PURPOSE

To provide at-risk middle school children in Chester with skills in team building, conflict resolution and violence prevention through physical activity; and to provide those children with an opportunity to practice those skills in community project(s).

OBJECTIVES

¥ To develop practical conflict resolution skills

¥ To recognize and manage emotions

¥ To develop skills in team building and cooperation

¥ To develop positive fitness and health habits

METHODS

¥ The use of cooperative rather than competitive activities to promote the positive benefits of sports, physical activity and group identification, while minimizing some unintended effects such as exclusion of girls and those less athletic, having only one "winner" and setting one dimensional goals

¥ Development of a community project to illustrate the impact of individuals and collective action in making positive changes

¥ The use of reflection and discussion to identify and analyze conflicts during the program and develop a series of possible solutions

¥ Exploration of issues of identity, responsibility and social interaction and how it relates to peer pressures

¥ Field trips to enlarge the life experiences of participants

Return to Chester-Swarthmore home page, Content copyright 1997 Swarthmore College. Questions and comments to vcole1@swarthmore.edu.