Video of the Week: Manners for the Real World: Basic Social Skills
RSSFrom SLJ November 2004
Leigh Ann Rumsey, Penn Yan Academy, NY -- School Library Journal, 11/01/2004
videocassette. color. 43 min. Coulter Video. 2004. $30.
Gr 4-12 -An engaging narrator, wry humor, and an abundance of both positive and negative examples make this refreshingly quirky live-action film the ideal vehicle for conveying the usually dry subject matter. Its instructional objectives are clearly outlined and amusingly met through nine stand-alone segments, each followed by a captioned review, which demonstrate personal hygiene, conversations, introductions, telephone and Internet use, table manners, behavior for ladies and gentlemen, manners in public, serving as a host, and being a guest. The fact that the production doesn't take itself too seriously makes this an excellent choice for older students, but its whimsically helpful tone will appeal to all ages. A glaring lack of social and ethnic diversity should be noted--behaviors that may be appropriate for this middle class Caucasian family may not be acceptable in other cultures. School and public libraries will want to make this creative presentation of a timeless topic available for classroom teachers and parents.
