Peace and Caring in Stressful Times: The Investment is Small, But the Benefits are Great (Peace Education/Conflict Resolution‪)‬

Peace and caring in the classroom can provide much-needed stability for children and strengthen the fragile emotional balance of those who are experiencing economic hardship. In fact, the peaceful classroom may be seen as an imperative in times of widespread economic adversity. Our message today is that the peaceful classroom can do much to offset the stresses of poverty and uncertainty without adding to over-stretched school budgets. To quote a familiar credit card commercial: "Peace and caring: priceless!" Using a budget metaphor, on the balance sheet, in our schools and classrooms, the cost of peace is low; the cost without peace is great. Understanding Economic Hardship and Its Role in Children's Classroom Lives