Throughout June 2012, we’ll be working on the concept of “courtesy.”

All our discussions and activities will aim to help our students understand that courtesy is more than a gesture of manners or a series of polite words and actions.

It encapsulates empathy, respect for others, and kindness.

Powerful Words is the name of our character development curriculum here at Urban Martial Arts. It’s designed by one of the nation’s leading childhood development experts, Dr. Robyn Silverman. Every month, we’ll focus on a different Powerful Word, or concept around character development.

In this video, Dr. Robyn advises a parent whose children love answering the family’s home phone, but don’t often exhibit good phone manners.

To give you more ideas for conversation topics, here’s a run-down of what we’ll be discussing this month:

Week 1 Courtesy defined: What does courtesy mean and how do we show it?
Week 2 Good Manners, Bad Manners: Table, school & out in public.
Week 3 Powerful Greetings: The Powerful GUEST system to meet & greet others.
Week 4 Courteous Words: Please, sorry, excuse me, thank-you and how can I help?

About Dr. Robyn:
Dr. Robyn Silverman, child development specialist, body image/body bullying expert, sought-after speaker and award-winning writer, is known for her no-nonsense yet positive approach to helping young people and their families thrive. Her ground-breaking research at Tufts University on young women is the foundation for her book, “Good Girls Don’t Get Fat: How Weight Obsession Is Messing Up Our Girls and How We Can Help Them Thrive Despite It.”