STUDENTS KEEP THE PEACE\School patrol resolves conflicts.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

The Pearblossom School playground was teeming with energetic first- and second-graders on their lunch recess when Ian Huffaker and Jason Muro spotted a potential problem and moved into action.

Wearing blue windbreakers identifying them as members of the school's Peace Patrol, Ian and Jason approached a girl who was pulling on the striped T-shirt of a boy near the swings.

"(Principal Sharon) Millen's No. 1 rule is keep your hands and feet to yourself," said Jason, an 11-year-old sixth-grader. "I told her Mrs. Millen's rule and told her don't pull the shirt or it might rip. She said OK, and she stopped doing it."

Another mission accomplished by the Peace Patrol, a 2-year-old program where fifth- and sixth-graders respond to shouts of "Peace Patrol" and help maintain serenity on the playground without adult intervention.

"I like it a lot because I get to solve problems," said Ian, an 11-year-old fifth-grader. "I haven't solved any yet, but when I do finally solve one, I think I will do a good job at it."

"The little first- and second-graders appreciate us like grown-ups. I'm not saying like we're cops. We're supposed to keep peace in the world and keep peace in the school," Jason said.

Ian and Jason are among the 31 students in the Peace Patrol who underwent 13 hours of training and role-playing to develop skills in conflict mediation, critical thinking, communication and problem solving.

The Peace Patrol started at Pearblossom School last school year and was expanded this school year to include Alpine School in the Keppel Union School District.

The district is the only one in the Antelope Valley that has such a program, said teacher Kathy Behen, whose idea it was to start the program at Pearblossom.

The program teaches students to solve problems through words rather than through fists.

"The thing I like the most is kids don't get in trouble," Behen said. "They learn to solve problems, learn how to do conflict mediation on their levels."

Children may be better able to deal with other children in resolving disputes because they are on the same communication wavelength.

"They speak the same language," Principal Millen said. "The kids do not have the disciplinary role. They see them as nonthreatening friends."

Peace Patroller Linda Madrigal agreed.

"I've learned it's better having kids help other kids because the little kids, I think they would get scared if a big teacher helped," Linda said.

The concept was the brainchild of Eden Steele, who was a sixth-grade teacher at Clear View Elementary School in Chula Vista when she formed a patrol at her school in 1989 to teach children how to resolve conflict.

She is now on a leave of absence while she serves as education director for the AmeriCorps program.

Steele said about 500 schools in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Maine, Canada and Australia are using the system.

The Peace Patrol members avoid physical fights between students; that's the province of the adult supervisors on duty, Behen said.

The cases come in all types: verbal tussles, cussing, fights over balls or who can ride the swing, arguments over drawing paper, threats of not being friends anymore, or even someone not letting someone else hold a jar with bugs in it.

Trouble spots seem to be the tetherball and handball courts.

"I've learned that most of the problems are on the tetherball courts. That is the most intense game they have," Ian said.

Students are trained to ask those involved to explain the situation, then repeat back the problem as they understand it. Instead of offering solutions themselves, they ask the parties in dispute for ideas how to best resolve the situation. After an agreement is reached, both sides are congratulated on reaching a peaceful resolution.

Peace patrollers are on duty in pairs and carry clipboards with forms that spell out the steps they take in resolving a dispute and that serve as a record of the incident.

They try not to say big words around the younger pupils, who may not know their meanings, and use voice control and body language to facilitate communication.

"We have them come up with the solution. If the problem comes up again, they can try to solve it with that solution," said Linda, 12, who was on duty last week with Peace Patrol partner, Natahlie Sauer, 10.

At times, determining the veracity of statements is difficult. "Sometimes it's hard. You don't know who lies," Natahlie said.

The benefit to all students is that they are learning skills that will serve them throughout their lives, Millen said.

"It's a good feeling to see older students modeling appropriate strategies to handle conflict and help the younger kids use those same strategies," Millen said.

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

Photo (1) Pearblossom Elementary School Peace Patrol member Farrah Vatan, 11, right, takes Elisha Morgan, 7, to the school nurse after a fall. (2) Peace Patrol member Carleen Johnson, 12, tells a group of boys how to keep tetherball a friendly game. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News