Peaceful Schools Institute
Creating Safe, Caring and Successful Schools:
Practical Strategies for Educators
Ms. Tinari is one of the best presenters I have ever encountered. The Institute was well worth the time!
~John Steck, Principal, St. Hilary School, Rydal
The Institute is an exciting, 3-day professional development experience during which educators learn practical skills and strategies to create peaceful classroom and school climates to improve educational outcomes.
Peaceful classroom climates are defined as safe, respectful, caring, and cooperative atmospheres that contribute to three educational goals:
- the prevention of violence
- the development of social and emotional skills in children
- increased academic achievement
Fifty educators from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia attended this summer’s two Peaceful Schools Institutes. Educators gave the Institute rave reviews, with all fifty rating it a ‘5-excellent’, the highest possible score.
The Institute was hosted by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and made possible by funding from the Connelly Foundation. Participants included pairs of highly dedicated Pre-K to grade 8 educators, from 27 schools in urban and suburban areas of Philadelphia.
Educators reported feeling professionally and personally challenged by the rising tide of violence in Philadelphia, the diversification of their school populations, and the fallout from the myriad of social and economic problems faced by students and their families. Educators learned educational solutions to these problems, ranging from simple changes that can be made in the classroom, to school-wide prevention programming.
Participants of the Institute made a commitment to the Connelly Foundation to share information and resources from the Institute with their school staff and their Home and School Associations. This fall, several educators provided in-service training to their staff, while others are working with their school leadership to assemble a committee that will focus on school climate improvement.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BRINGING THE PEACEFUL SCHOOLS INSTITUTE TO YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, PLEASE CONTACT CHRISTA M. TINARI.