New study suggests that greeting students with a positive message yields benefits

Positive greetings at the door of classroom increased students' academic engagement by 20% and decreased disruptive classroom behavior by 9%, according to a study published in the Journal of Positive Behavior earlier this year, and potentially adds an extra hour of learning per day, Edutopia reports.The study suggests that teachers should greet students individually by name, as well as use a non-verbal greeting, and make positive and pre-corrective statements encouraging good behavior or suggesting how the student should begin the day.The approach promotes a sense of belonging in the classroom, builds a sense of community, and reduces students' and teachers' stress levels as they begin the day.