Negotiating conflicts as a college student can be a daunting task. Arguments with friends, troubles with teachers and overbearing families push many students to the edge of reasonable behavior. Think you have it tough? Imagine trying to guide 100 fourth and fifth graders through these same scenarios.
The members of the campus group "Peace by PEACE" have dedicated themselves to this task. The group is under the umbrella of the Center for Social Concern.
"Peace by PEACE" (Playful Explorations in Active Conflict-Resolution Education) is an international program that teaches elementary school children how to deal with conflict in ways that avoid violence. It was started on the east coast in1992 by Professor Emerita Francelia Butler of the University of Connecticut. This is the fourth year that the group has existed at Hopkins.
For six weeks in the fall and eight weeks in the spring, members from Hopkins visit nearby Medfield Heights Elementary School. Each week they lead all of the fourth and fifth grade students in an hour-long lesson about conflict resolution. Usually two or three volunteers lead a class at a given time, depending on the activities involved. Each day has a theme that focuses on one of "A series of lessons that emphasize communication, cooperation, overcoming stereotypes and problem solving skills."
All "Peace by PEACE" groups across the world adhere to the same curriculum during the school year. The standardized format is based on research done on conflict at Colombia University. This "Slippery Slopes" model emphasizes the choices that children have in dealing with different views and beliefs. According to the "Peace by PEACE" website, this model's focus is on why children lose control and "How to make yourself better able to do those things you know you're supposed to do."
Themes covered include how to understand and cope with stereotypes, nonverbal communication, diversity, choice and consequences, and conflict escalation. Sophmore Grace Gallick, a member of "Peace by PEACE," believes the program provides a valuable education outside of a normal curriculum for children in the community. "It meets the needs of the kids of Baltimore," Gallick explains. "Getting along with other kids is not something they are generally taught." What is taught in the sessions does seem to have a lasting impact on the kids involved.
"You see an attitude change," says sophomore Jess Beaton. "The best moment was when [the students] talked about what they were afraid of in the community, in their families, and in dealing with friends." The expression of fear is a major part of the process of overcoming differences and conflicts within these children's lives.
A typical lesson on a given day involves four major parts. An icebreaker always begins things because as senior Megan Carr explains, "It gets the kids warmed-up and ready to talk." This is followed by an activity that gets the children to interact with each other and work through a problem as a group. An example is playing the game "human pretzel" where all the kids most work together to "unknot" themselves. Small-group discussions are next, followed by a more structured lecture on the theme for the week.
The year concludes with a large "Peace Fair." This is run in conjunction with the Goucher College sister program. On this day the children involved in the Hopkins program meet with children taught by the Goucher volunteers. This gives all of the graduates of "Peace by PEACE" a chance to "celebrate what they have learned." "[It's] fun, like recess," says Carr. "We play with them. It's a day enjoyed by all." Carr was inspired to join the group because of her own childhood experiences. "I remember college kids coming to visit my classes when I was a little kid," she says. "Now, [I am] teaching them but I learn just as much, if not more, from them." The Hopkins volunteers become true role models and idols for kids in the program. Those involved point out the relationships they develop with the kids they are teaching as the main reason they continue to enjoy their work with "Peace by PEACE". The program hopes to maintain its impact on the community in the future.
This year there are ten returning members and more than half a dozen new students signed up to join. "Peace by PEACE" is looking for more people to help out. If you are interested in joining this program you must be able to make a yearlong commitment of around two hours a week. If you want more information please contact Megan Carr at mcarr2@jhu.edu.
