For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 23, 2010

Lovely!

haha…

You can tell this is an old strip. Nowadays a teacher who hugged a student would be branded a pedophile and lose their job, at the very least.

Too much hands on teaching has been taken away from the younger children because of the stupidity of a scant few. But in Grade 1? Come on folks I think grade 1 teachers can still give hugs.

I assure you, teachers DO still hug - and in later elementary grades, too. Part of my work involves visiting the local public grade school, and the teachers are superb! They know when to give a hug and when hand on the shoulder is needed to calm a kid down. They have better control of the classrooms now than when I was a kid - all without shouting or hitting. And the school rates well above the national average.

Awww, those eyes would just make me melt. I lost my chance at being a dad because of a drunk driver. But having a little guy like Michael, at least at that moment, would have made me hugely proud. Now that’s a kid.

Naw, we hug. We are simply aware of when and where we do so. And ya know what, it’s a small price to pay for helping to keep kids safe from the real peds out there. Mostly, we punch shoulders or ruffle hair.

An unforgettable moment..so sweet..

Good job, Miss Campbell!

I’m glad there are still teachers who hug their students. I only teach piano, not in a classroom, but sometimes a hug can mean a lot and it’s better to give it than not. I want my kids to know I’m proud of them.

I did my senior year internship in an elementary school, and there is definitely much hugging going on! Of course, there are also assemblies about appropriate hugging, but lawsuits must be avoided.

My teachers were always happy and sweet at the end of the school year when I was going to another grade, too.

Aah, so sweet.

Wish I had teachers like that growing up!

Wish I had teachers like that growing up!

so sweet? gag.

I hug my students daily, if not more often. Of course, being a homeschool mom, it is pretty easy to do.

Awwwww, Miss Campbell has such a sweet thing to say that to Michael and give him a hugh hug! Adieu!

Hugs are still free too. :-D Too bad my shell gets in the way.

No, Michael, you were not the baddest kid in class, you were the WORST kid in class.

(My school-teacher GF teaches special ed. She is not so much concerned with hugs as with restraining-holds, blocked punches or kicks, and how to break a kid’s grip on her hair without losing some scalp. Precious little darlings.)

Don’t feel bad, Michael, she’s telling you a tall tale now, too.

I was in first grade 65 years ago, and in all my school years I never, never saw a teacher give a student a hug, not even when one little girl’s father had died. They kept a professional distance, maintaining the kids’ respect, but not their affection.

You know, 3139lip, I started school in the late 70’s (in the Midwest) and I don’t remember a whole lot of hugging going on either.

I’m a high school teacher and I’ve had kids write me notes like that…. “Sorry I gave you such a hard time this year but your class really was great even if I didn’t act like it.” I keep those notes in a folder for the bad days the following year. :)