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Learning to play nice instead of hitting back

Earl Grey students practise respect, courtesy

By: Nick Martin

16/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 2

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Earl Grey students Troy Stuart (left) and Mark Edmonds put their heads together to resolve a conflict.

Argue? Bully or be bullied? Foul feelings festering? Just let loose and yell?

None of the above solves anything at Earl Grey School.

If you want to learn to talk out your problems and settle things amicably, then check out these little problem-solving kids in Fort Rouge.

Teacher Catherine Tattersall's class of grades 1 to 3 kids sits in a circle once a week and the children talk about how they've dealt with their conflicts or hassles, or turn to each other for advice.

"When there were problems in kindergarten, people pretty much told on (other students) to the teacher," student Troy Steuart said.

But not now that the kids are older and wiser.

That's what Liam Johnson would have done back in the day, last year, when he was riding the school bus and got squished by a bigger guy and his backpack.

This year, Liam politely asked the lad to give him his proper share of the seat -- and the boy complied.

Talking it out nicely achieves a lot more, said Nora Kroeger, who shared with the circle that getting angry just feeds into the other student's agenda: "If you yell, you get a reaction," she said.

Troy and Mark Edmonds illustrated for the gathering how to handle something that had been bugging one member of the class.

Mark strolled up to Troy and pretended to whack him with a lunch bag.

Troy: "Why did you do that? It could hurt people. It could get on people's nerves. It could make them feel sad. You could get in trouble."

Mark: "I'm sorry I hit you with my lunch bag."

Troy: "That's OK."

The respectful approach towards each other usually works, sometimes even with older and bigger students, said Taylin Mullin: "Sometimes people don't listen, but most of the time," she said.

Principal Gail Singer said every class in Earl Grey looks at ways to increase respectful behaviour, but Tattersall's kids -- part of the multi-grade alternative program -- does an outstanding job.

"They take responsibility at this young age, even in Grade 1, about owning responsibility. They look for a solution," Singer said.

Tattersall makes sure kids are paired up and have someone with whom to spend time on the playground. She'll let the kids themselves chair the weekly meetings as Nora did at this most recent session.

"We sit in a circle and we discuss any potential problems, nip it in the bud," Tattersall explained.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 16, 2009 B4

History

Updated on Monday, November 16, 2009 at 9:41 AM CST:
Fixes spelling of name

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2 Comments

Posted by: Mahogany

November 16, 2009 at 10:48 AM

@morebs

I hear ya. It's really good that they're doing this, but I've never in my life seen a bully back off that quietly. If it were only that easy.