Manners should be a fundamental step in every child’s learning. It’s never too early to start learning manners! Teaching manners to preschoolers is powerful for parents and children alike! It helps children navigate their own social world and grow into healthy, happy adolescents and adults.
Without proper manners knowledge, children can find themselves isolated from others. Not knowing how to act or communicate can cause separation. This could hinder their social and work lives as they grow older.
Why Is Teaching Manners To Preschoolers Important?
Why should you worry about teaching manners to preschoolers?
The reasons are endless. But learning manners is a very important stage in childhood. As a preschool educator, you understand how crucial preschool is for students’ development.
Children learn necessary skills at a young age so that they can continue to grow those skills as they age. If they don’t have the opportunity to process those skills, they could be missing out on key lessons that they’ll need later in life.
Teaching your students how to behave appropriately in a classroom helps transfer those skills to real-life (outside the classroom). Students need to learn good manners and social skills at a young age. This can help them grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults.
Your job is to help them navigate the new world of manners. By showing them appropriate actions and words for situations, you’re setting a positive example for their future.
Learning Good Manners Makes Life Easier and More Fun For Preschoolers
Teaching manners to preschoolers can be fun for them. And as their educator, you should make every opportunity a fun, learning one!
Children are eager to learn. They like to copy the actions of adults because they are naturally curious. It’s your job to take that curiosity they have and redirect it to learning manners.
What are manners for preschoolers?
Basic manners start with greetings and how to introduce themselves. Preschoolers are at the age where they are learning how to interact. They want to make friends. By teaching them how to politely greet one another, you’re introducing a new, engaging way for them to communicate.
Respect is another big lesson that children learn at a young age. They should all learn to treat others the same way they would like to be treated. With a basic understanding of respect, children are more open to learning how to gain and show that respect.
You then have the opportunity to talk about the magic words, like please and thank you. You can also talk about the process of actively listening when someone is talking to them.
Teaching Manners To Preschoolers Makes Them More Polite and Well-Rounded
No one wants to deal with rude children. As a preschool educator, you deal with the trial and error of child behavior. But it doesn’t have to mean dealing with impolite behavior 24/7.
By giving lessons on manners, students have the opportunity to change their behavior. Many children act out in inappropriate ways because they don’t know how to communicate or show their feelings.
You can set a polite and appropriate example for them! Teaching manners to preschoolers gives them the resources they need to effectively (and graciously) communicate their feelings.
When children learn the cordial ways to interact with others, they are more likely to grow into considerate adults. As polite adults, they’ll be more well-rounded…which can open up many opportunities for their social and work life.
You’ll Give Your Students A Number Of Incredible Benefits
The best thing about teaching manners to preschoolers is that there isn’t only one benefit. As a preschool educator, you have so many opportunities to teach children so many different lessons. They have more of an opportunity to soak in all of the benefits of good manners.
Here are some qualities you can expect your students to exhibit when you teach good manners in your preschool classroom:
Increased sense of self-confidence
Higher self-esteem
Empathy for others around them
Understanding etiquette and social skills in the classroom.
Pride in showing their parents what they have learned
How To Start Teaching Manners To Preschoolers In Your Classroom
I often hear from preschool teachers about how easy it is to teach manners in the classroom. For some, the process comes naturally. For others, it never hurts to be reminded of ways that you can start teaching manners to preschoolers in your classroom.
The first thing to remember is that eyes are always on you.
As the teacher of the class (and the only adult), your students are always going to belooking at you as the model. That’s why it is so important for you to set a good example. Show them what is possible to achieve with good manners.
If you demonstrate kindness and respect to others around you, your students are going to pick up on it. When you act with kindness and respect, don’t be afraid to point it out. By explaining to your students what you’re doing, you can walk them through the process. As a result, it will be easier for them to transfer it into their own behavior.
Emphasize the fun of manners! Teaching polite words and actions doesn’t have to be boring. You can create engaging activities that will make students excited to learn manners. Remember, if they see it as a chore, they’ll be less likely to use the manners you teach.
Feel free to contact us to ask questions about teaching or to share your experience.
Manners To Go Makes This Process Easier Than Ever
With the Manners To Go Preschool curriculum, teaching manners in your classroom has never been easier. Our materials allow the process of learning to be fun and easy.
The beautifully illustrated images help children of all ages connect to manners. Activities, like role-playing, help spark creativity and actually make a difference.
