Teaching Grace and Courtesy in the Classroom
This blog is for parents, teachers and students in Early Childhood Classroom to help them understand the Grace and Courtesy we encourage within our classroom community.
Our classroom is a safe environment where students can learn not only the basic skills needed to prepare them in school, but also life-long skills that will prepare them in society. These skills are not presented as a demanding, forceful action that the student is made to do, but something that is modeled by the teacher just as a lesson in math might be. These Grace and Courtesy skills are lessons that are given throughout the year starting on the very first day of school and continuing and yes sometimes repeated as needed. A list and understanding of these skills is included here, but is not limited to what might need to be taught in a classroom of students with ever changing needs.
The teachers in our classroom want our students to be a classroom full of individuals who respect and embrace each other and our differences, so we also will be continuously learning about each other and the different cultural backgrounds that we form as a classroom community. We believe that learning about each other will help us to appreciate the differences. We ask parents, grandparents, relatives and friends to help us in this endeavor by sharing your child’s background with books, pictures, food and stories.
Please comment below and let me know if you have any other ideas that would help our classroom throughout the year become the community of learners we all want them to be. All helpful suggestions will be considered, including those your child might like to add.
I went to a Black belt ceremony the other night. I loved the way the instructor was so positive and uplifting the whole time. Even when someone was doing something wrong, he would re-inforce what was going right and everyone made sure they were right too. With that being said, I feel that the model of the skill is far more important than just trying to teach it. If the child sees it happening every day, then it just becomes part of his/her life.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth I agree also, modeling those behaviors that we expect is so important. You can preach and preach, but children learn from watching and that is where true influence comes in. All teachers are role models, thats what teaching is truly about. I would love to see a Black belt ceremony, I've heard very good things about them.
DeleteWhenever you can see that a teacher is passionate about what she is doing it shines through in his or her presence in the classroom. I think as a community of learners it is important for the children to see that you are invested in them, and that your job is important to you. That can be done by having a positive attitude, and making sure that you greet the students with a warm welcome before assigning class work or telling students what they are doing wrong. This isn't easy because we have lives beyond teaching that can affect our daily life, but once the children see that you have their best interest I believe the children start to take down their barriers and the class almost becomes like a family in a sense. All caring and having the best interest for each other, and hopefully becoming passionate about learning just like you are! This is a very ideal situation, but I think that it can be achieved!
ReplyDeleteMaking a connection with each and every child in your class has to happen. Greeting them each day, leaving our garbage outside when we come to the classroom and making each day a new day for everyone. All of these show the students that you care about them. Then they will feel like you said a family. The students will trust in you as their teacher and when you show them important thing whether it has to do with academics or social interactions they will listen to you and try their best. Not always perfect but always working towards their own personal best.
DeleteOne thing that I think works well with small children is to get them to practice saying and doing the correct thing. For example, teach a child to go up to another child and ask, "may I have that toy now." Get the other one to say "yes you can." Then tell him to say "thank you." Then "your welcome." It seems obvious, but some children do not hear people use old fashion manners any more. Sometimes children just need to be exposed to kindness.
ReplyDeleteI have done this with role playing with the students. A lot of times they just don't have the correct words to use with each other. You are right no role models. I also try to help them learn empathy towards each other. Wouldn't it be great if we could teach students to think about how others would feel before they say or do something mean?
DeleteMaryann,
ReplyDeleteI loved the article. It truly is all about modeling and starting out when they are young. A couple of things my own children struggled with when they were little was understanding how to say they didn't like something or they had something already. I remember on occasion when we would be at someone's house that had invited us to dinner and my children would say, "I don't like that." or "That's not the way my mommy cooks that." or "My mom's is better than this." It was hard teaching them that sometimes we don't share what we're thinking because it just might hurt someone's feelings. I think they were stating facts to themselves and never intended to hurt anyone, but those were difficult teaching moments to have. Birthdays were another difficult time for teaching. Sometimes they would open a gift and say, "I already have one of these." or "I don't like this ______________ (fill in the blank)." It is hard raising children to be grateful, and truly we're still working on it with our teenagers. I think we're always teaching.
Angel young children can sometimes be too honest! I love it and its hard for them to understand not saying things that they think about out loud. I think its part of our teaching them empathy for others. Just getting them to realize that what you say can hurt someone feeling is such a big step that will come eventually.
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