4 - Friday, March 4, 1994 - North Shore News Violence prevention program initiated in North Shore schools VIOLENCE WASN'T a big topic in school 25 years ago. In fact, on the North Shore, kids and violence have just recently become a major topic of conversation. By Deborah McVittie Contributing Writer {tis one of the issues that most parents now discuss with their chil- dren before sending them off to high school. In fact, parents of ele- mentary school children also find themselves having to address uhis issue, Concerned parents should know that their efforts are being support- ed in the classroom with a new pro- gram aimed at teaching children how to solve problems peacefully. Second Step: A Violence Prevention Program is offered to students in approximately 75% of both North and West Vancouver elementary schools. The program is designed to teach children to empathize with others and to solve their own prob- lems in a non-violent way. Said Linda Pearson, 3 behavior resource teacher in North Vancouver, “This is not a shame and blame kind of program. The program is se? up to personally empower individuals to solve their own problems. In fact, this is the most essential life skill they will learn.” The Second Step Program encompiasses three basic strategies: @ understand others’ feelings: Bi understand and control your own feelings; Gi find a successful solution to the problem at hand. : It teaches children how to recog- nize and deal with their own anger, to be able to listen to what others have to say and see the situation from their perspective: to be able to say what they want clearly; and to be able to finally solve the problem with words, - Shirley Raimont, a school coun- sellor in West Vancouver, is an enthusiastic supperter of the Second Step Program. She believes it “deals constructively with prob- lems and teaches skills many chii- dren don't have.” She believes i important that the skills taught in the Second Step Program at school are reinforced at home. “Parents are reaching out for information. They are enthused about the program,” she said. Raimont meets with parent groups at the school to inform them about the Second Step Program and has been hired by some of these groups to return for a more compre- hensive seminar. The content of the program is divided into kits that address differ- ent age and grade levels. The pro- gram has been described as “teacher friendly” because it requires minimal classroom prepa- ration. Teachers are asked to partic- ipate in at least one day of specific training before introducing the Second Step Program to their stu- dents. In many schools, the entire staff (including non-ieaching staff) take part in the training session. The Second Step Program is presently being used only at the elementary school tevel on the North Shore. but proponents of the program would like to see it extended into secondary schools. Counsellors at a number of lacal high schools are fooking at ways of integrating the Second Step Program with the present curricu- Jum. ve Reinforcement of the concepts taught in the Second Step Program must come from parents and the community if it is to be successful. Many adults often slip into treat- ing youth as problems instead of | people. If children are being asked to emputhize, listen, understand: and problem-solve with words. they must see the adults around them role-madeling the same behavior. For more information about the Second Step Program, contact your child's teacher, your school princi- pal or your school district office. “35 NORTH SHORE LIGHT OPERA SOCIETY | BE .: presents GILBERT AND.SULLIVAN'S comic opera oth Box Office The Society TicketMaster “Artistic Director ROB SANTO Musical Director ; DAVID MILLARD Centennial Theatre 23rd and Lonsdale North Vancouver March 11, 12, 17,18 19, 24, 25, 26 at 8:00 p.m. * ” March 13, 20 at 2:00 p.m. ‘Tickets available through 984-4484 893-5775 280-3311 or any cast member ’ We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the North Shore Arts |: Commission ard the financial support of the City of North Vancouver, the “=”. Bistriet of North Vancouver and the District of West Vancouver. A collection of 57 exclusive Apartments & Townhouses by Brody Development Corp. is... NO SELLING! at Pre-construction Prices! 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