hands (or feet) on anyone!  You will need to get parents involved due to liability factors for you and the school.  Deal with issues fast and hard.  Have a plan before it comes to major problem, because those situations never end well.  The school needs to have a procedure that you can go to.