In talking with other teachers about life skills, I started thinking about manners, which are one aspect of life skills. Are children learning what they need to know to move comfortably and confidently through life, while ensuring the comfort of others as well?
At our school, we are interested in manners, and we try to encourage them as much as possible. Following is a list of some of the manners children will encounter during their tenure at our school:
- Addressing adults as "Sir" or "Ma'am."
- Waiting respectfully to join or interrupt a conversation (particularly among adults).
- Saying "excuse me" when bumping into or moving past someone.
- Respecting others' space and possessions.
- Showing gratitude and appreciation for people's effort, time, and attention.
- Using "please" and "thank you" appropriately.
- Acknowledging when others are speaking.
- Sitting on bottoms facing table while eating.
- Chewing with mouth closed.
- Taking safely and politely sized bites of food.
- AND MORE
People love checklists, and people tolerate advice, so here are a few links about manners.
Age appropriate manners: what should I expect from my ___-year-old child? Are they about where they should be?
Twenty-five manners every child should know by age 9 (and use): a list!
A beginner's guide to table manners.
In my own experiences as a teacher and as a parent, I've had to remind myself that
1. It's never too late to teach manners.
2. It will eventually stick if you are consistent about encouraging and enforcing the desired behavior.
3. It is best to choose one or two to focus on at a time (in our house, we are working on unoccupied hand in lap at the dinner table and responding when spoken to; when we've got those down, we will focus on others!).
