Columbine Is Back In the News...Can Another School Shooting Be Prevented?
Another headline on Columbine? Can school shootings and other violence really be prevented? According to noted school counselor whose doctorate is in counseling psychology, Dr. Helen B. McIntosh, negative and violent behavior patterns in children can be altered with the use of The Peace Rug, her invention to teach children how to address conflicts, teasing, and bullying when they happen. Her goal is to teach children how not to be victims -- and also how not to be bullies.
DALTON, GA- Yes," says Dr. Helen McIntosh, school counselor and inventor of The Peace Rug®. I believe that if children are taught to handle conflicts the minute they happen, anger can be defused at a very early stage instead of growing into uncontrollable rage -- particularly those who are being teased and bullied." How? The answer may be a simple one called The Peace Rug®," an actual rug with a specific dialogue that is copyrighted, trademarked, and patent pending.
Meant to be a safe place where conflicts can be addressed calmly, it is intended to build relationships and repair wounded ones. The creator of The Peace Rug is Dr. Helen B. McIntosh, whose doctorate is in counseling psychology. In 1999, McIntosh introduced The Peace Rug to 750 students at her inner city school. Teachers saw immediate results in their classrooms. Conflicts would occur but the children knew what to say to handle the situation. The Peace Rug resulted in no unresolved conflicts -- even with bullies. Teachers found that they were better able to manage their classrooms since childrens negative behavior changed.
We have a large Hispanic population. Cultural diversity issues and language barriers present problems. Jose, a Hispanic child, and Rodney, an African-American child, disliked each other from the beginning of school. On-going problems, anger, irritations, and conflicts happened everyday. The teacher had to constantly intervene. Rodney finally asked Jose to go to The Peace Rug -- he was tired of fighting. They did go. It took them only a few minutes to really get to talking about how they felt and what each had done, and they resolved their differences completely. At the end of the conversation, they were reconciled and for the rest of the school year were 'best friends. This is just one story in thousands."
When asked why she invented The Peace Rug, McIntosh replied, The concept was born out of my years of working as an inner city elementary school counselor in impoverished situations, including physical and sexual abuse as well as domestic violence. I wanted to give students the language they would need for lifelong resolution of conflicts since I had experienced a difficult relationship with my own mother. I also want to help people not be victims anymore."
McIntosh adds, The non-physical forms of violence are as frightening as the physical so we must not accept that disrespect, teasing, and bullying are the norm. If we start to believe that mean and hostile behavior is acceptable, we have to ask ourselves whats the difference between a bully and a terrorist. They are both intent on hurting others to satisfy some deep-seated need."
The Peace Rug offers hope of a different environment in schools and in homes, in particular, for those who are being teased and bullied.
To learn more about The Peace Rug, including endorsements from educators, success stories from teachers and parents, Dr. McIntoshs credentials, pictures of students using The Peace Rug, and how to obtain, visit the companys website at www.peacerug.com.
The Peace Rug is not meant to take the place of counseling and is not to be used with someone who is out of control from anger, drugs, alcohol or any mental problems. No warranties or guarantees are expressed or implied.
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