Your child’s private kindergarten is dedicated to the total development of a child’s mind, body, academic, and social skills. To this end, Maria Montessori made Grace and Courtesy a cornerstone of the Montessori Method. Her observations led to the belief that children are as deserving of praise, courtesy, and respect as anyone else, and that through grace and courtesy children will develop into the strong leaders of tomorrow.
Montessori: Grace and Courtesy
Grace and courtesy are ongoing lessons– and the expected behavior– of Montessori private kindergarten students. Learning to say “please” and “thank you” is part of the lesson plan, but it goes even further, encouraging children to portray the kind of behaviors and social graces necessary in every social situation.
Respect and Leadership
When you enter a Montessori classroom, one of the first things you will notice is that the children are quiet and orderly, going about their individual work in a calm and polite manner. Through grace and courtesy, children learn social etiquette and develop the skills necessary to develop into leadership roles. More than just good manners, grace and courtesy help children develop empathy and shows them that diplomacy is a valuable tool in itself.
Gratitude as a Way of Life
As the old adage goes, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Learning to be grateful and courteous as a matter of course rather than being polite only when they must. IN the classroom, at home, and in the community, social etiquette that is taught early becomes a normal mode of behavior that children learn to do without instruction.
Gratitude as a Path to Order
In the prepared environment of a Montessori classroom, children learn to put away their things when they are done using them. They are taught that everything has a place and that keeping their area tidy and organized makes it easier to find items when they want them, Asking permission, waiting in line, and acknowledging what others say and do in a polite manner contribute to the orderly atmosphere of the classroom and encourages children to use the same behavior in everything they do.
There aren’t any courses for grace and courtesy in Montessori kindergarten because there don’t need to be. Showing proper respect and politeness is a way of life, not a special skill, and social etiquette is reinforced as a matter of course throughout the day. Montessori children are polite because that is the way things are supposed to be, not because they are afraid of punishment or trying to secure special favor.