Sunday, July 4, 2010

how to teach kids to say thank you


When I was a little girl my parents taught me to say thank you to others. Expressing gratitude in a way that makes others feel special and acknowledged was something I learned. There is a way to express gratitude in a meaningful way without sounding generic.
When I had my own class we did lots of role playing. This is one activity we did with puppets and with one another. Kids love the repetition and it was something we all coach each other through.

The Steps in How to Say, "Thank You":
The NET-1 technique
1. Name: Say the person's name
2. Eye: Look the person in the eye
3. Thank you: Tell the person, "Thank you"
4. 1 Thing: Say at least one thing you liked about what they did

What are some ways you teach thankfulness and gratitude?

2 comments:

Theresa Milstein said...

The looking in the eye part is so hard for kids!

With my own children, I talk to them about how nice it was that a person gave a gift or did a kind act, and remind them how important it is to let people know you appreciate these acts of kindness.

Barbra The Bloggess said...

Your so right about the looking in the eye part.
When we do it at circle times we all wind up giggling. Which is why I usually start out with puppets.
Body language is over 80% of our communication. When I am teaching kids about social skills eye contact is an important component. I have to be aware of it myself....often times when I am in a rush I forget about eye contact, but it's so important if you really want to connect with people.