According to a recent article in Education Week, children are getting worse at making eye contact.
Eye contact is paramount when communicating. Using eye contact shows respect, leadership and confidence.
Children are getting worse at it according to a national survey.
This may not surprise you.
The article states that 62% of teachers and principals have noticed this decline.
“That decline is likely rooted in the isolation of the pandemic and the proliferation of cellphones and social media use, educators say, and it’s a symptom of the overall atrophying of kids’ social skills”.
In our culture, strong eye contact is expected. It portrays us as confident, respectful and interested.
When we break eye contact it might be construed as submissive or that we lack self-confidence.
At times, only mentioning eye contact -pointing it out to the student makes an impact.
Phones are one of the main reasons children have lost this very important social skill. Many students are not comfortable with face-to-face communication.
Lack of eye contact is also a lingering factor of the pandemic.
Here Is How You Can Help Students with Eye Contact
Create role-playing activities (this is included in the Manners To Go curriculum) that include conversations with other students
Greet your students every morning with a handshake or “good morning” and point out when they are making eye contact
Ask them to notice how they feel when using good eye contact
“Oli and Basil” is a beautifully illustrated book that tells a story of teamwork and collaboration, making it a great resource for teaching manners, social skills, and character in an elementary classroom.
Here’s How an Elementary Teacher Might Use This Book to Teach Manners and Etiquette in the Classroom
1. Introduce the Story:
Read-Aloud Session: The illustrations in this book is one of the highlights. Gather your students for story time and share the artwork as you read. Encourage students to observe the illustrations and discuss the emotions and actions of the characters.
Discussion: After reading, ask open-ended questions about the story. For example, “How did Oli and Basil work together?” or “What challenges did they face, and how did they overcome them?”
Group Activities: Organize activities where students must work together to complete a task, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and good social behavior.
Manners Chart: Create a classroom chart that lists positive behaviors demonstrated by the characters in the book. Each time a student exhibits one of these behaviors, they can add a sticker to the chart.
3. Character Education:
Character Traits: Identify key character traits in the story, such as kindness, responsibility, and perseverance. Discuss how these traits were important to the characters’ success.
Character Journals: Encourage students to keep a journal where they write about a time they displayed a positive character trait, linking it back to examples from the book.
4. Classroom Projects:
Collaborative Projects: Assign group projects that require teamwork, much like Oli and Basil’s collaboration. This could be anything from creating a class mural to working on a science experiment.
Art and Writing Activities: Have students draw scenes from the book or write a short story about a time they worked with someone else to solve a problem.
5. Reinforce Lessons with Visuals:
Bulletin Board Display: Create a bulletin board that features the characters and key lessons from the book. This visual reminder can help reinforce the importance of teamwork and good manners throughout the school year.
6. Extension Activities:
Home Connection: Send a note home with students encouraging parents to discuss the themes of the book and how they can apply them at home.
Follow-Up Books: Introduce other books that emphasize similar themes of cooperation, kindness, and good manners, creating a series of lessons that build on each other.
Using “Oli and Basil” in these ways can help an elementary teacher create a classroom environment where teamwork, collaboration, and positive social interactions are highly valued.
Start Teaching Manners and Social Skills in Your Classroom
Job interviews can be challenging for high school special needs students, but with the right preparation and support, they can successfully navigate the process.
Handling Nerves: Help students manage anxiety and stress through relaxation techniques or coping strategies.
Questions and Answers:
Prepare for Questions: Assist students in preparing answers to common interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself” and “Why do you want this job?”
Ask Questions: Encourage students to ask questions about the job or company to demonstrate interest.
Problem Solving:
Scenario-Based Questions: Practice answering hypothetical questions that assess problem-solving skills and adaptability.
Portfolio or Resume:
Create a Resume: Help students create a simple resume or portfolio highlighting their skills, experiences, and accomplishments.
Mock Interviews:
Conduct multiple mock interviews with different interviewers, if possible, to expose students to various interview styles.
Feedback and Reflection:
Provide constructive feedback after mock interviews, highlighting areas for improvement.
Encourage students to reflect on their experiences and identify strategies for improvement.
Follow-Up:
Teach the importance of sending a thank-you note or email after the interview to express gratitude and reiterate interest in the position.
Advocate for Accommodations:
If necessary, work with students to identify and request reasonable accommodations for the interview process.
Remember Each Special Needs Student Is Unique
Tailor your approach to their specific abilities and challenges, and provide ongoing support and encouragement throughout the interview process. The goal is to build their confidence and skills, ultimately increasing their chances of success in job interviews.
My heart goes out to children. I often wonder what is happening to their ability to connect. Teaching manners in the classroom has never been more important.
