Bring in guest speakers who have experienced violence, injustice, racism, or hatred of some kind. Allow youth to hear the story from the source. Teachers and/or the children/students can facilitate the conversation, ensuring age appropriate content.
A way of measuring how everyone is feeling about a process. A useful tool to use as a check-in throughout a process. People show fingers to display their “feeling number,” 5 being fully satisfied/supported, 0 being not happy/not supported at all. Address what could be changed or improved if participants show 0-3s, and evaluate the …
With paper, scissors and pencils, allow children to make folding “catchers” (also called “origami fortune tellers”), with their kind acts written inside the various flaps. (There are assembly instructions online). The kind acts should also be reminders of how to handle conflict. Each catcher should have 8 flaps with writing on them. Suggestions include: You …
Make it a practice to look for the “light” in others; see their kindness, compassion, strengths, and talents. Sit in a circle of 4-6 people, each person having a blank sheet of paper and pen. Each person writes their name on their paper, then passes it to their neighbor. Each person in the circle writes …
A valuable resource for learning how to think critically and responsibly about multicultural and social justice issues. It is made up of seven letter prompts, each of which represents a different thinking strategy. Each letter can be used to generate a question or claim. W-R-A-I-T-E-C is below: W – WHAT do you mean by that?R …
When people are upset, they access the fight/flight part of their brain. Do not try to solve problems if you or the youth are angry and upset. Create a cooling-off period and secure a time and place to work through the issue when the adult and the youth have clearer heads. Purpose is to de-escalate …
Create field trips that reinforce the Ceeds of Peace that you are planting. Service learning excursions are an example. Youth can work to better understand the needs of their communities and harness the will to act on behalf of others. They can learn subject matter in a way that feels more connected and therefore more …
The use of feedback can reduce stress and confusion. Immediate feedback should be specific and focus on ways that youth can improve. Try to avoid an overall evaluation and focus on both what went well and what needs improvement. Also include supportive peer feedback. Feedback should be delivered with calm and supportive language, avoiding judgment …
Research shows that youth who have knowledge of their family history, events, challenges, and successes have more self-control, higher self-esteem, and handle difficulties better. This is due to youth feeling a strong sense of belonging and being part of something bigger than they are. Contributing to a family narrative involves telling family stories, following traditions, …
Plan meetings as a whole family (try for weekly) where members discuss the upcoming week. Identify where family members might need some help. Family Meetings are a safe space to talk about challenges each family member may be facing. Rotate who facilitates each week, using talking sticks or balls as a way of sharing equally. …