Our lesson plans are flexible. With 10-, 20-, or 30-minute sessions, they can fit into any part of your day. Our curriculum is a great way to immerse your child in the world of manners.
Teaching manners to preschoolers is key in setting up their foundation. Establishing appropriate behaviors and a polite attitude can be simple and engaging. Not to mention, it will help the children grow into gracious adults!
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.
Every child should have the opportunity of learning the ins and outs of social graces. Children need to feel comfortable being polite in social situations.
Teaching children about the important social graces will allow them to flourish and grow with the world. The social graces you teach impact children greatly and help support their journey through adulthood.
What Are Social Graces, and Why Are They So Important For Children To Learn?
Social graces are the polite manners that a child can use in certain situations. Grace can be defined as simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Teaching children social graces is essential because it ultimately helps children feel better about their actions! By using social graces, they are able to build their confidence and feel more secure in their actions. As a result, adults feel more comfortable with their children’s actions and feelings.
Learning social graces is not a difficult task. It can be taught to any child of any age. Social grace lessons may start during the preschool years with the general manners of “please” and “thank you,” but there’s more to social graces than just basic manners.
9 Social Graces You Should Teach To Children
Social graces are invaluable to have as a child and throughout adolescence and adulthood. No matter the situation they may be in, children will feel more comfortable with their actions and words.
That’s why taking the time to teach social graces matters. But what exactly should you focus on?
Let’s take a look beyond the basic social graces at the most important things you should focus on.
1. Eye Contact
Maintaining eye contact is very important. It not only shows respect for the person that you are talking to, it also shows that you are interested in the topic they are talking about.
Eye contact also portrays confidence. By demonstrating your ability to look into someone’s eyes, you’re displaying self-assurance in the environment you’re in.
Remind children that eye contact might feel intimate, and that’s because it is! It is a form of connection between people that cultivates commitment and appreciation.
2. Avoid Interrupting
Interrupting is a form of selfishness. If children are under the impression that interrupting conversations is okay, they’ll believe that it’s okay for their needs to surpass others—all of the time.
Teach children to refrain from interrupting. Fighting against that habit will allow them to establish patience. It will help them realize that their needs and desires aren’t always going to be the first priority. Teaching them to not interrupt also supports the idea of selflessness. They may be more likely to put others first.
3. Basic Conversation Skills
Basic conversation skills are a fundamental part of communication.
Children may struggle with these skills because of their impulses of excitement. They may interrupt a conversation because they’re passionate about the topic. While they mean well, their actions are translated differently.
Without nonverbal cues, children lack basic conversation skills because they’re unfamiliar with certain gestures and what they mean. And that creates a recipe for social awkwardness and stress when making friends or working with others.
Luckily, there are ways for you to guide children around these social roadblocks.
By practicing scripted examples of strong conversations, children will understand the social graces and nuances that matter. They’ll learn that asking questions keeps your partner engaged and shows that you’re interested in what they’re talking about.
As an educator, you can help children brainstorm lists of phrases or words they can say in a conversation in order to sound engaged.
4. Pay Attention
As an educator, it is as important for you to be present in teaching as it is for children to be present in learning. While the process of learning social graces is ongoing, they are very aware of others’ actions.
Children can tell when you’re not in the present moment with them. This can result in a loss of connection between you and the children.
Social graces involve being in that present moment. Your job as an educator is to help support that! The more you are there with your students, the more they’ll pick up on how you act.
By demonstrating zero distractions and full attention, you’re teaching them to be present in conversations and situations.
5. Body Language
As I mentioned earlier, human beings read nonverbal cues during situations. That includes body language!
It is imperative that children understand that our bodies reflect our attitudes. Paint scenarios for them to demonstrate how positive and negative posture affects a situation.
Maintaining a tall posture, with shoulders back and your chin up suggests that you are paying attention to what is going on around you. In this position, children look more engaged and ready to participate.
Practice getting into attention postures with your students. These postures may also benefit the student’s engagement in the classroom.
6. Introduction Skills
By teaching children how to introduce themselves, you’re teaching them how to be confident and self-assured.
At first glance, children see introducing themselves as intimidating and uncomfortable. That’s why it’s your job to make introductions seem familiar and easy!
Teach your students the importance of eye contact and smiling during introductions. You can also teach them how to shake hands with someone appropriately.
