Print the Peace - Intermediate Conflict Inquiry UnitTeacher TipsBe sure to spend time helping students and the teacher get to know one another. Use activities that range from knowing each others’ names to knowing things about one another’s interest, talents, and families. Kagan Publishing and Professional Development (http://www.kaganonline.com/) has sets of activities on SmartCards called "Classbuilding" and "Teambuilding" that will help the students and teacher get to know one another. The goal is for all of the students to know one another -- not just for the teacher to know each one well. When students and teacher know one another, they are more respectful and caring of each other and more likely to tolerate each others’ differences and find solutions to differences they do not understand. The "Print the Peace" inquiry unit is intended to help students discover skills to resolve conflict in school, family, work, and friendships. Reading and writing about conflict resolution will require practice-session support so that students feel what it is like to use the language of conflict resolution. The identified resources provide many excellent activities that may help students develop skills in resolving conflicts. The Schmidt (2001) student workbook has a step-by-step procedure for effective mediation. Students will expect you to follow through -- possibly with the principal judging the newspapers. Have students work in groups to reduce the number of newspapers the principal will need to access and read, and also so that students learn from and about each other. Make sure you, the principal, or other adult readers carry out this part of the process and use the rubric attached.
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