5. Multiplying High-Five Power: Classroom Transformation Technique

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Transcript

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One of the simplest things I've ever done in seminary has become one of the most powerful tools. My name is John Merrill Kirkman. Welcome to the Seminary Teacher Helper podcast. Yesterday, we talked about the power of the high five, and there's great power in a teacher who gives high fives to his students daily, looks them in the eye and says, "Glad to see you," or some other fun, positive message. Today, I want to tell you how I train my students to give lots of high fives and lots of positive compliments. First off, I always pair students up to work together. I have a seating chart. I'll save the seating chart discussion for another day, but our motto in class is no one sits alone. So if a student has a partner who is absent that day, I pair them up with another student who is missing an partner as well. If I have an odd number of students, I form a group of three. If I have a really quiet weak student or a special needs student, for example, I put them in a group of three with two stronger students. Throughout the class, I will instruct students to give each other a high five while saying something positive. I'll say something along the lines of, "Turn to your neighbor, give them a high five, and say, 'You're awesome.'" Or, "Turn to your neighbor, give them a high five, say, 'You're fantastic.'" Sometimes I'll put a slide on the screen with five or six positive affirmations or messages that they could say. And then I have the students choose which one of the statements they wanna use as they high five their partner And yes, at first they think it's awkward, but then something amazing happens. The room changes, energy changes, walls come down, people laugh, students start connecting. And honestly, some students walk into seminary carrying stress, loneliness, insecurity, exhaustion, family struggles, social pressure, or just a rough morning. A positive greeting can completely shift the emotional atmosphere of the class. I've witnessed it time and time again. Other positive phrases you could say are, great to see you. You're awesome. You're the GOAT. And suddenly the room fills with smiles and laughter. Now some people might think this is silly, but I think heaven understands something about encouragement. People grow where there's light. People open up where there's warmth. People connect where there's joy. Even in a professional sports team, researchers found that NBA teams with more with more high fives, fist bumps, and positive interactions early in the season often perform better as teams later on in the season. Tiny moments of encouragement build unity. And seminary classes are teams too. We're trying to create Zion. We're trying to create belonging. We're trying to help students feel seen, loved, and safe. Safe enough to grow spiritually. Sometimes the spiritual environment starts with emotional safety. And honestly, teenagers need encouragement. A lot of it. So here's some more fun things students can say during their high fives. You're awesome. You're the GOAT. Great to see you. You got this. You're a legend. You're on fire. Let's go. You're amazing. You bring the energy. Future world changer. You're unstoppable. Class just got better. You're a champion. You shine bright. You're built different. You make people better. You're crushing it. You're a light. You belong here. You're stronger than you think. You make this class fun. You're a miracle. You're somebody God loves. You're a disciple. You're doing better than you think. Now imagine a student hearing five or six of these positive affirmations, getting a high five with their fellow students throughout class. That changes people. People start to feel welcome, seen, and valued. You get statements at the end of the semester like, this class is my only class I've felt like a family in. And no, it doesn't mean every class becomes instantly spiritual and reverent, but it does mean students begin associating seminary with joy, connection, and belonging. And that matters because students learn better when they feel loved. Students participate more when they feel accepted, and students open their hearts more when they feel safe. Never underestimate the spirit power of joy. Sometimes building a kingdom starts with a scripture study, and sometimes it just spreads with a few high fives. Now you may be wondering how I do this throughout the class multiple times. I rotate students a lot during my class, and i'll give more instruction on rotating students at another day. Before I move students or whenever they're finished with an activity working together, I will say, "Turn to your neighbor, give them a high five and say, 'Man, that was awesome,' or 'You're wonderful,' or 'It's great working with you,' or one of the other statements listed above." And so throughout the class, they're getting multiple high fives from multiple people, and it changes the class. Thanks for joining us on today's episode of Seminary Teacher Helper. Be sure to check in for more. Have a great day. And remember, you're awesome!