What is it like for them to build relationships with their friends at the moment? How about with other adults outside of their parents?
Many children have dealt with this for years as we have become so accustomed to our lives orbiting around digital devices.
What is in store for this generation? What is it like for them to make a human connection? Do they know how? Do they have the confidence to start and carry on a conversation?
Over the years as I have worked with parents, I often hear the comment “they will listen to you more than me”- meaning, when teaching manners, children listen to a third party. For some reason, this is the way of the world.
Finding moments or dedicated time to teach manners in your classroom is actually very easy. Most likely you are using good social skills all day every day in the classroom.
Teach Manners and Life Skills Such As:
Eye contact: When using eye contact, point out what you are doing. As students use good eye contact, let them know you noticed.
Respect: Point out respectful behaviors as you see certain actions (helping others, expressing gratitude, holding the door, saying “good morning”)
Conversation skills: We have multiple conversations a day. Recognize students when they engage with each other. Conversation skills are becoming a lost art. This skill is the cornerstone of building friendships.
There has been a focus at the school level in many states to focus on the whole child.
Teachers love using our lesson plans to teach manners in their classrooms. The lesson plan objective along with suggested dialogues and handouts are included.
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
Thank You Note Writing Will Always Be Relevant. And Here is Why.
Expressing gratitude is the highest form of respect
Receiving a thank you note feels special
Thank you notes are a gesture to express how we feel and recognize someone’s efforts and kindness
It make a human connection
Our methods of communication have changed over the years. You are aware of how casual we have become but thank you notes will always be in style!
In fact, thank you note writing is an act that will set you apart, both personally and professionally. And that is not really the reason to do it. Think about the time and thought that went into the gift or action. Writing a thank you note recognizes the giver.
Writing a thank you note also is a way to make a human connection. We all know making a human connection has become a treasure and gift.
Thank you notes can have several important benefits:
Personal touch: Handwritten thank you notes add a personal touch that shows the recipient you took the time and effort to acknowledge their kindness or gesture.
Thoughtfulness: Sending a thank you note demonstrates thoughtfulness and consideration, which can strengthen relationships and leave a positive impression.
Gratitude reinforcement: Expressing gratitude reinforces positive behavior in the person who extended the kindness, encouraging them to continue their thoughtful actions.
Formal occasions: Thank you notes are still commonly used for formal occasions, such as after receiving gifts for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, or other significant events.
Professional settings: In professional settings, sending thank you notes after job interviews, receiving mentorship or guidance, or after collaborating on projects can leave a lasting positive impression on colleagues and supervisors.
Networking: Sending thank you notes after networking events or when someone has provided you with valuable advice or assistance can help strengthen professional relationships.
Overall, thank you notes serve as a meaningful way to express gratitude and can make a positive impact in both personal and professional relationships. While other forms of communication may be used, the sincerity and thoughtfulness behind a well-written thank you note remain valued and appreciated by many.
Gratitude Works Both Ways
Sitting and writing thank you notes is so up lifting for both parties. Yes, we love to be recognized, but expressing gratitude is joyful and we feel this from the inside out.
Writing Thank You Notes Can Be a Creative Outlet
I love going to stationary stores. The colors, beautiful papers (both wrapping and cards) are a delight to the senses.
You can express yourself when choosing your note cards. Are you colorful, more of a minimalist, playful and witty? The choices today are endless.
You can buy boxed cards or have yours personalized.
As students progress through high school, the need for strong interview etiquette skills becomes even more important. Interview skills should be a priority in every high school classroom.
As an educator, your role is to help your students succeed and thrive academically. But a huge part of this is preparing them for what’s to come. From scholarship and college admission interviews to their first jobs and internships, interviewing is going to be a huge barrier to success. That’s why you should focus on interview etiquette with your high school students.
And luckily, it’s easier to implement than you might expect!
Why Is It Important To Teach Interview Etiquette To High School Students?
Aside from preparing students for college and career interviews, teaching interview etiquette helps shape other life skills, too.
High school students are unique in that, when they feel fully confident, they have a contagious level of positive energy. When they learn new skills that feel relevant to real life, it’s easy to see their joy and sense of accomplishment.
That’s right—high school students will be incredibly enthusiastic about learning new skills, as long as those skills feel relevant and practical. Interview etiquette is hands-on and lets students think and learn in a new, different way.
Students love learning things that benefit themselves. Studying something like geometry is important, but many students don’t see how it’s relevant to their real lives. When you teach interview etiquette, you’re supporting your students in preparing for adulthood.
Plus, you get to build that confidence in your students. A huge part of interviewing is learning to showcase yourself in the best light and celebrate your skills. Many high school students are vulnerable and feel insecure….and you have the chance to change that while helping them make a good impression and achieve their goals.
