Back to School Means Manners Classes in School for Some Students
Grosse Pointe, MI July 30, 2004 -- For over 300,000 students throughout Missouri and Illinois, school is a place where they not only learn about the world around them, but also how to get along in it. Character Plus, a project of the Cooperating School Districts in St. Louis, Missouri, is the nation’s largest community-wide initiative in Character Education and reports significant positive growth from its participants.
“Clearly, Missouri schools are at the cutting edge of what I believe is the answer to many of the problems facing education today.” said Cyndee Harrison, founder of A Little Grace and Charm. But the fact is that schools all over the nation have a renewed focus on the importance of values and character education and its impact on student success.
“Our organization offers a unique curriculum which can provide the icing on the cake...the finishing touch, if you will, to their obviously strong foundation in civic education”.
At the recent Character Plus conference, July 8-10, 2004, educators from across the nation helped one another gain the tools and inspiration to help shape the character of our youth. Harrison presented a breakout session which is available for MP3 download at www.csd.org. Her presentation helped those in attendance see that at long last, manners classes have been taken out of the ballrooms and country clubs and can now be a part of their regular school day. Similar presentations are planned all over the country during the 2004-2005 school year.
“It seems the next logical step. Good manners are, after all, the outward and visible sign of an inward and personal strength of character. These schools are ready for direct instruction in the behaviors and skills which are the outward identification markers of an amiable, moral, and socially well-adjusted person.” She believes that the Courtesy Coaching for Schools curriculum is the means by which this instruction will be delivered to the schools who have laid the foundation through their existing character education programs.
”Ours is the only manners and etiquette curriculum which was born in a public school classroom. Our trainers are teachers and parents themselves, with experience ranging from private and religious schools to large urban settings.” Harrison’s own experience with the inner city child was gained through work as a Detroit Public Schools teacher. “Anyone who has worked in a classroom can attest to the fact that children yearn to do well...they enjoy knowing how to do the right thing in a variety of social settings. But it’s certainly time to throw out the white gloves and fish forks of old fashioned finishing schools! We’re all about courtesy in the real world...mainstream manners.”
The staff of A Little Grace and Charm will be presenting a day-long training event which is open to all educators on Thursday, August 26th at Central Catholic St. Nicholas School in St. Louis. Participants in this training will become ‘Certified Courtesy Coaches’ who will have the ability to offer an unlimited amount of future classes utilizing the materials and lesson plans of the Courtesy Coaching curriculum in their own schools including enrichment classes, lunch-and-learn programs, schoolwide assemblies, and more! In addition to providing direct instruction in the behaviors, skills, and values of polite behavior, this designation also represents a unique fund-raising and friend-raising opportunity when the classes are offered to the surrounding community for a nominal charge. To learn more or to register online, visit the company’s website at www.mannersforkids.com or call 586-246-3123.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Cyndee Harrison
The Tea Party Company
586-246-3123
http://www.mannersforkids.com
This article courtesy of http://millerweitzelgallery.com.
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