The Peace Rug: Creating a safer, more learning-conducive school environment.

Never before has as much pressure been placed on our schools to improve student academic performance, meet rigid curriculum guidelines, and manage student diversity and classroom behavior issues within an environment of increasingly restrictive policies and procedures.

The Peace Rug® curriculum offers a proven solution to many of the factors that contribute to these challenges. It facilitates better classroom management, which means less discouragement for students, teachers, and administrators. With conflicts resolved quickly, children can learn better. And, the school climate becomes one of peace and order with zero tolerance for violence.

The Peace Rug is simple and easy to use - 15 minutes to teach and only 2-3 minutes for children to work through their issues, on their own. No books to read, tapes to watch or writing required by children.

The Peace Rug® curriculum is research-based and proven effective, covering conflict resolution, bullying prevention, anger management, communication, character education, and cultural diversity. It is designed to re-pattern undesirable behaviors, particularly if used every day in every classroom and counseling office.

What Other School Administrators Are Saying About The Peace Rug Curriculum

“We have found The Peace Rug to be tremendously helpful. We always have it out during our Partial Hospital Program day. Our kids are able to respond to the visual and concrete steps resolve conflicts. Inviting a peer to The Peace Rug is a non-threatening way to assist youth in practicing relational and problem solving skills as well as having the opportunity to use scripts which eventually become incorporated and internalized as positive experiences result. Also the method of the invitation and specific wording illustrates that the child can extend an invitation make peace without having to feel offended if the other child chooses not to participate...the child offering can then proceed to other options. The steps of the process allows for developmentally appropriate and doable communications and accomplishment of skills. The child ends up feeling successful and affirmed regardless of the other child’s actions. This helps them understand that they are not responsible for the choices of others and can feel good about their own choices. The experiential learning and inherent metaphors in the exercises are impressive. We, as you know, have ordered the rugs for several of our satellite programs located in 4 different counties. The programs include Day Hospital, After-school, and Intensive Outpatient Programs. Additional programs we may include are Therapeutic Summer Camps - offered in 3 counties, inpatient, and residential programs within our organization. We are a non-profit, Christian based organization serving children, adolescents and adults. We provide a full continuum of services including specialties such as programs for developmental disorders and autism. In fact the application of The Peace Rug will be particularly helpful for youth with autism spectrum disorders. We haven't applied the principles yet with older adolescents.”

Anne Lavin LCSW
Director of Lebanon Day Hospital and After-school Programs
Associate Director of Child and Adolescent Services
Philhaven Behavioral Health

"If all children in the world had been taught to use The Peace Rug, no lives would have been lost today due to violence. At Roan School students are taught to use the Peace Rug in their classroom to work out a solution to any conflicts. By teaching students how to use words to settle a hurt feeling, a dispute, or a misunderstanding, we teach them self-responsibility and interpersonal skills they will carry with them into adulthood. We start early helping them develop an attitude of concern for each other. Some students are reporting that they are asking parents to establish a Peace Rug in their homes. Referrals to the office for misbehavior have decreased dramatically. If only we could teach the world to use The Peace Rug..."

Frankie Beard, Ed.D., Ed.S.
Former Principal of Roan School, Dalton, GA

"This is a world of cell phones, beepers, computers, and video games - to have a place to disconnect from the electronics in order to connect with yourself or others is rare and difficult to find. The Peace Rug® provides such a place."

Diann M. Causey, M.S.
Principal of Canterbury School, Montgomery, Alabama, the first Quality High School in the United States

“Last school year when I was counselor at Crossroads, an alternative school for children ages 12 to 18 in Whitfield County, Georgia, I was given The Peace Rug to use with my students. I can tell you from my own personal experience that The Peace Rug® works! It really, really works! When my students had a problem with another student, they went to The Peace Rug. They themselves worked out whatever the difficulty was. I even posted the simple script in large letters so they could read it if they forgot the words. It really made a difference, and the atmosphere in my school changed from being reactive to being proactive for the rest of the school year. I received The Peace Rug late in the year, but ideally, starting the school year with this curriculum would be best for the students. I am now Assistant Principal in charge of Discipline at Dalton High School, and I want and need another Peace Rug. I had been a professional counselor for many years before serving in any school setting and believe from my professional training that students of all ages need this experience of finding their own voice and need to develop this skill. It belongs in every classroom!”

Ron Ward, MA, LPC
Assistant Principal, Dalton High School, Dalton, Georgia