It is important to practice these introduction skills with your students. By doing so, you’re able to help them in areas they may be struggling with while also letting them know what they are doing well.
7. Thank You Notes
Learning how to give thanks is crucial for children. Showing appreciation for others’ actions allows students to build awareness of selflessness.
Writing thank-you notes or emails is a foundational skill that teaches children the meaning of gratitude. By discussing the importance of appreciation, children can understand what it means when someone spends time doing something for them.
Inform them of what situations require thank you notes. Things like presents, cards, and even after interviews, all classify as reasons to give thanks to someone.
8. Table Manners
While children may not be eating in the classroom as much, it is important to remind them of the social graces of eating in public places.
Remind your students that they should be respectful and polite while eating their food.
By teaching children these rules below, you are allowing them to implement these skills in their own social life:
Keep your mouth closed while chewing food
Hold utensils correctly in your hands
No shoveling or stabbing at food
Wash your hands before eating
Do not touch your face or other parts of your body at the table
Use your napkin to wipe your face
Keep a tall posture at the table
Don’t put your elbows on the table
Avoid reaching across the table for a plate
Ask someone to pass you a plate or dish
9. Inclusion
Every child comes from a different background, and it is important for children to recognize that while this is the case, it doesn’t matter.
Children have different personalities. Some may be shyer than others, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have friends. Encourage your students to be a friend to someone who maybe doesn’t have one.
As an educator, children look up to you so it is important for you to set an example of kindness and inclusion! Showing respect and kindness to everyone in the classroom influences how the children will respect and show kindness.
Lastly, empathize with your students. Empathy is a difficult emotion to understand but by allowing them to see examples of it, children may be more encouraged to practice it in their own lives.
How To Successfully Teach Social Graces
Now that you understand the ways to teach social graces, it is time to implement them. How can you guarantee the success of these skills?
It’s all about how children view the learning process of social graces. Make it fun for them! If you avoid making social graces feel like chores, your students will be engaged and interested.
Remember, as an educator, you are an example for children. They are going to be watching you and your actions in public situations. By practicing the social graces you teach, you’re maintaining an example for students to follow.
Teaching social graces takes time. There may be days where it is more successful than others. Find ways to point out social graces as a norm. By calling out public situations, students are seeing social graces in action.
Keep the positivity up. Remember to be appreciative of your students and the progress they make towards fully understanding social graces!
It is fundamental for children to know the ins and outs of polite mannerisms. Not only will it help them feel more confident but it will help them establish connections with the people they meet.
Teaching social graces may seem like a daunting task, but by setting examples in your own behavior and by keeping it fun, you’ll serve as a guide to respect and kindness!
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.
Recently, I had the opportunity to teach a manners program for her students. Leah is a special education teacher and her focus is on children with autism. She also has a blog, Teacher Talk, where she writes about her experiences.
When I was visiting your classroom preparing for the manners program, I noticed several boxes containing materials. My eyes immediately went to the box on life skills. Tell us about that box!
In our life skill box, I have a lot of resources that help teach students skills they need for life such as direction following, manners, greetings, and how to hold a conversation. The box contains activities and worksheets that help students learn and practice these skills.
My favorite life skills/manners activity to teach is how to greet a person properly. Proper greetings change depending on age, location, and familiarity of the person. I love teaching different greetings during morning meeting since first impressions matter. We also practice saying hello and goodbye when entering and exiting the classroom. In addition, we always reinforce and expect our students to say please and thank you.
My students love to participate in group projects where collaboration is needed to complete an end product. My students wrote and produced a video about Mozambique that shared how some students could not go to school since they could not afford a $10 uniform. My students loved practicing their lines and recording the video. In addition, my students have enjoyed morning meetings where they greet their classmates and their teachers, participate in a group activity, and then ask their classmates questions about their weekend or how to solve a math problem.
4. Of these activities, which ones do you believe have the most impact?
I think each social skills activity has had a beneficial effect on my students. Morning meeting has been a great social activity that has helped produce a “family” feel in the classroom among peers and teachers. Producing the video helped my students think outside the classroom and use their social skills to focus on helping other people. Focusing on saying please and thank you has helped my students be a role model to other students in the lunch room and to special teachers.
Would You Like Lesson Plans to Teach Manners in Your Classroom?
