I believe that teaching manners in the classroom is vitally important. Now some of you might roll your eyes at me and think my passion for manners is old fashioned and outdated. Hopefully I can win some of you over after reading this post. Here are 3 reasons why I think you should incorporate manners in your home and classroom.

1.Manners Teach Respect

Yes Ma’am, No Ma’am, Yes Sir, No Sir might seem silly in some areas of the country.

I get that.

However, helping kids understand respect for adults and each other is vital. Teaching kids to look at you in the eyes when they are speaking, answering you with a firm yes or no, and refraining from talking over others/interrupting; teaches respect for others. It is important for kids to learn respect at a young age. Learning these common practices for respect translates into an adult who can listen to others’ ideas, communicate well, and understand authority in the workplace.

Tips for teaching respect.

• All eyes on the speaker at all times.
• Answer questions with a full sentence. “Yes, Ma’am I will take that note to the office for you.”
• When a student is talking to you, bend down to their level. Encourage them to look you in the eyes when they are talking to you. You should always look at them in the eyes when they are speaking to you.

2. Manners Teach Selflessness

Manners help children to think about the priorities of others before themselves. We are naturally “me centered” individuals. Encouraging a child to think outside of their own needs and wants, helps children take the focus of self and focus on others.

Tips for teaching Selflessness

• Answer a question with a follow up question. Teach children to become interested in  the friend they are talking to at the time. Each morning I greet my students at the door with, “Good morning! How are you today?” Normally most students would barely acknowledge the question, say “fine” and quickly walk into the classroom. Instead have them stop and ask, “Good morning, how are you today?” Over time I have noticed my students starting to greet me before I greet them.
• Assign a student the task of sending sick kids cards.
• Encourage students to write each other notes of encouragement. Have them write thank you notes to other teachers and administration. I have a stack of different occasion cards located in my writing center.
• Classroom service projects. Have students plan a way that they as a class can serve a family in need or their community.

 3. Manners Teach Gratitude

There are few things worse than being around someone who feels entitled and does not display a heart of gratitude. I have many memories of my mother making me write thank you cards for birthday presents. I would get the stink eye if I didn’t respond with a “thank you” quickly enough when someone gave me something. Unfortunately, we are entering into a world where thank you cards are written by parents, if written at all. We see all to often in our society when a child IS coached by a parent to say thank you, the adult accepts a half hearted thank-you. By half-hearted I mean… Saying thank you while running away, mumbling the words thank you, and not looking at the person they are thanking.

THIS also applies for apologies. We accept half-hearted apologies. As a teacher, it is fairly easy to make one child say “I’m sorry” to the other. We know that the manner in which they said “I’m sorry” is not genuine.

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.” The Hausa of Nigeria

Tips for teaching Gratitude:

• Encourage your students to write a thank you note to lunchroom staff, administration, and custodians.
• EVERY TIME you give something to a student. Insist that the student look you in the eye and say thank you immediately. IF the response is not immediate, they do not earn the reward. This may seem harsh, but it will help the response to become more natural. I tell my students thank you every time they hand me something or do something for our classroom.
• Help students find little things that they are thankful for. Spend a few minutes talking about these things. Make a list in your classroom. Helping kids see little things they are thankful for will help them notice each blessing around them.

Raise your manners standards. Manners produce grateful, giving, and respectful adults.

Another NOTE* Manners take time. Teaching children manners does not happen overnight. You must practice, practice, and practice again. 🙂