Kelso’s Choice Recommended by International Bullying Prevention E-zine

The International Bullying Prevention e-Zine, December 2011 edition, featured Kelso’s Choice in a glowing article by CJ Murphy, a former secondary counselor and child development specialist at public schools for nearly a decade. Murphy decided to leave the public sector and take over administrative duties with KnappStory Media Publications. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree from Northwest Christian College. In her article, Murphy recommends the program to all that want to teach young children to learn problem solving skills. Read on:

If you are looking for a program designed to teach elementary students how to resolve minor problems on their own, I have found exactly what you are looking for in Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management Skills Program.

This program was designed by co-authors and former child development specialists Diane Hipp and Barbara Clark. Together, they created a curriculum designed for elementary age students that “is based on the premise that every child is capable of becoming a peacemaker”. This program teaches students the difference between small problems (ones which they resolve on their own) and big problems (which require adult intervention).

Kelso’s Choice is a program that utilizes a problem solving frog named ‘Kelso’ who teaches his younger friend ‘Lily’ how to solve problems students face day to day at school and in life. Students have the opportunity to hear stories of ‘Lily’ facing challenges, small and big, and have the opportunity to reflect and collaborate ideas on how they would themselves handle this situation. In the curriculum students are directed to handle big problems by asking an adult for assistance. In handling small problems, students are taught to use 9 choices that are called Kelso’s Choice Wheel…The wheel gives students 9 choices that include: share and takes turns, apologize, go to another game, wait and cool off, make a deal, talk it out, ignore it, tell them to stop and walk away.

I highly recommend Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management Skills Program and all of its various accessories: posters, videos, stories, etc. for use in educational settings. This is an excellent program in the area of conflict management which will benefit students and family.