Barry White Jr. turned a lot of heads this week with a video of him and his students that went viral.
The fifth grade English teacher from North Carolina lines up his students before every class and does an elaborate, personalized handshake with each and every one of them.
"They know when they get to the front door we do our 'good mornings,' and then it's time to go," White told ABC. "I'm always pumped up and then we start doing the moves and that brings them excitement and pumps them up for a high-energy class."
But what prompted all this?
"I started with one simple handshake last year with a 4th grader," he explained. "She would wait for me every morning before she'd go to class. She'd get in trouble sometimes for being late because she'd wait on the handshake. This year I started making handshakes with the kids at recess. It was just one or two students and then it became contagious," he added. "I saw how much it meant to them, so I said, 'Come on. Everyone come on.' Then it was my full class, then it was kids from other classes. Now I have 3rd graders wanting to do it, too."
Each handshake is personalized to the student, drawing from characteristics of their personalities or hobbies.
As for the administration, they love what White is doing for the school environment.
"The only way to help our scholars achieve at high levels every day is to embrace the need for a meaningful and deep relationships," said principal Meaghan Loftus. "Barry's handshakes represent his own authentic take on building those relationships. When I walk into my teachers' rooms, I see the impact of those strong and trusting relationships. When kids know their teacher cares, they are attentive, engaged and driven to be successful. That's the culture we are building at Ashley Park."
Lots of people are applauding White's efforts, saying it makes the kids more eager to learn.
While others think it's a waste of time.
So what do you think? Waste of time or great act of kindness? Let us know!