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COURTESY COACH: TV-Free Week: Give it a try!
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The Tea Party Company
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Apr 18, 2005 20:31 PDT
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IN THIS ISSUE:
NATIONAL TV-TURNOFF WEEK!
LEARNING TO BE THE POLICE
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“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set,
I go into the other room and read a book.” -Groucho Marx
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NATIONAL TV-TURNOFF WEEK
In recognition of National TV Turnoff Week which begins April 25th,
please enjoy this fun and easy-to-complete activity found in the
wonderful book 'Simple Fun for busy People' by Gary Krane, PH.D. I would
encourage you (along with my own class of second graders) to UNPLUG your
television set for the week and note the changes in how your family
operates as they grow more and more accustomed to 'making do' without at
television! These games are extra fun because the WINNERS are the
participants...because they all benefit from spending time together
acting silly and having fun:
NOSE TO NOSE
This is a very simple game in that no surplus equipment is necessary,
only your own personal nose and the nost of the player(s) of your
choice. It's a kinder, gentler version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey,
with your partner being the you-know-what. Participants begin by
standing back-to-back as if commencing a duel. Both players should close
their eyes and take two steps forward (away from one another).
Now turn around, and one of you slowly move toward your partner. Only
one person should be moving, while the other stays perfectly still.
Don't open your eyes! Be very careful not to move or to emit any sounds
(yeah, right). The object is to tenderly touch the tips of noses. If you
end up nose-to-chin or nose-to-cheeck or nose-to-lamp shade, start over.
MAKE MY DOODLE:
Each person should have a small pad of paper or a few sheets of larger
paper, along with pens or pencils. Crayons are even more fun and paints
are incredible (though a bit messy, I'm sure, depending upon participant
ages). The first player draws a spontaneous doodle, then gives it to the
next person to compete or elaborate any way they wish. That person
passes the doodle to the next player and so on (depending upon the
number of players). Take turns around the entire circle and let your own
imagination take over!
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For more information about observation of this week, log on to
www.tvturnoff.org. Enjoy!!
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LEARNING TO BE THE POLICE
As I live, work, and play here in Southeastern Michigan, folks tend to
ask me “So, where are you from?”. That is caused by the fact that once
I open my mouth to speak, it doesn’t take you long to realize that I’m
from the South. When answering the question where I’m from, the short
answer is ‘Georgia’ although I was raised in East Tennessee. But in my
mind, Georgia is where I really GREW up. It was there that I graduated
from college, it was there that I started my marriage. It was in
Georgia that we built our first house, and it was there that our three
children were born. The fact is that in our little hometown of
Covington, Georgia we laid some pretty deep roots and made friends who
became family...and an even wider circle of friends who collectively
formed a community that just felt right to us.
One of my favorite stories from that wide circle of friends involved a
charming man named Billy. Now, I’m happy to share with you that today
Billy is a well-respected law enforcement officer. But this was not
always the case. Like any trainee, Billy had to complete a course of
training to prepare him for his new job as a Sheriff’s Deputy. After
weeks of riding along with senior officers, the day finally came when
Billy was out on his own...his first solo shift.
The first half of his day was unremarkable, a piece of cake. About
halfway into it, an urgent call came for a domestic dispute. Most of us
have heard of the potential risks involved when families go to war and
Billy was understandably nervous. He made his way to the address and
slowly crept down the long and winding dirt road toward the house. As
he approached, he could hear a tremendous commotion coming from the
house. Upon exiting his car, he heard shots being fired. As he took
just a few careful steps away from the car, it didn’t take him long to
realize that those shots were coming towards HIM! Petrified, he dove
back into the cruiser and grabbed his two-way radio “They’re shooting at
me!” he pleaded. “Somebody call the police!”
After a few seconds, a calm voice came through the speaker. “Son, you
are the police.”
There are many times when I think I know just how Billy was feeling on
that day. Perhaps you’ve felt the same way as well? Whether the work
that I’m facing involves parenting, teaching, or working as a Courtesy
Coach, there are days when I can easily feel as though I am just NOT the
best person for the job.
Then, much like my friend Billy, I find myself facing the task and
trudging ahead, giving it my all. And it is through this process of
pushing forward that the Courtesy Coaching program has grown through
learning and doing--and improving ourselves while avoiding the
temptation to lop stones at others outside of our own glass house.
Since starting The Tea Party Company over five years ago and then
writing the curriculum guides for both ‘A Little Grace and Charm’ and
more recently ‘Courtesy Coaching’, I have been asked many times just how
I got started in this business. And while folks who hear the simple
story are consistently gracious, there are those who are visibly
UNDERwhelmed. When they find out that what has now evolved into the
Courtesy Coaching program really started out in my fifth grade classroom
about ten years ago, it seems a bit lackluster. And there are even
those who seem surprised when I share with them that I teach manners in
much the same way that I teach math. It’s not glamorous, but it works
well.
To me, the KEY difference between Courtesy Coaching and any other
approach to teaching manners and etiquette is that it is presented by
REAL people--most of our trainers are working mothers who are
professional educators. Classes are presented in an educationally sound
manner which addresses concerns that have arisen from the INSIDE of
schools, families, and businesses. And because this is an organization
which seeks to identify, understand, and manage the factors that
determine our success, those of us who work with the Courtesy Coaching
program are constantly looking for ways to improve our approach and our
programs.
And no matter how much research I do...no matter how many qualified
teachers ‘test drive’ the materials in their classrooms...no matter how
many businesses attend our workshops, and no matter how many glowing
reviews we hear, the fact remains that there is so much that we still
have to learn and improve upon.
I therefore invite you to be a part of our continual process of growth
and development...we always enjoy hearing from you, and would love to
feature your words in upcoming issues of Courtesy Coach! Please share
questions and solutions that you may have about raising polite children!
Do you have great ideas for Cultivating a Culture of Courtesy in your
workplace? What’s your pet peeve? What do you do about it? What
issues would you like to see addressed in upcoming articles?
As always, we look forward to hearing from you!
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