Global Table Manners for Children: What Pre-K and Elementary Teachers Can Learn from French Kids Eat Everything
Teaching Table Manners in the Classroom: A Global Perspective
Imagine a classroom where lunchtime is more than a break—it’s a lesson in patience, conversation, and respect. This is the norm in French schools, as beautifully captured in Karen Le Billon’s book, French Kids Eat Everything.
For Pre-K and elementary teachers, this book is a masterclass in how to use mealtime as a springboard for teaching essential social skills. From table manners to emotional regulation, it’s packed with actionable insights that are both inspiring and practical.
Why Table Manners Matter in Schools
French schools prioritize teaching children the value of food and the art of polite dining. Here’s how:
One Meal, One Choice: French children eat what they are served, a practice that encourages trying new foods and appreciating variety.
Structured Mealtime Rules: No snacking in class. No packed lunches. Just a shared, balanced meal that fosters community and respect.
Etiquette as a Core Skill: Children learn table manners, proper conduct, and how to engage in meaningful conversation during meals.
These lessons extend beyond the table, helping students develop patience, self-control, and empathy—skills that are essential in and out of the classroom.
Encourage Trying New Foods: Create a “taste challenge” activity where children sample small portions of unfamiliar foods in a fun, supportive setting.
Teach the Value of Patience: Use mealtime as an opportunity to practice waiting, taking turns, and showing gratitude.
Model Table Manners: Show students how to hold utensils properly, chew politely, and engage in conversation without interrupting.
Integrate Emotional Intelligence: Teach children how to manage frustration or impatience when trying new foods or waiting for a meal.
How Table Manners Enhance Social Skills
Globally, teaching table manners in schools is recognized as a way to nurture well-rounded, socially adept children. When teachers incorporate table manners into their classrooms, they’re also fostering:
Confidence: Children feel empowered knowing how to conduct themselves at the table.
Respect: Mealtime becomes a shared experience that values every participant.
Community: Eating together strengthens bonds and builds a sense of belonging.
Bring These Lessons to Your Classroom
French Kids Eat Everything isn’t just a book for parents—it’s a treasure trove of ideas for teachers who want to create meaningful learning moments around food. By weaving table manners and mealtime etiquette into your daily routine, you can:
Help Picky Eaters Thrive: Use small, consistent steps to encourage trying new foods.
Create a Turnkey Program: Develop simple, effective activities that make table manners a fun part of your curriculum.
Make Mealtime Meaningful: Transform lunchtime into a daily lesson in respect, patience, and gratitude.
Your Next Steps
Add French Kids Eat Everything to your professional reading list. Then, start small:
Discuss with colleagues how to integrate mealtime etiquette into your school culture.
Share the book with parents to create a collaborative approach to teaching these skills.
Table manners aren’t just about eating—they’re about building the foundation for a child’s success. Globally, schools are proving that mealtime can be an invaluable teaching moment. Why not bring this transformative idea into your classroom?
Inspire, Empower, Transform—start teaching table manners today and make a lasting impact on your students’ lives!
According to a recent article in Education Week, children are getting worse at making eye contact.
Eye contact is paramount when communicating. Using eye contact shows respect, leadership and confidence.
Children are getting worse at it according to a national survey.
This may not surprise you.
The article states that 62% of teachers and principals have noticed this decline.
“That decline is likely rooted in the isolation of the pandemic and the proliferation of cellphones and social media use, educators say, and it’s a symptom of the overall atrophying of kids’ social skills”.
In our culture, strong eye contact is expected. It portrays us as confident, respectful and interested.
When we break eye contact it might be construed as submissive or that we lack self-confidence.
At times, only mentioning eye contact -pointing it out to the student makes an impact.
Phones are one of the main reasons children have lost this very important social skill. Many students are not comfortable with face-to-face communication.
Lack of eye contact is also a lingering factor of the pandemic.
Here Is How You Can Help Students with Eye Contact
Create role-playing activities (this is included in the Manners To Go curriculum) that include conversations with other students
Greet your students every morning with a handshake or “good morning” and point out when they are making eye contact
Ask them to notice how they feel when using good eye contact
“Oli and Basil” is a beautifully illustrated book that tells a story of teamwork and collaboration, making it a great resource for teaching manners, social skills, and character in an elementary classroom.
Here’s How an Elementary Teacher Might Use This Book to Teach Manners and Etiquette in the Classroom
1. Introduce the Story:
Read-Aloud Session: The illustrations in this book is one of the highlights. Gather your students for story time and share the artwork as you read. Encourage students to observe the illustrations and discuss the emotions and actions of the characters.
Discussion: After reading, ask open-ended questions about the story. For example, “How did Oli and Basil work together?” or “What challenges did they face, and how did they overcome them?”
Group Activities: Organize activities where students must work together to complete a task, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and good social behavior.
Manners Chart: Create a classroom chart that lists positive behaviors demonstrated by the characters in the book. Each time a student exhibits one of these behaviors, they can add a sticker to the chart.
3. Character Education:
Character Traits: Identify key character traits in the story, such as kindness, responsibility, and perseverance. Discuss how these traits were important to the characters’ success.
Character Journals: Encourage students to keep a journal where they write about a time they displayed a positive character trait, linking it back to examples from the book.
4. Classroom Projects:
Collaborative Projects: Assign group projects that require teamwork, much like Oli and Basil’s collaboration. This could be anything from creating a class mural to working on a science experiment.
