What's your opinion of good manners, especially at school?

Good manners are a basis of polite society and there is no substitution for being polite. Our manners, how we present ourselves and behave in our life, make us feel comfortable, confident, and capable in the home, the school, the community and in the workplace. These feelings only come with knowing and practicing good manners.

Teaching and learning good manners should start at home, where we should learn to say "please" and "thank you", admit our mistakes, apologise, and treat both friends and strangers with kindness and respect. Parents must remember that manners are embarrassingly difficult to learn at an older age and teaching them is their resposibility.

Knowing good manners is very useful and effective in school. It's necessary for students to be respectful to teachers, appreciate their difficult and trying work. Attending school regularly, being on time, and being always prepared is very needed. It's normal thing that when student is late he should knock on the door gently, come in saying "excuse me please" and take his seat. It's also considered good manners to let the teacher know why you were not on time. It's necessary to remember to raise your hand and wait to be called on by the teacher before speaking or getting out of your seats. Student should be polite, use appropriate language, be a good listener and never interrupt when a person is speaking.

Good manners also included table manners and behaving politely at meal times. Speaking or drinking with food in mouth or sitting with elbows on the table certainly aren't welcome. Student ought to observe the school rules: not to copy as this is cheating, not cut the desks or write in the reading books. He should never let another be punished in mistake for himself, as this is cowardly and mean. What is more, it's the duty of student to greet teachers and other staff in school when he meet them.

However many young people fail to treat their teachers, school staff, and classmates with respect. We should treat others in the same way we would like to be treated. Also consider the harm we can cause by doing or saying thoughtless and unkind things - e.g. "How would I feel if someone pointed at me, and started to lough?" Common courtesy takes little or no effort and can be our second nature if we only allow it.