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I’m very excited to announce that my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy is out! It’s designed for teaching children ages 2-12 and is available at Amazon for Kindle. But you don’t need a Kindle to read it. If you don’t have a Kindle or tablet, there’s a free Kindle reading app for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. Of course, if you have a Kindle or a tablet, you can easily read it on that device as well. There’s also a free Kindle Cloud Reader that lets you read Kindle books online in your browser.
Why did I write this book? Teaching manners to young children has been a passion of mine for years. I was taught that good manners were very important, and I was always grateful my parents raised me that way. Having good manners wasn’t an elitist concept … it was simply a way of being kind and respectful toward others. And that’s how manners are viewed in Montessori education. They’re also viewed as important in helping children respect and feel good about themselves. Having good manners gives children both joy and a high level of self-confidence.
About Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy
Do you recognize the models on the cover of my book? They’re the wonderful Jennifer and her son from Think Ten Media Group.
My eBook is in two parts. Part 1 is about Montessori education and grace and courtesy. There are suggestions for parents and teachers of preschoolers and parents and teachers of elementary-age children. Teaching good manners to your own children or to your students is easier than you’d think. I also tell about my master’s dissertation, which was a study of Montessori grace and courtesy lessons used in a traditional day nursery in England.
Part 2 is the “Miss Manners” part. I give etiquette rules that are important for preschoolers through 12 year olds to learn. The book is fully indexed, so you can use it as a reference to look up any etiquette topic you have a question about. Yes, adults can learn from this, too! (I learned new etiquette rules and became more confident in others while doing the initial research for the book!)
Here are the topics covered in Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy:
PART I: USING THE MONTESSORI METHOD TO TEACH GRACE AND COURTESY
WHY USE THE MONTESSORI METHOD?
CHAPTER 1: THE PRESCHOOL CHILD
Montessori’s Ideas
Methods for Parents and Teachers
My Research Experience
CHAPTER 2: THE ELEMENTARY-AGE CHILD
Montessori’s Ideas
Methods for Parents and Teachers
PART II: BASIC SOCIAL GRACES
RULES OF ETIQUETTE
CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCTIONS
When to Introduce People
Basic Rules of Introduction
Other Points of Introduction
Responding to an Introduction
Introducing Yourself
CHAPTER 4: GREETINGS AND FAREWELLS
Greeting Someone in a Public Place
Greeting Someone in Your Home
Saying Farewell
CHAPTER 5: CONVERSATIONS
Beginning a Conversation
Participating in a Conversation
Ending a Conversation
CHAPTER 6: SAYING “PLEASE,” “THANK YOU,” AND “YOU’RE “WELCOME”
“Please”
“Thank You”
“You’re Welcome”
CHAPTER 7: SAYING “EXCUSE ME” AND “I’M SORRY”
“Excuse Me”
“I’m Sorry”
CHAPTER 8: COPING WITH PROBLEMS IN PUBLIC
Coughing or Sneezing
Nose Blowing
Yawning or Burping
Gum Chewing
Grooming
CHAPTER 9: BATHROOM MANNERS
Bathroom Manners for Private Bathrooms
Bathroom Manners for Public Rest Rooms
CHAPTER 10: CLEANING UP AFTER YOURSELF
At Home
At Someone Else’s House
At a Public Place
CHAPTER 11: HAVING FRIENDS VISIT
Extending Invitations
Having a Friend Visit
Giving a Party
CHAPTER 12: BEING A GUEST AT SOMEONE’S HOUSE
Accepting or Declining an Invitation
Visiting Someone or Spending the Night at Someone’s House
Attending a Party at Someone’s House
CHAPTER 13: TABLE MANNERS
The Beginning of the Meal
The Setting
How to Use a Knife, Fork, and Spoon
How to Eat Different Foods
Serving
Problems at the Table
The End of the Meal
CHAPTER 14: TELEPHONE MANNERS
Answering the Telephone
Phoning Others
Cell/Mobile Phone Etiquette
CHAPTER 15: LETTER WRITING
Personal Letters
Greeting Cards
Invitations
Acceptances and Regrets
Thank-You Notes
Letters of Congratulation
Letters of Condolence
Letters of Apology
Business Letters
E-Mails
CHAPTER 16: GAMES AND SPORTS
Lessons for Games
Lessons for Sports
CHAPTER 17: SHOWING RESPECT
Showing Respect for Everyone
Showing Respect for Adults
Showing Respect for Children
Showing Respect for Yourself
The topics are divided into smaller sections so that you can teach preschoolers just a bit at a time.
