ERIC Number: ED393855
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1995
Pages: 35
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Response to Conflict in Selected Milwaukee Schools.
Harris, Ian M.
This report summarizes a study carried out during the 1993-1994 academic year that evaluated peace education curricula in selected Milwaukee (Wisconsin) public schools. Experimental and control sample populations were established with eight different classrooms, including two classes at a Montessori school and two classes at a neighborhood elementary school where teachers used the Second Step violence prevention curriculum. Control samples at schools that had similar locations, student demographics, and levels of academic achievement included two classes at a specialty school and two at a neighborhood school. Five observations at diverse times on different days were made in each class. Differences between the two samples were observed on classroom environment, content taught, teacher's style, and student behaviors. Experimental sample classrooms had more peace posters, student art work with peace themes, maps of the world, environmental pictures, and items that celebrated different cultures. They also had more animals and plants. None of the teachers were observed teaching much peace education content, yet the peace education classes scored significantly higher on four items examined and for particular student behaviors, including tolerance, compassion, communication, listening, caring, and touching. Findings from the project demonstrate that teachers in urban schools that adopt peace education practices can have a positive impact on levels of conflict in their classes. Students in these schools exhibited higher levels of conflict resolution skills and appeared to learn more nonviolent responses to conflict, especially in the Montessori school. A copy of the School Climate Questionnaire is appended. (Author/NAV)
Descriptors: Administrator Role, Aggression, Antisocial Behavior, Classroom Environment, Discipline, Elementary Education, Elementary School Curriculum, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Teachers, Emotional Response, Higher Education, Human Relations, Peace, Peer Influence, Principals, Prosocial Behavior, Student Behavior, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Influence, Teacher Role, Teaching Methods, Teaching Styles, Urban Schools, Violence
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A