From the Assistant Principal

Good Manners Make a Difference 

Small gestures, big impact

Good manners are about much more than remembering to say please and thank you. They are a way of showing kindness, consideration and respect for the people around us.

Teaching children good manners takes patience, practice and gentle reminders. By modelling respectful behaviour and helping children understand how their actions affect others, we can support them to develop positive relationships and become thoughtful members of our community.

At POPS, our school values of Respect, Kindness, Integrity and Excellence guide the way we learn, interact and care for one another. Practising good manners is a simple but meaningful way for children to put these values into action every day.

Everyday ways to practise good manners

Good manners are built through the little things we do every day. Here are some simple ways to encourage them at home:

• Meet and greet: Encourage your child to greet others politely and use a friendly voice. A simple “Hello, how are you?” can help someone feel welcome.

• Please and thank you: Make these words part of everyday family life. Showing gratitude helps others feel appreciated.

• Helping hands: Encourage children to offer help when someone needs it, such as holding a door open or helping to tidy up.

• Kind words: Talk about the importance of speaking respectfully. Help children understand that teasing, unkind comments and hurtful words can affect how others feel.

• Respecting others: Remind children to knock before entering a room, ask before borrowing belongings and listen without interrupting.

• Good guest habits: When visiting friends or family, encourage children to be considerate, respect other people's belongings and thank their hosts.

• Mealtime manners: Practise simple habits such as waiting for others, listening to conversations and using polite requests.

• Digital manners: Talk about being respectful online and putting devices away when spending time with family or friends.

Putting our POPS values into action

At POPS, we are encouraging students to demonstrate good manners through simple, everyday actions. This includes holding doors open for others, waiting patiently and not pushing past people. These small gestures show consideration for those around us and help everyone feel safe and respected.

These actions reflect our school values:

• Respect – treating others as we would like to be treated.

• Kindness – looking for opportunities to help and include others.

• Integrity – making positive choices, even when no one is watching.

• Excellence – taking pride in our behaviour and striving to be our best selves.

Children learn a great deal by watching the adults around them. When we model these behaviours and acknowledge children who demonstrate them, we reinforce the importance of treating everyone with care and consideration.

Family Challenge: Catch Someone Being Kind! 

This week, challenge your family to notice good manners in action. At dinner time, take turns sharing one kind or considerate thing someone in the family did that day. It might be saying thank you, holding a door open, waiting for someone instead of pushing past, helping without being asked or using kind words when feeling frustrated.

As a family, choose one of our POPS values to focus on throughout the week and look for opportunities to put it into practice.

Together, we can strengthen the connection between home and school by modelling and celebrating our shared values. Every polite word, thoughtful action and respectful interaction helps create a POPS community where everyone feels valued, included and cared for.