Good Manners Set the Stage for Future Success
As an educator, you know how important social skills are for a child’s success. Children who are polite, well spoken, and attentive to others find it easier to get along with their peers and make a positive impression on the adults in their lives. As a result, more opportunities come their way, laying the foundation for future success in life. Yet too many children are not being taught proper manners or other valuable social skills at home. Which means it’s up to us as educators to equip them with these important life tools – and help them grow up to be responsible, caring, successful global citizens.
Now you can help students improve their behavior in as little as 10 minutes a day… a week… or month.
Manners To Go™ is taught in public, private and charter schools around the world. The New York Times, Parents Magazine and Fox News have all featured Manners To Go and the many benefits of teaching social skills to children.
Whether you are an educator who wants to teach it in the classroom or someone who is looking to become trained and certified, we provide all the solutions.
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.
Middle school is a vulnerable time for many students. As children grow into adolescents and start experiencing a whole new set of social, academic, and personal challenges, focusing on personal development is important. That’s part of the reason why it’s so important to teach manners and respect to middle school students.
As the last stop before high school, college, and the adult world, middle school prevents a pivotal opportunity to help students develop. There are lots of reasons to teach middle schoolers manners….but even more important, how do you do it?
Why Is Teaching Manners and Respect Important In Middle School?
Teaching life skills, manners, and respect to middle school students is imperative to their well-being. In fact, these elements are the key to giving students a happier adult life long-term!
First, students are making impressions on each other in a deep, lasting way throughout middle school. The impressions they create in middle school often follow them into high school and impact their ability to excel, both academically and socially.
Many middle school students don’t learn about manners and respect (or other key life skills) at home. In those cases, school is the only opportunity they’ll have to receive a manners education that will shape their adolescent years for the better.
Actually, middle school students know they need these skills and are eager to learn them. When given the opportunity, many students will rise to the challenge and embrace learning manners and respect at school. This is especially true if you can show them how valuable these skills are, both long-term and short-term!
Manners, etiquette, character education, life skills, and social-emotional learning are all intertwined. However you categorize these topics at your school, education can (and should) include many aspects of human behavior.
Manners and respect are a foundational piece of human behavior, and socialization is so important. So focusing on manners and respect alike, along with skills like math, literacy, and culture, is essential.
How To Teach Manners and Respect To Middle Schoolers
Where should you begin teaching manners in middle school? Let’s explore how you should actually go about teaching manners and respect to your middle school students.
Start With The Basics
The best place to start when teaching manners and respect is with the basics. Don’t assume what your students know—not every student is comfortable with fundamental social skills or basic manners.
Remember, every student has a different home life. It’s our responsibility as educators to meet them where students are, not expect them to jump to where we expect them to be.
Every middle school student needs to have a certain set of skills that will help them socially and academically. No matter what subject you teach, focusing on manners and respect in your middle school classroom is very important….and easier than you think to add to your classroom.
An added bonus is that teaching manners and respect actually makes your job easier! When your students respect you, themselves, and each other, your classroom will be easier to manage. Add in basic manners across the board, and your students will perform better and feel better equipped to deal with daily life.
Some basic manners and respect hallmarks to focus on with your middle school students include:
How to make (and appropriately maintain) eye contact
How to introduce themselves
Conversation skills
Using appropriate language when speaking with others
When to put devices away and be completely present
Digital decorum
How to navigate a place setting
How to manage (and present themselves well on) social media
Expressing gratitude
Good posture when sitting or standing
Good hygiene
Receiving these basic skills will help every middle school student navigate the world more smoothly. All of these skills are easy to teach. But each one is also incredibly valuable and will last a lifetime!
How To Add Manners and Respect Topics and Activities to Your Middle School Curriculum
Manners and respect don’t have to be the entire focus of your classroom. It’s easy to add small, teachable moments to your lessons, no matter what subject you teach!
First, make sure you model great manners and respect in your classroom. Consistently model the social behaviors you’d like to see your students learn.
You should point out moments where you practiced specific etiquette skills. Remember, you should always point out and celebrate when a middle school student in your class is using amazing manners and respect. Whether it’s skills from a lesson you’ve taught or something you haven’t covered yet, celebrating small wins helps your students see the value of manners right away.
Everyone’s home situation, background, and lifestyle are different. Create an even playing field by showing and telling what’s right (and explaining why it’s right!).
You’ll also want to highlight the true benefits of good manners and etiquette for middle schoolers in your classroom.
