Welcome again to the Peaceable Classroom.

In previous issues we have shared suggestions for the opening weeks of school. These emphasized the importance of starting the new school year with a positive Peaceable Classroom model. In recent months, the voices for addressing classroom and school-wide issues involving violence and bullying have become stronger. Added to this agenda is the recent research on girls and violence, warning that school and community violence by girls has significantly increased in many communities. We would like to share a multiple agenda for peace education for our new school year, one that will address the ever-increasing problems with school violence and personal incidents of bullying from a peace education viewpoint.

A Conflict Resolution Model Online

First, advancing research on the Peaceable Classroom model continues to add to our peace education literature. An interesting, school-wide Peaceable Classroom model recently has been made available to all teachers in K-12 schools through the generous sharing of the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management. This material could empower in-house staff development for ways to reduce violence in classrooms and schools. The course, titled "Read In, Reach Out, Reach Over: A Conflict Management Pilot Program in North Carolina," was prepared originally by the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in North Carolina. It is comprehensive enough to meet the needs, we believe, of all school faculties for primary and elementary grades. Available online as a complete course (242 pages), it can be found at www.k12coordinator.org. We envision it as a school-wide venture that staff members could explore on their own or with other grade-level teachers. Hopefully, principals will approve and perhaps allow precious in-school time so an entire staff could acquire the basic skills to counteract violent behavior. Modules include major components for a peace education/conflict resolution program, including active listening, communication about feelings (using "I messages"), strategies to manage conflict, mediation of student problems, etc. An extensive manual that can be printed out from the online course also includes discussion questions, role plays, and lesson plans. While the language is geared toward the preservice teacher education classroom, the materials and richness of the activities would meet the needs of most classroom teachers and staff. The materials are generously made available to all by conflict resolution professionals in Ohio and North Carolina (Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management, 2002/2006).

Positive Contribution of Children's Literature 

Second, the integration of children's literature to bolster the case for the Peaceable Classroom is another asset. An insightful article highlights the goal that children's literature be used to help teachers address bullying and violence in their classrooms. Janis Entenman, Timothy J. Murnen, and Cindy Hendricks based their research on a study of 25 picture books that could be used to highlight bullying behavior, including the unique problems of the victim and the bystander, adult involvement, and the resolutions of problems. They concluded their extensive study by calling attention to the importance of teacher support, because teachers can play "a significant role by stopping the bullying behavior ... early in the child's educational process before it becomes ingrained." The authors pointed out that a considerable body of children's literature confirmed that children's literature is effective in helping children resolve problems (Entenman, Murnen, & Hendricks, December 2005/January 2006). The integration of children's literature that reflects how to resolve problems peacefully adds a valuable dimension to the Peaceable Classroom model.

Girls and Violence

As we read through the literature concerning the growing concern about girls and violence, we were reminded of the key role of early childhood education in shaping and re-directing problem behaviors of even young children. Literature for teachers on how to reduce violence in classrooms and teach peacemaking skills has been discussed in previous columns over the years or included as References, including works by by Wheeler (2004), Smith (1998), Carlsson-Paige & Levin (1998), Levin, (2003), and Sprung, Froschl, and Hinitz (2005). All have presented sound plans for addressing early signs of violence and aggression in early childhood by re-directing potential incidents into peaceful, appropriate interactions (see References). We can again emphasize that the rich literature of early childhood peace education and conflict resolution has contributed a valuable body of skills and strategies that could prevent frequent aggression and violence by girls, starting in preschool. This responsibility is vital because the research reveals that "while girls have been steadily inching up to boys in violence rates in the past 25 years, few programs specifically target violent girls" (Baldacci, 2006). Valuable resources are also provided by Web sites. This issue should be a wake-up call for all teachers, alerting them to the vital role they need to play in providing a Peaceable Classroom and helping children learn to resolve conflicts at early ages.

References

Baldacci, L. (February 15, 2006). Girl-vs.-girl fighting up in city schools. Retrieved at: www.suntimes.com output/news/cst-news-nws-ne-abt15.html

Carlsson-Paige, N., & Levin, D. E. (1998). Before push comes to shove: Building conflict resolution skills with children. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Entenman, J., Murnen, T. J., & Hendricks, C. (2005/2006). Victims, bullies, and bystanders in K-3 literature. The Reading Teacher, 59(4), 353-364.

Levin. D. (2003). Teaching young children in violent times: Building a peaceable classroom (2nd ed.). Beltsville, MD: Gryphon Press.

Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management. (2002/2006). Reach in, reach out, reach over. A conflict management pilot program in North Carolina: Pre-service teacher curriculum. Raleigh, NC: Dept. of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention--Center for the Prevention of School Violence (Online Course). Retrieved at: www.k12coordinator.org/onlinece/onlineevents/ conflictresolutiontest/index.html

Smith, C. A. (1993). The peaceful classroom: 162 easy activities to teach preschoolers compassion and cooperation. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House.

Sprung, B., Froschl, M., & Hinitz, B. (2005). The anti-bullying and teasing book For preschool classrooms. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon Press.

Wheeler, E. (2004). Conflict resolution in early childhood: Helping children understand and resolve conflicts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Online Resources for Gifts and Violence

ERIC Clearinghouse: "Girls and Violence" www.ericdigests.org/1999-4/girls. htm

Pathfinder: Girls and Violence (Books & Resources) www.wsd1.org/PC_LMS/pf/girls&violence.htm

Peace Tools for Teachers: Peace Center, San Antonio, TX, www.salsa. net/peace/teach/teachers.html