KOTA Territory NewsChildren First: Manners help kids make grades

Children First: Manners help kids make grades

Shonti Tager

In most schools academics are top priority and things like sharing, respect, and using proper social etiquette is pushed to the back of the curriculum. However, for a rural school in KOTA Territory, keeping their students manners on course is a recipe for keeping their academics on track.

The kids at Spring Creek School are looking forward to their test for once.

"It's a lot easier and you get to eat while you're doing it," said 6th Grader Aaron English.

For the past three years the kids at Spring Creek have been getting manners instruction on the side with their main academic courses. The lessons on proper dining culminates with a test lunch featuring special guests and a five course meal.

Spring Creek Teacher Nette Meade has seen drastic improvement in the kids behavior since she started the program.

"I was very surprised to find, really happy to find that the students being dressed up, knowing they were going to be exhibiting good table manners. they behaved so properly that day, they treated each other with such respect," Meade said.

The students help correct each other and their guests on proper dining techniques and etiquette.

"We have lessons in respect, social etiquette, how to talk to guests, how to be a guest. We work that into our lessons, not a stand-alone but into everything we do," Meade said.

Meade says the lessons she teaches her students are not only helping them socially but academically as well. She says the kids are more focused and attentive in class.

For English learning the new skills is an enriching experience.

"It's helped me a lot because I could see what I was doing wrong, and it helps you when you go over to other people's house," English said.

The Spring Creek School is part of the Custer School District. Ten students attend the school from kindergarten through 8th grade.