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Back Cover:
Like many other skills,
conflict resolution skills – such as careful
listening, clear communication, empathy,
understanding consequence, cooperation and
negotiation – can be learned by even very young
children. Indeed, in our conflict-ridden world,
it is increasingly important to practice these
essential and all-too-rare skills. More
immediately, as children become more practiced
at resolving their own conflict, parents and
teachers will often find that they have more
time (at least on good
days!) to play, teach and just be with their
children.
Keeping the Peace is meant to
help parents, teachers and other caregivers
create an environment in which the level of
conflict is low enough so that the adults can
guide the resolution process in such a way that
it works for the child and can be used again by
the child.
Of course, this is easier
said than done, and Susanne Wichert offers
concrete, concrete, practical and innovative
encouragement, insights and suggestions into
creating (even against large odds) a
philosophical, physical and emotional
environment that fosters creative conflict
resolution, and into the actual process of
guiding children to resolution. Her suggestions
are enlivened by clear examples drawn from her
journals of life at The Willows, her daycare
center; spiced by her rich sense of humor; and
rounded out with detailed, well-organized,
thoroughly tried-out and fun(!) exercises and
book suggestions.
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Sample Chapters
Establishing Objectives
+ Sample program objectives
+ When objectives are in conflict
Personal Values Clarification
Setting Up the Physical Environment
+ Goals for the environment
+ Thinking about play areas
+ A note for parents
+ Free choice art area
Defining the Limits
Alternative Adventure
Play
Books as Resources
Developing Empathy and
an Understanding of Consequence
Clear Communication
Skills
Negotiating Skills
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