Grace and Courtesy, also known as the social graces, are integral to theMontessori approach of teaching children to have behaviours which are civil, considerate and courteous to others, be that in school or the outside world. The outcome of explaining, developing, and practicing the Christian values of Grace and Courtesy gives your child:

• real ways to demonstrate respect for other people
• the feedback of seeing others react to their positive, polite behaviour
• a feeling of self confidence when meeting and speaking with others
• positive feedback from those they are polite to
• an ability to make a positive contribution to their school environment

As children develop into very young adults and become more interested with the wider world and other cultures their own good behaviour, manners and beliefs help them to be successful as they travel or meet people different to themselves.

Table manners

At Troutbeck we teach and reinforce Grace & Courtesy in and out of the classroom via the teacher and governess. For example, we show how to set the table for dinner, with a table cloth, napkins, silverware all nicely arranged around table mats. Learning which knife fork or spoon to pick up first; how to eat properly; how to hold your knife and fork; then learning how to clean up and put away afterwards. In the countries we lived in prior to coming here the idea of having a maid to clean up everything is not economically possible as it still is in Zimbabwe. So to enable our children to not only survive but impress if they go overseas to study or to live we teach them what ‘real life’ and adulthood in westernised countries means!

Manners in the modern world

The Christian values we teach, including Grace and Courtesy cannot be underestimated even in this modern and still changing world we live in today.

The ability to write a polite introductory letter or thank-you note has transformed into how to write a polite email, text message, WhatsApp note, or Facebook entry that:

• does not offend the recipient
• does not shame the sender
• does not demean another person inadvertently
• is not regretted long after it has been sent around the world

There are many ways in which the modern world can seem oblivious to good manners from a young persons perspective (just try watching a soap opera on TV). However, as we know, good social and business relationships will form much of that adults future success.

Learning about manners in other cultures (and even our own culture) helps a young student or young business person fit in with a new culture or country all the more easily, and ahead of their competitors!