News

August 24, 2009
Baltimore Education Examiner: Teach children etiquette with Trampoline - Reported by Katelyn Thomas

Trampoline Learning Programs for Young Minds is popular with schools that want children to learn about different languages and cultures or would like to teach them about team work. However, the programs don't stop there. Etiquette is rapidly growing in popularity, as more and more schools realize that manners are an essential part of learning. Founder and president Angel Menefee and Amber O'Brien, owner of the Goddard School on Mercantile Blvd.in Baltimore, took some time to talk about Trampoline's etiquette program:

Q. Was there a specific event that made you realize that an etiquette program also would be beneficial for this age group?
A. Angel Menefee: “Successful etiquette acquisition is much like language acquisition in that it needs to occur in a consistent, natural context. Though children may learn the beginnings of language and etiquette at home, they are beginning to enter school environments at younger and younger ages. Schools are inherently interested in fostering these skills. Etiquette and good behavior, especially, are essential to classroom management. Also, schools are highly social environments which makes them the perfect places for practicing the skills that are the foundation of all successful social interaction.”

Q. Is the etiquette program popular with parents?
A. Angel Menefee: “I can direct you to the following page on the Trampoline web site which provides customer feedback about the Goddard Guide to Getting Along, the customized etiquette program Trampoline developed for use by The Goddard Schools.
A. Amber O’Brien: "The students’ parents love The Goddard Guide To Getting Along manners program. We partner together with parents as we encourage the students to be considerate of others and to make good choices. We communicate to the parents which manners we are focusing on each week so they can reinforce these same manners at home. We love it that the home and school can partner to develop these skills in our students that will benefit them for a lifetime.”

Q. Does it help children become better learners?
A. Angel Menefee: “Etiquette provides the basis for listening and sharing, and for treating each other with respect and kindness which are all essential for a productive learning environment.”

Q. Can you share a story about how this program helped one child?
A. Amber O’Brien, owner of The Goddard School on Mercantile Blvd. in Baltimore: “The teachers had been working with the children, teaching them to respond with the answer, “My pleasure,” when an adult thanked them for helping with any chore. The next day, one of our preschooler’s moms called us delighted to report that not only did her son set the table but also when she thanked him he replied, “My pleasure!” and beamed with pride.”
A. Angel Menefee: “I’d also be happy to tell you how the etiquette programs have helped the schools as a whole. There can be a grand assumption surrounding the subject of manners and etiquette that what I know to be proper etiquette, everyone understands to be proper etiquette, which is often not the case. The Trampoline etiquette curriculum helps to provide common expectations, common vocabulary, and common rules. It helps the students understand what’s appropriate and what’s not because there is consistency from teacher to teacher, school-wide. When I was a classroom teacher, I often saw students behave appropriately when in my classroom but later would be shocked to see a completely different side of them in the parking lot. I understood that they knew the rules of behavior expected in the classroom and that those rules needed to carry-over into the home and social settings. When I developed the program, I built in a home component that would allow parents to reinforce and model the same behaviors expected at school. The curriculum starts with very young children and gradually builds expectations in an age appropriate way. For example, take something as basic as greetings. We teach the two year olds to say hello when someone says hello to them but three year olds are taught to respond while making eye contact. Then four year olds are expected to respond to a hello while making eye contact and using the person’s name in the greeting. The five year olds are taught to respond to the same initial hello while making eye contact, using the person’s name and shaking the person’s hand.