TEACHING ABOUT VIOLENCE AND ABUSE

Teaching About Violence and Abuse Why teach kids about family violence and abuse? To Educate To Break the Cycle through changing attitudes To Empower

Teaching About Violence and Abuse Children who experience abuse at home are more likely to suffer from: withdrawn or agitated behavior fear or anxiety anger or irritability depression or hopelessness nightmares and difficulty falling asleep low self-esteem

Teaching About Violence and Abuse Classroom specific problems associated with exposure to abuse include: aggressive behavior stomach aches and headaches exhaustion/tired in class difficulty concentrating noncompliant behavior lack of internal control or motivation

Peace Education Peace Education in the Classroom 1.Show students why they would want peace in the world. 2.Give students the tools to create peace.

Peace Education Classroom-specific benefits of peace education improved human relations between teacher and student improved peer relationships and better socialization decrease in aggression more responsive to learning healthy emotional development and improved self- esteem students take greater responsibility for their actions

Peace Education Preparation Steps to Teach about Violence and Peace background reading to understand violence and abuse background reading to see what different thinkers have said about peace adapt your pre-existing lesson plans to include a lesson about abuse, violence or peace anticipate uncomfortable issues or questions that may arise

Peace Education Some Components of a Peace Education Curriculum Emotions and Feelings Anger and Anger Management Violence in the Media Communication Empathy Cooperation Self Esteem Tolerance Conflict Resolution Keeping Safe

Peace Education Emotions and Feelings How emotions affect behavior The effect of violence on the emotions and feelings of children

Peace Education Anger and Anger Management Anger is the root of almost all violent behavior Anger itself is not bad Anger Management as a tool for peace

Peace Education Violence in the Media Effects of violence in the media Teaching children that the violence in the media does affect them

Peace Education Communication Cognitive and emotional communication How effective communication can reduce violence

Peace Education Empathy Definition of empathy How empathy leads to peace in the classroom and the community

Peace Education Cooperation Cooperation and a peaceful environment How cooperation can reduce bullying and taunting

Peace Education Self Esteem What does a child see in the mirror? How teachers can strengthen a child’s self esteem

Peace Education Tolerance Everyone is different from their neighbor – and that’s a good thing How can teachers help children to appreciate the differences

Peace Education Conflict Resolution Definition of conflict Conflict is not necessarily negative – it can be a learning opportunity Effective conflict resolution reduces physical violence

Peace Education Keeping Safe Helping children listen to their instincts Tools for avoiding unsafe situations

Resources & Reading For more information on Family Violence Prevention Month, check out Information adapted from: Action Committee Against Violence. Turn Off the Violence: For Teachers. Colley, Travis, Joe Cunningham and Jean Dunbar. Helping Kids Learn About Healthy Relationships: A Teacher's Guide to Addressing Children's Concerns. Calgary: Calgary Police Service Interpretive Centre and Calgary YWCA Family Violence Prevention Centre and Sheriff King Home, Scholastic Teaching Strategies. How to Teach Children About Living in a World With Violence. ng ng United Nations. Global Teaching and Learning Project. United States Fund for UNICEF. Youth Action: For Teachers.