School bans hand-raising
School bans hand-raising, Students in at least one English school have been ordered not to raise their hands to answer questions. Some parents have reacted to the change that teachers came up with in a brain-storming session.A school in England has banned students from raising their hands in class. Instead, they’re being asked to use a thumbs-up sign to answer questions or to get the teacher’s attention. According to school officials, it’s less disruptive and will promote a “calmer and more inclusive” atmosphere in the classroom.
It’s something straight out of a Saturday Night Live parody except this is the real deal. And, I must say, it is highly amusing. The thumbs-up symbol – think The Fonz in Happy Days – was introduced at the start of the school year following a staff brainstorm session at Burlington Junior School in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, reports the Mail Online. So far, students aged seven to 11 have been asked to use the thumbs-up sign, but the system is being phased in among the younger grades, too.
Head teacher Cheryle Adams told the Mail Online that arm-raising system can sometimes be more of a distraction for young children. “It can put them off because they have to put their ideas forward in a forceful way. You normally get half a dozen who will regularly put up their hand and another half a dozen who will never put their hand up,” she said. ‘You also get arms in front of faces and that sort of thing. With the thumbs up, more and more children are ready to do that because it’s not a very overt thing.”
Some parents are questioning the new initiative, including David Campleman, who told the paper, “I thought it was a joke at first. It’s daft, I can’t see the logic in it.”