Why should your students care about this? In middle school, young pre-teens are focused on the now, so tailor your explanations to social issues they’re currently facing. Then, as you make progress in teaching manners and respect, you can shift to prioritize long-term benefits!
Teaching manners and respect in your middle school classroom is an amazing decision. Especially since so many students are facing new struggles (and likely aren’t receiving these valuable social skills at home), you’re providing them with skills that truly last a lifetime.
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.
Teaching etiquette is important at any age. But etiquette for teens is incredibly significant — especially for high school students! With so many big life changes ahead, teenagers need to be prepared to thrive socially out in the world.
Focusing on etiquette for teens in your high school classroom will help you continue to positively impact your students. You’ll provide them with skills and knowledge that last a lifetime.
Why It’s Essential To Focus On Etiquette For Teens
As an educator, you understand the value of social skills for every student. Particularly for high school students, knowing how to act in both social and professional situations is essential!
Basic manners and etiquette for teens helps them make positive impressions on the right people. Whether your high schoolers are applying for part-time jobs or apprenticeships, college, or interviewing, etiquette is the key!
Plus, etiquette helps teens know how to respect others. In such a vulnerable emotional time as adolescence, the more respect and empathy we can foster, the better!
Teenagers who use good manners (and have amazing social skills) are more likely to receive opportunities to grow and thrive. In a modern world grounded in tons of new social etiquette rules, teens might not receive proper manners education at home. That means the classroom might be the only place they could learn social skills and etiquette for the professional world!
Etiquette for teens impacts their ability to excel, both in school and professionally as they enter the workplace.
Every teen should have a certain set of skills that will help them socially, academically, and professionally. No matter what subject you teach, etiquette for teens is incredibly important….and easier than you think to add to your classroom.
Some basic etiquette for teens to focus on include:
How to make (and appropriately maintain) eye contact
How to introduce themselves
Conversation skills
Using appropriate language when speaking with others
When to put their devices away and be completely present
Digital decorum
How to navigate a place setting
How to manage and present themselves well on social media
Expressing gratitude
Basic interview skills
Good posture when sitting or standing
Good hygiene
Dressing for professional occasions
Receiving these basic skills will help any teenager navigate the world more smoothly. All of these skills are easy to teach, but incredibly valuable (and lifelong).
How To Start Adding Etiquette for Teens To Your Curriculum
Etiquette for teens doesn’t have to be the entire focus of your classroom. It’s easy to add small, teachable moments to your lessons, no matter what subject you teach.
First, make sure you model good behavior in your classroom. Consistently model the etiquette and social behaviors you’d like to see your students learn.
You can even point out moments where you practiced specific etiquette skills.
Next, point out and celebrate when a teenager in your class is using those amazing etiquette skills. Whether it’s skills from a lesson you’ve taught or something you haven’t covered yet, celebrating etiquette helps teens see its value.
Be direct when teaching etiquette for teens. Don’t assume that all teenagers know even basic social skills or manners!
Everyone’s home situation, background, and lifestyle are different, so create an even playing field by showing and telling what’s right (and explaining why it’s right).
You’ll also want to highlight the true benefits of good manners and etiquette for teens in your classroom. Let’s be honest: no high schooler likes feeling as though what they’re doing is irrelevant! The more you can show them how valuable these skills are, the more open they’ll be to learning.
Teaching etiquette is about self-respect and respecting others.
You should highlight to your students that etiquette and good manners aren’t just a set of strict rules. Instead, encourage students to reflect and use these skills because of how it makes them feel on the inside!
Benefits of Etiquette For Teens
Students who learn and use etiquette become more polite, well-rounded teenagers and adults.
Etiquette for teens actually leads to a number of positive character traits, like:
Greater confidence and self-esteem
Empathy for others
Improved etiquette and social skills in the classroom and at home
Better manners in everyday life
Confidence to take on leadership roles and new challenges
All of these character traits help teenagers navigate adolescence and beyond. As they grow older, those fundamental etiquette lessons will continue to add value to their lives.
High school is one of the most important times to focus on manners and social skills. Etiquette for teens provides lifelong value and builds character. Even better, it helps prepare them for amazing opportunities as they grow older!
If you’re ready to start focusing on etiquette for teens in your classroom, Manners To Go’s curriculums can help you! Providing etiquette and social education to your students in any subject is easy with the right strategies and tools on your side.
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