Transcript Why teach kids about family violence and abuse?

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:
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withdrawn or agitated behavior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
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Emotions and Feelings
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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 http://www.acws.ca
Information adapted from:
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Action Committee Against Violence. Turn Off the Violence: For Teachers.
http://www.acav.org/forteachers.php
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, 2002.
Scholastic Teaching Strategies. How to Teach Children About Living in a World With Violence.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/teachstrat/worldwithviolence.htm#preparing
United Nations. Global Teaching and Learning Project.
http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/index.asp
United States Fund for UNICEF. Youth Action: For Teachers.
http://www.unicefusa.org