English Finishing School (One Week Course)

Please note that if your son or daughter would like to attend my classes during the week I offer a ten-week course. I also offer private lessons to suit your schedule.

My name is Teacher Phoebe and I have always wanted to create an etiquette class to pass on the gifts of my very unique upbringing. I have had a very international life and lived and worked in many different countries but I was brought up in a traditional English family. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized not everybody knew all the rules of a formal dinner party at eight years old! The fundamentals of etiquette are a life skill that will open many doors for young people when they apply to college, and pursue a career and from my personal experience if they travel or work abroad they will be defter at picking up cultural niches in the countries they visit and be accepted more warmly and graciously by new friends and International employers alike.
I also want young people to feel more confident in their skin and improve their etiquette and manners, being a teenager is incredibly difficult and this is the perfect stage in their lives to develop their social skills.

*Disclaimer, this class does deal with traditions that are gendered and therefore use traditional pronouns, however, I would like to emphasize this is for historical accuracy. Anyone who identifies as male, female or non-binary is very welcome in all of my classes!

Lesson one Introductions
In this introductory class, I will teach your daughter how to introduce and assert herself in a confident, natural way. A vitally important social skill that allows her to gently but potently assert her boundaries in social settings. This is also an opportunity for the participating students to get to know one another and have natural but meaningful conversations from the comfort of their homes. This class has been very effective for girls who are nervous or uncertain in social situations, especially when they are talking to adults or their peers.

Lesson two 
Poise and perfect posture
I was taught how to walk gracefully and elegantly the old-fashioned way, balancing a book on my head! This is an extremely effective way of aligning your daughter's spine so she can hold herself gracefully, move forward, and undertake public speaking or other anxiety-inducing social situations with natural confidence. This can feel like a fun and silly group activity your daughter will love but if she keeps practicing she will receive the most amazing compliments over the next few months!

Lesson three  
Dining Etiquette and planning a formal English dinner party
In this class, we will learn the fundamentals of formal table manners, every course at a dinner party including table settings, how to pair drinks and food together, and appropriate seating arrangements. Remember that this class is very detailed, your daughter should take notes but also remember that they can rewatch the class as many times as they need to when planning their own dinner party.

Lesson four  
Making friends and cultivating a social circle
In this class, we will take the existing skills your children already have and cultivate them to build and maintain meaningful relationships with others. British people are naturally reserved and our ability to meet new people is usually through groups, social clubs, and dinner parties. I can teach your son or daughter the necessary skills to help you to be discerning and with good boundaries and communication skills, understand the kind of social circle they would like to cultivate. 

Lesson five 
An old-fashioned beauty/ grooming routine
This class is a personal favorite of mine, in this class, we are going to look at our beauty/ grooming routines and how we can adapt treatments from other cultures. For girls, we delve into the art of the weekly hammam which turns an ordinary bath into a mini-vacation! Look after your skin, nails, and hair, and learn how to create the best eyebrow wax using lemons, sugar, and salt. For boys, we will look at how grooming can enhance their appearance this includes skincare, shaving with a traditional razor and mug soap, and how to treat your skin after shaving.
This is also one of my favorite classes because it delves into one of my true passions, scent. We will discuss finding the notes and scents that they love and how to approach an expert to find their signature cologne or perfume. 

Lesson six The person you are becoming
I'm afraid this is our very last lesson, everyone! I shall be sad to say goodbye to you all but the last lesson is fun, I promise! First, we will have a 'posture competition' where I test who has been practicing with their book every day. Please bring some food and drink for the second half of the lesson where we will talk together about your dreams, the things you would love to do, and what your life will look like when you are older. I hope this class has given you the opportunity to pursue your goals with more confidence and self-esteem!