1. REDUCING
VIOLENCE &
PROMOTING
PEACE: WHAT YOU
CAN DO WITH PRE-
K&K
Berlinda Bell, M.Ed.
Douglas Bell, Ph.D.
GAYC Annual Conference 2012

2. THE PROBLEM
Children are exposed to an incredible amount
of violence
The brain of children develops differently from
prolonged and extreme exposure to violence
Children do not know how to social problem
solve
Children have difficulty with seeing things from
another’s point of view

3. THE SOLUTION
TEACH THEM!
We have a big disconnect in early childhood
classrooms. We focus on activities and don’t
make and atmosphere of safety.
Prevention is the key

4. SOCIAL SKILLS THAT BUILD
RESILIENCE
Empathy
Identification of emotions
Expression of emotions
Waiting/patience
Sharing/turn taking
Conflict resolution (social problem solving)
Others?

5. HOW DO WE TEACH THEM
We must create and atmosphere of peace and
caring, we must promote problem solving
Adjust the environment
Adjust the program
Adjust and include purposeful activities
Adjust our own attitude
Adjust our interactions

6. ADJUST THE ENVIRONMENT
Include softness
Remove materials that lend themselves to
violence
Use furnishings that tell the children they
belong
Have a place for calming self down
Have a place for sensory play
Have a place for social problem solving
(conflict resolution)
Have sufficient amount of materials

7. ADJUST THE PROGRAM
Keep a balanced schedule
Be sensitive to the need to move
Be sensitive to the need to breath and have
brain breaks
Be sensitive to sensory input
Maximize routines as opportunities to connect
and discuss social issues
Have caring routings (wish well, helpers, I care
notes)
Use dramatic play
Provide intensity and density of the 3 types of
play

8. ADJUST AND INCLUDE PURPOSEFUL
ACTIVITIES
Discourage violent themed play but respect the
children’s needs for some of it (to overcome
fears)
Encourage cooperative activities
Do connecting activities both with individual
children and the group daily
Have children do connecting activities with
each other daily
Role play social problem solving
Read social stories (at least one with each
theme)
Teach breathing and self calming

9. INTEGRATE OPPORTUNITIES
 Embed social skills in all activity areas when ever
possible
 Reading
 Writing
 Math
 Dramatic play
 Blocks
 Science
 Social studies

10. I LOVE YOU RITUALS
Have eye contact
Have touch
Have presence
Have a playful exchange

11. BREATHING
STAR
Pretzel
Drain
Balloon
www.consciousdiscipline.com

12. CONFLICT RESOLUTION
 Did you like it? Did you tell them?
 I don’t like it when ____,
 Next time will you ____.
 I can do that
 Identify problem
 Propose solutions
 Try one
 Evaluate

13. ADJUST YOUR OWN ATTITUDES
You have to care, especially about the tough
ones
Really see the children
Promote a Yes you can attitude
See conflicts as a teaching opportunity
See the best in each child
Recognize the lack of knowledge rather than
seeing them as bad
Be willing to increase their toolbox

14. ADJUST YOUR INTERACTIONS
Address all acts of violence and all types
Model don’t just tell
Have children notice the face of others
Keep your own calm
Respond rather than react
“you’re a problem solver”
Share your calm
Celebrate the small successes
“you did it, you ___”
Use belonging language
Keep a we attitude not a big against small one

15. POSITIVE WAYS TO GET
ATTENTION
Clapping activity
Chants
Bell
Others ?
Be sure to provide individual connections each
day

16. RESOURCES
 Growing Sound CD’s
 Red Grammer, Teaching Peace & Be Bop Your Best cds
 Kindness Counts cd by Mr Al
 It Starts in the Heart cd by Jack Hartman
 The kindness curriculum
 Early Violence Prevention: Tools for Empowering Teachers by
NAEYC
 Violence in the Lives of Children by NAEYC
 The Antibullying Book by Gryphon House
 The cooperation booklet by Totline
 The Peaceful Classroom
 Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey