G and C 2 Interrupting

Grace and Courtesy
Interrupting Someone’s
Work
Materials: Only the few that may be lesson-specific.
Purposes: Social Relations

Coordination of Movement
Age: 2 ½ and up
Presentation: Interrupting Someone Who is Working:
Preparation: Set up a child or assistant as an “actor,” working at an open table (example:

using a dressing frame). Have a flower arrangement in a vase and a
doily in your hands (see flower arranging).
1. Invite a small group (3 – 5 children).

2. Announce what you are going to do. Highlight that we do not normally
interrupt people when they are working, but sometimes you may have to.
As an example, demonstrate how to interrupt someone if you’d like to
place a vase of flowers on his table.
3. Holding the vase of flowers in your dominant hand, supporting the
bottom with the doily in the palm of your non-dominant hand (as in flower
arranging), draw the children’s attention to where your “actor” is working.
4. Invite the children to follow you as you walk quietly to where the person
is sitting. Depending on where the person is sitting, you may decide, for
example, to align yourself with the right of the person’s chair. Pause.
Using side steps, creep silently to the left until you are beside the person
working, with a reasonable amount of personal space between you.
5. Standing to the back right of the person working, wait for them to
acknowledge your presence. You want to be barely in their peripheral
vision. When the actor acknowledges you, greet the person, acknowledge
the interruption, and state your request. Lean in and make eye contact.
“Hi, (person’s name). Please pardon the interruption. I see you’re working very
hard. Would you mind if I placed this vase of flowers on your table?”
6. Wait for a response. When the person accepts, gently place the doily and
vase on the table.
7. Retrieve the vase for the next person, and make a show of creeping away
silently, on tiptoe.
Grace and Courtesy
8. Once gathered in the original meeting place, invite the children to take a
turn, one at a time. After each turn except the last, you will need to silently
and unobtrusively retrieve the vase for the next person and creep back to
the group. You can note that it is a good thing the “actor” knew he would
be interrupted (he was prepared ahead of time, and is just pretending).
9. When all children have taken a turn, close the lesson with a summary
statement. “Now you know what to do if you ever need to interrupt someone
when they’re working.”
10. Dismiss the children to activity.
Points of Interest:
1. Waiting until you are noticed
2. Waiting silently (do not say anything until you have been noticed)
Pedagogical Notes:
● When showing how to interrupt someone who is working, it is important
to model personal space and patience. Children sometimes tend to get in
the other person’s face and to start talking right away. The key here is
waiting to be noticed. This is a challenge.
● In the introduction to a grace and courtesy lesson about interruptions, it is
important to give context about when is okay to interrupt. This is not just
for chatting or asking the person to come have snack. Holding the vase
with a flower arrangement offers a legitimate reason for an interruption
from work. Always model interruptions with a legitimate reason for
interrupting. It is also helpful to verbalize throughout the presentation
that the person is working very hard, or that the person is busy.
● Children need to internalize all these lessons and will eventually come to
the point at which they will be able to apply them consistently. You must
allow them the time to practice in your environment so they will be
prepared when these situations actually arise. These lessons are given
again and again to continuously put forward the example of positive
behavior. You should constantly be observing and asking yourself, “What
lessons of grace and courtesy am I going to present this week?”
● It is important to remember to be patient with children, understanding
that you are presenting to the absorbent mind, and that even young
children have often formed habits that are hard to break. When you see
lessons of grace and courtesy that are not being followed, resist the urge to
act in a corrective manner (“Remember your grace and courtesy!”).
Instead, simply resolve to re-present that lesson at a later time.
● These lessons are always offered in neutral moments, and never in the
moment they are needed. They are typically done in a small group with
Grace and Courtesy
mixed ages. For example, it is often helpful to pull in a younger child who
is struggling with the concept, as well as an older child who is a successful
model of desired behavior.
● Children are always watching the adults around them. You must therefore
embody everything you model for children. While these characteristics are
clearly modeled, they are not forced. For example, a departure routine
from a family gathering can be modeled, but forced affection in the
moment often makes children feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.
● Accepted grace and courtesy differs around the world. For example, there
are different socially acceptable greetings in different places, including a
handshake, a hug, or a kiss. Traditionally, there is a great deal of grace
and courtesy that revolves around times when people are sharing food
with one another. When children eat separately from adults, however, the
opportunity to learn and imitate this behavior is compromised.
o Lunch is a great time for grace and courtesy. Adults should sit with
the children, as a part of the community. There is merit in sitting at
the table together with real plates and silverware, saying a grace
together, and having conversations over a meal.
● The list of possible grace and courtesy lessons is practically limitless. This
can include things such as how to accept a compliment (even adults often
struggle with this), how to let someone know they have mucus on their
face, and how to inform someone that they have food in their teeth. On the
first day of school, it may be helpful to have all the children line up and
take turns flushing the toilet. This is a grace and courtesy lesson that has
the added advantage of acquainting the children with the sound of the
toilet flushing, lessening the potential anxiety about hearing the flushing
noise when using the bathroom independently.
o Adults often do not take the time to show children what to do in
specific situations before the situation arises. Through grace and
courtesy lessons this can be done, and the children can be
empowered to act appropriately in the moment they are faced with
such a situation.

G and C 2 Interrupting

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

G and C 2 Interrupting

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

G and C 2 Interrupting

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Grace and Courtesy

Materials: Only the few that may be lesson-specific.

Purposes: Social Relations

Presentation: Interrupting Someone Who is Working:

Preparation: Set up a child or assistant as an “actor,” working at an open table (example:

1. Invite a small group (3 – 5 children).

You might also like