3 Types Of Interview Etiquette You Should Teach To High School Students
If you’re worried about how to teach etiquette to your high school students, it’s way easier than you’re anticipating.
There are actually three main types of etiquette you should focus on. We’ll go over those three types and then move into some easy strategies for incorporating interview etiquette into your classroom.
1. Teach Them How To Have A Strong Interview Presence
The first main component of interview etiquette is having a presence. This means things like:
Having good posture throughout the interview
Walking into the room with confident body language
Keeping your body language confident throughout the conversation
Our body language tells interviewers what they need to know before we even start talking. Many students are completely uncomfortable with interviews, and that shows in their body language.
Prioritize walking in with confidence, maintaining eye contact, and keeping your shoulders back and down, your torso elongated, and your chin up.
2. Teach Them To Dress The Part
Dressing the part—and more specifically, dressing for what you want—matters. The way we dress helps portray our values and attitude toward a role.
You’ll want to encourage students of all backgrounds to do their best to dress in an authentic, appropriate, and professional manner. Remind students that it’s okay to ask about interview dress codes if they aren’t sure.
Typically, you can advise male students to wear slacks and a clean, pressed, collared shirt. The same outfit will work for female students, but a dress or skirt with a business-appropriate length will also suffice.
Just remember that all students do not come from the same background, home environment, or resources. Keep that in mind when discussing appropriate interview attire.
3. Work On Conversation Skills
The final fundamental piece of interview etiquette is conversation skills. There are a few important things here that you’ll want to teach your students.
First, let your students know that they should always do research on the company (or university) that they’ll be interviewing with. Even better, if they know the name of the person who will be interviewing them, they can research that person, too.
Next, prioritize conversation skills during the interview. Of course, basic manners and conversation skills matter here. But there are also specific that matter, like asking open-ended questions and using phrases like “describe,” “please explain,” and “tell me.”
You can have your students interview each other with scripts to practice these types of skills!
Now let’s get to the fun part. How do you easily teach interview etiquette in your high school classroom?
Here are four steps you can take to do this.
Make The Process Fun With Role-Playing
As a high school educator, you know how important it is to keep learning fun and engaging. When it’s time to prepare your students for interviews, you need to keep things hands-on and engaging whenever possible!
Role-playing activities are a great way to engage students with real practice. You can even pair students up in groups and have them consistently practice interview etiquette once a week.
Use An Etiquette Curriculum To Help You Plan These Lessons
If you’re looking for structured plans for etiquette in your classroom without extra stress, the Manners to Go curriculum is perfect for you!
Manners To Go offers a job skills curriculum complete with tons of engaging activities to guarantee student success during interviews. A huge part of interview etiquette is how you carry yourself (not just your answers to questions) and that’s exactly what our curriculum focuses on.
As a high school educator, you have lots on your plate. Manners To Go’s curriculum gives you a clear path for teaching interview etiquette in your classroom without tons of extra work.
Practice Key Interview Skills Consistently
There are so many skills that your students need to know in order to be successful in interviews. Breaking this down into a specific checklist helps you stay on track while creating snackable lessons for your students.
Here are some of the key interview etiquette skills you should focus on:
Preparing a list of questions for the interviewers
Answering typical interview questions students might be asked
Eye contact
Confident posture
Body language and delivery
Inclusivity and conversation skills
Make sure to point out successes at each of these skills as students start to use them. Manners To Go’s curriculum features lessons for each of these essential skills.
Prioritize Following Up After Every Interview
If you want to help your students stand out, going above and beyond with interview etiquette is a must.
And the best way to do that is to implement manners through following up!
Teach your students that following up with an interviewer isn’t just acceptable—it’s encouraged. Then, focus on practicing those skills by writing a handwritten thank you note or email.
These follow-ups are quick to put together, but take practice to master. They’re worth doing, particularly because they show good character and strong leadership skills.
Working on interview etiquette with your high school students is an incredible way to prepare them for the real world. Whether your students are heading to jobs, college admissions, or scholarship interviews, they need those essential skills to succeed.
Here is a FREE Guide to Help YOU Start a Business Teaching Manners to Children
If you are looking to start immediately and save money on travel and time, then this is your best option.You choose the dates of our trainings. Most choose to have their sessions once a week, others twice. This is a “live” and private training. It is NOTself-guided.
PRIVATE Training. That’s right, we meet in person, the two of us and our focus is completely on your business. Click the image above or follow the button below to learn more and to see a list of cities available for your training.
Lisa Richey provides etiquette programs to businesses, schools, and individuals.
