this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2026
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[–] oce@jlai.lu 100 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (3 children)

Don't you think it's good to train children to be able to talk to strangers, in public and introduce themselves? I know it's stressful but I think it is useful.

[–] Azzu@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

It's not training though, you get thrown into the real thing immediately that decides the rest of your social time at school.

If you were encouraged and made to practice in private before, then I would agree with you. But there is no "training" in this, it's just, either you can already do it or you can't.

It would be possible to coach kids about what to say in such situations, make them prepare and practice in private, let the teacher hear the introduction before anyone else, give feedback, and then put them in front of the class. And afterwards, talk about how it went, what went well, what to improve. Does any of this happen? If no, then it's no training.

[–] oce@jlai.lu 4 points 6 hours ago

It’s not training though, you get thrown into the real thing immediately that decides the rest of your social time at school.

Aren't you exaggerating a little? Kids get to know each other better with time too.

Agreed with doing it with guidance and feedback.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 9 points 11 hours ago

It'd just be a lot less horrible if you don't have to come up with something to say about yourself. Kids are RUTHLESS and if you're not quick on your feet, or even if you are, but the thing you say can be taken wrong, you will be bullied for the rest of your time in school over it. Unless you luck out and someone else's thing is even worse.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 34 points 16 hours ago (4 children)

That's just not how people introduce themselves out in the real world though.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 39 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

work is the real world and i have some news

[–] slaacaa@lemmy.world 6 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

The problem is the lack of structure.

I organize a lot of workshops involving people from experts to executives, where you always need an introduction round, and I give them a structure to follow. Makes the task it easier, but it’ll also be much more useful for the group, as we’ll focus in the aspects of a person that matter for the context of the workshop.

For a class intro in primary school, it could be:

  • name and age
  • nickname you’d like others to call you
  • favorite subject
  • favorite hobby / free time activity

I just made this up, but a teacher could probably come up with something even more fitting.

The point is, always give people structure or guidance, you’ll get much more out of similar introduction rounds.

[–] idunnololz@lemmy.world 5 points 7 hours ago

Sure but in the real world you will sometimes get this and sometimes get no structure. It's been about 50/50 for me so far. Being able to do either on the fly is good.

[–] MinFapper@startrek.website 16 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

Someone in our new partner team has scheduled a meeting for 11am today for us to introduce ourselves to each other.

Guess how it's going to be structured

[–] Honytawk@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 7 hours ago

You throw a ball at each other and whoever holds it needs to introduce themselves?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 hours ago
[–] oce@jlai.lu 20 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (2 children)

What do you think is different compared to when you join some new company, training or club and you are asked to present yourself to the group?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works -1 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

That happens a lot less than you think. And I try to avoid clubs etc that do that nonsense.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 5 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

I have done this innumerable times at multiple jobs. Maybe it happens a lot more than you think

[–] idunnololz@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

Depends on the job but this happens all the time for me because I often have to sit in meetings with customers (b2b company) and so usually we have to introduce ourselves at the start of the meeting.

[–] oce@jlai.lu 1 points 6 hours ago

Maybe you are missing some nice encounters then.

[–] Kacarott@aussie.zone 11 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Depends how many of these kids will end up in AA meetings

[–] w24@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I guess the teachers will just have to make educated guesses based on which students they presume will end up strung out, and then have only those kids practice the introductions.

(But, for real, I've encountered this shit in numerous workplaces)

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works -1 points 11 hours ago

Yeah, and the people who do it in social situations are usually corporate drones.