January 9, 2009 - A frog named Kelso will soon help Loudonville Elementary students solve playground disputes, thanks in part to a grant from the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center.

The grant was awarded to first-grade teacher Rebecca Coffey and school counselor Sarah Wing, who plan to build a Kelso's Choice Wheel that will be installed on the school's playground.

Kelso's Choice is a 10-week conflict-management program taught to all of the district's second-graders. The program features a frog named Kelso, who teaches students the difference between big problems and minor problems. Children learn that they are strong enough and smart enough to solve minor problems on their own, but that big problems require help from an adult.

Conflict or disagreement is normal and often occurs when children get together. However, hurtful words, gestures, or physical attack are unacceptable ways to deal with conflict at school. So, Kelso provides a wheel of choices that children can use to help them solve minor problems, such as arguments on the playground. The wheel includes nine choices: talk it out; walk away; ignore it; tell them to stop; apologize; make a deal; wait and cool off; go to another game; and share and take turns. If a student does not like the first choice, or has already attempted the strategy, they can opt to spin the wheel again.

The grant money helped Coffey and Wing buy the paint and wood to make the wheel, which will be placed on the school's playground.

The program's main goal is to teach children lifelong strategies for dealing with conflict. However, students are also taught how to:

• Differentiate between large and minor problems and when to use the program's solutions

• Develop the skills necessary to solve minor problems

• Understand the source of conflict when they are experiencing a minor problem

• Understand which of the nine choices works best for them and identity choices that need further development and practice

• Describe their personal reaction to conflict

• Identify adults who are in their personal safety support system

• Develop empathy for other people's feelings

Learn more about Kelso's Choice