Peacemaker's ABC's.

Early childhood educators searching for new materials to teach nonviolent conflict resolution skills will appreciate Peacemaker's ABC's by Rebecca Janke and Julie Peterson. The authors have filled this manual with developmentally appropriate, multisensory activities that are appealing to children. This book can serve as a primary, resource for those teaching children to live in greater harmony through the use of conflict resolution skills.

Additional instructional materials that complement the book's lessons and activities are also available. These include a puppet, poster and audiotape, as well as Peacemaker Cubes that depict children with different shades of skin and one in a wheelchair. All of the products are integrated into the lesson plans, but they can also be used independently. The audiotape is especially outstanding, with toe-tapping, lively, clearly sung melodies.

The authors infuse this publication with a respectable knowledge/research base of constructivism, which is inspired by the work of pioneer peace educator Maria Montessori. Janke, an experienced teacher who early on learned the value of integrating peace education into the entire school day, founded a Montessori-based school in Hudson, Wisconsin. She has had experience creating a peace education curriculum, complete with lesson plans, teaching strategies and activities for young children. Janke also co-founded "Growing Communities for Peace" with co-author Julie Peterson. Peterson is noted for conducting research in the Minneapolis area in which she surveyed parents' attitudes concerning the importance of teaching their children nonviolent living skills.

As an overview, the authors offer a visual representation of the peace education curriculum, which they have named "The Peacemaker Pyramid" (p. 4). The generally accepted concepts for integrating peace education included: 1) implicit peace education (cooperation, fairness); 2) explicit peace education (alternatives to violence, the "Peace Table" process and mediation); and 3) empowerment (the social action component that can motivate children to "promote a more just and peaceful world" (pp. 4-5)).

The activities provided are interesting, culturally sensitive and should appeal to young children. Music and movement activities, for example, are provided with the audiotape. All of the arts are represented in the daily lesson plans.

Finally, the materials provide an enhanced foundation of language activities. Communication skills can be improved by using the peacemaker puppet to give children a safe way to talk through and act out the process of solving a conflict (pp. 32-33). At the same time, the authors recognize parents' vital role in teaching children to value peaceful living.

The authors have field-tested practical ways to respond to violence. They recognize that skill-building for resolving conflicts must be a daily, ongoing objective. Each step of the way, the authors provide extensive resources from children's literature.

The authors also have integrated a Native American tradition, the Talking Stick, in developing the concept of "relationship building and community, as key ingredients to conflict resolution" (p. 20). This concept, as well as the Peace Table, are fully explained with suggestions for implementation in the classroom. Each lesson contains a helpful format of goals, materials needed, logical steps to follow, points of interest and language development suggestions.

In addition, a strong advocate's "voice" for children is present throughout that teaches love, caring and respect for children as the basic motivation for early childhood educators. The authors believe and demonstrate that these goals can be accomplished through the basic curriculum design. After all, these children will be the leaders and citizens of the 21st century. They deserve to learn that there is an alternative to violence.