You can look inside the book on Amazon as well. The Kindle version has 142 pages and is available for $6.99. Again, if you don’t have a Kindle or tablet, there’s a free Kindle reading app for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. There’s also a free Kindle Cloud Reader that lets you read Kindle books online in your browser.
Please check out Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy! I hope you get as much joy from teaching grace and courtesy as I’ve gotten. 🙂
UPDATE on 12/8/13: I’m SO EXCITED that Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy has become a best-seller! It’s the #1 homeschooling book on Amazon! HUGE THANKS to everyone who’s purchased my book! You can read reviews of it on Amazon. 🙂
UPDATE ON 12/8/14: Free Grace and Courtesy Printable {Manners Matching Cards} (post includes links to book reviews)
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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I”m going to have to get this one. Thanks for writing a great book!
Thanks so much, Cassie! I really appreciate it! 🙂
This looks fantastic!!
Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Cherine! 🙂
Is this available in hardcover?
Hi, Janet! It should be coming out in paperback next year, although we hadn’t planned on hardcover. Does paperback work for you?
This looks fabulous and perfect for my home and classroom. I’d prefer hardcover, will it be coming out in that format as well?
Thanks, Hillary! It should be coming out in paperback next year. Will that work for you?
So excited you wrote this Deb! I’m going to share this info with all the parents at our school!
Thanks so much, Seemi! And I really appreciate that you’re telling the parents in your school about my book. 🙂
How exciting Deb!! It sounds fabulous!!
Thanks for your kind comment, Katie! It’s still hard for me to believe it’s actually out! 😉
I will also be waiting for the paperback version!
Thanks, Stacy! I’m looking forward to having that available next year. 🙂
Too bad, it’s not available in Asia & the Pacific. I so badly wanted to get it… is paypal payment not an option?
Hi, Sharon! Next year, it should be available in Kindle, PDF, and paperback. Because of the indexing, each format takes extra work. But you should be able to get a copy through PayPal once the PDF is available. 🙂
I would be very interested as soon as the paperback or PDF is available!
Really excited to get your book. Is the PDF format coming out soon? Thanks!
Deb, I wish i can buy the ebook directly instead of buying it from Amazon. I’m from Malaysia, so, Amazon doesn’t cover my region.
Thanks so much for wanting to buy my eBook! You will be able to buy the eBook directly once it’s available in PDF. Sorry it won’t be available that way until next year. The indexing requires changes for each format, so it takes longer to convert than most eBooks.
Absolutely beautiful work, Deb, but I’d expect nothing less from you. Easily the most exhaustive and thorough work on this frequently overlooked aspect of Montessori. I will be happy to recommend it to everyone!
Thanks so much for your very kind comment, John! I really respect your work and am thrilled that you’re recommending my book. 🙂
Hi deb, I am super eager to get ur ebook but im from Malaysia and amazon mentioned its not available in asia region. Any ways I can get a hold of your book?
I was searching for a book on this topic for some time so I’m really excited that I recently discovered your site and your new book! I just downloaded and will start reading it right away! Thank you for all of your ideas.
Hi, is the pdf version available for those who stay at Asia Pacific? I cannot get one in Amazon… sob sob… =(
Thank You!
Hi Deb,
I would love to buy this either hardcopy or download-and-print. I don’t like reading on any device, kindle or otherwise. Can you let us know how to get it either way?
I would love to review your book on my blog. I am just finishing up a review for Trim Healthy Mama and I need my next review project. My blog is focused on ideas for parents. I am a mother of 7 and currently a high school educator. I was a family and criminal court attorney for many years turned full time professor. I have a four year old that is currently interviewing for our local accredited Montessori school and also an almost 2 year old that I plan to teach to the method. It is perfect timing for me to review a Montessori book and yours looks fantastic. I will put any links that you wish on the review which will hopefully generated business for your company. I also plan to add book review categories to my blog in the next upcoming months. My blog is newer but I link up with other bloggers that have thousands of views. Would you consider sending me an electronic copy or full text copy? If you wouldn’t mind taking this down after reading. I do like my reviews to be a surprise. Thanks you for your time.
Jennifer Hughes
Dear Deb,
Hi, I’m interested to buy your e-book, “Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy” but I’m not able to read it via Kindle or reading Kindle apps. I would like to know if there is a way I could buy a pdf version of your book? Thank you.
Regards,
Eve
Me encanta por favor para cuando en español.
Aquí en España no hay ningún libro asi.
Muchas gracias.
I am interested in obtaining a hardcopy of your Grace and Courtesy Album. I prefer paper to devices. How can i get a copy?
Hello, I am trying to purchase this book from the Amazon link but it says not available for purchase now . Can you please advise how I can buy this book? Thank you!