Creative Conflict Resolution [antikvár]

Preface. Every classroom has conflict. If you would like to use the conflict in your classroom productively, then welcome to Creative Conflict Resolution. This book reflects my belief that conflicts can be reduced through the establishment of a caring classroom community, and that the conflict remaining can be used for learning. Creative Conflict Resolution is an approach to classroom management. It is not a curriculum etched in stone. In many ways, this book is like a kit containing some plans and many tools. It is my hope that these tools will enable you to build something I call the peaceable classroom, but how your peaceable classroom finally looks is up to you. Each chapter in this book begins with information to help you better understand the approach. The second part of each chapter contains descriptions of activities for implementing the approach. The activities are grouped according to the topics discussed in the chapters. You can choose those you think will best meet the needs of your students. For each activity, grade levels are suggested, but many are adaptable higher or lower. When grade levels are listed in parentheses, suggestions for adapting the activity are included. You know best what your students need. Each activity description also includes a list of materials and discussion starters, if appropriate. The symbol ^^ indicates suggested variations, extensions, or comments on the activity. Also included throughout the book are exercises you can use to examine your classroom, your students' behavior, and yourself in light of the material being discussed. The purpose of these exercises is to make the material more relevant and useful to you and your classroom. They were developed for, and refined by, use in my Peaceable Classroom Workshops, and many teachers tell me they have found them useful. I am aware, however, that some people dislike such exercises. I have designed them so that you may simply skim them if you choose. They will still work if they are skimmed, but I encourage you to take time to think about them. The model of the peaceable classroom in this book is based on the pioneering peace education work of two groups, the Nonviolence and Chil-