A group of grade-nine boys and guidance counsellor Rose Johnson-Smith discussing the importance of positive values at Villa Road Primary and High School in Mandeville.- Contributed

"We say thank you

We say please

We don't interrupt or tease

We don't argue, we don't fuss

We listen when folks talk to us

We share our toys and take our turn

Good manners aren't too hard to learn

It's really easy

When you find god manners means

Just being kind."

- Villa Road Primary and Junior High School courtesy booklet, 2007.

Avia Collinder, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Villa Road Primary and Junior High School in Mandeville has embarked on a programme of teaching courtesy and other values and attitudes to its student population of 1,400 students. Along with the publication of a magazine with 100 questions and answers about good manners, the school will, this week, crown its courtesy king and queen.

It all began one morning when school guidance counsellor Rose Johnson-Smith awoke with the idea that she could make a difference in the distressing trend of studentswho "did not seem to care about each other".

"As counsellors, we do what is called needs assessments," she related. "I noticed that the kids would step on each other, shove each other, and be so very unkind and it meant nothing to them. It was such a pain to me. I love when students say 'I am sorry' and, 'Please'."

Wider social problem

According to the guidance counsellor, she had also noticed that lack of courtesy and caring were a wider social problem.

"One day in Kingston, I accidentally stepped on a man and he shoved me almost into the road. Also, on the road, drivers treat each other with such hostility."

So, on that fateful morning, Johnson-Smith awoke with the feeling that she could do something about the paucity of courtesy and kindness. "The idea came to me that I needed to go on a values and attitude drive."

In 2006, Villa Road Primary and Junior High School had a one-day of courtesy celebration, but for 2007, the guidance counsellor decided to orchestrate a whole week of events, in addition to a programme to encourage teachers to "teach a value a day."

Johnson-Smith pulled together a steering committee which created the magazine of 100 questions and answers relating to good manners. This, she said, was to ensure that students always had something to look at.

"The aim of the booklet is to make students realise that displaying good values and attitudes plays a significant role in them becoming better citizens."

Courtesy in classrooms was also launched with teachers seeking to grab the students' attention with the selection of a courtesy king and queen. The winners will be crowned on courtesy day - this Thursday. During elimination, these students performed talent pieces that reflected courtesy, and were quizzed orally and in writing about the 100 questions and answers in the booklet.

"I am actually trying to change these students and they way they see each other and the way they behave," Rose Johnson-Smith comments.

According to the guidance counsellor, there has been fairlygood feedback from the students.

"I know that change will not happen overnight, but, I live by example. I reinforce courtesy at school every day. I also encourage the teachers to teach this. Teachers should display good values if you want students to do so. This is a sore point, but we are working at it."