Art and Writing Activities: Have students draw scenes from the book or write a short story about a time they worked with someone else to solve a problem.
5. Reinforce Lessons with Visuals:
Bulletin Board Display: Create a bulletin board that features the characters and key lessons from the book. This visual reminder can help reinforce the importance of teamwork and good manners throughout the school year.
6. Extension Activities:
Home Connection: Send a note home with students encouraging parents to discuss the themes of the book and how they can apply them at home.
Follow-Up Books: Introduce other books that emphasize similar themes of cooperation, kindness, and good manners, creating a series of lessons that build on each other.
Using “Oli and Basil” in these ways can help an elementary teacher create a classroom environment where teamwork, collaboration, and positive social interactions are highly valued.
Start Teaching Manners and Social Skills in Your Classroom
Job interviews can be challenging for high school special needs students, but with the right preparation and support, they can successfully navigate the process.
Handling Nerves: Help students manage anxiety and stress through relaxation techniques or coping strategies.
Questions and Answers:
Prepare for Questions: Assist students in preparing answers to common interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself” and “Why do you want this job?”
Ask Questions: Encourage students to ask questions about the job or company to demonstrate interest.
Problem Solving:
Scenario-Based Questions: Practice answering hypothetical questions that assess problem-solving skills and adaptability.
Portfolio or Resume:
Create a Resume: Help students create a simple resume or portfolio highlighting their skills, experiences, and accomplishments.
Mock Interviews:
Conduct multiple mock interviews with different interviewers, if possible, to expose students to various interview styles.
Feedback and Reflection:
Provide constructive feedback after mock interviews, highlighting areas for improvement.
Encourage students to reflect on their experiences and identify strategies for improvement.
Follow-Up:
Teach the importance of sending a thank-you note or email after the interview to express gratitude and reiterate interest in the position.
Advocate for Accommodations:
If necessary, work with students to identify and request reasonable accommodations for the interview process.
Remember Each Special Needs Student Is Unique
Tailor your approach to their specific abilities and challenges, and provide ongoing support and encouragement throughout the interview process. The goal is to build their confidence and skills, ultimately increasing their chances of success in job interviews.
My heart goes out to children. I often wonder what is happening to their ability to connect. Teaching manners in the classroom has never been more important.
What is it like for them to build relationships with their friends at the moment? How about with other adults outside of their parents?
Many children have dealt with this for years as we have become so accustomed to our lives orbiting around digital devices.
What is in store for this generation? What is it like for them to make a human connection? Do they know how? Do they have the confidence to start and carry on a conversation?
Over the years as I have worked with parents, I often hear the comment “they will listen to you more than me”- meaning, when teaching manners, children listen to a third party. For some reason, this is the way of the world.
Finding moments or dedicated time to teach manners in your classroom is actually very easy. Most likely you are using good social skills all day every day in the classroom.
Teach Manners and Life Skills Such As:
Eye contact: When using eye contact, point out what you are doing. As students use good eye contact, let them know you noticed.
Respect: Point out respectful behaviors as you see certain actions (helping others, expressing gratitude, holding the door, saying “good morning”)
Conversation skills: We have multiple conversations a day. Recognize students when they engage with each other. Conversation skills are becoming a lost art. This skill is the cornerstone of building friendships.
There has been a focus at the school level in many states to focus on the whole child.
Teachers love using our lesson plans to teach manners in their classrooms. The lesson plan objective along with suggested dialogues and handouts are included.
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Thank You Note Writing Will Always Be Relevant. And Here is Why.
Expressing gratitude is the highest form of respect
Receiving a thank you note feels special
Thank you notes are a gesture to express how we feel and recognize someone’s efforts and kindness
It make a human connection
Our methods of communication have changed over the years. You are aware of how casual we have become but thank you notes will always be in style!
In fact, thank you note writing is an act that will set you apart, both personally and professionally. And that is not really the reason to do it. Think about the time and thought that went into the gift or action. Writing a thank you note recognizes the giver.
Writing a thank you note also is a way to make a human connection. We all know making a human connection has become a treasure and gift.
Thank you notes can have several important benefits:
Personal touch: Handwritten thank you notes add a personal touch that shows the recipient you took the time and effort to acknowledge their kindness or gesture.
Thoughtfulness: Sending a thank you note demonstrates thoughtfulness and consideration, which can strengthen relationships and leave a positive impression.
Gratitude reinforcement: Expressing gratitude reinforces positive behavior in the person who extended the kindness, encouraging them to continue their thoughtful actions.
Formal occasions: Thank you notes are still commonly used for formal occasions, such as after receiving gifts for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, or other significant events.
Professional settings: In professional settings, sending thank you notes after job interviews, receiving mentorship or guidance, or after collaborating on projects can leave a lasting positive impression on colleagues and supervisors.
Networking: Sending thank you notes after networking events or when someone has provided you with valuable advice or assistance can help strengthen professional relationships.
Overall, thank you notes serve as a meaningful way to express gratitude and can make a positive impact in both personal and professional relationships. While other forms of communication may be used, the sincerity and thoughtfulness behind a well-written thank you note remain valued and appreciated by many.
Gratitude Works Both Ways
Sitting and writing thank you notes is so up lifting for both parties. Yes, we love to be recognized, but expressing gratitude is joyful and we feel this from the inside out.
Writing Thank You Notes Can Be a Creative Outlet
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