The classic textbook for educators,
Conflict in the Classroom, is celebrating its
50th anniversary this year.
First published in 1965, the book helps teachers understand and handle disruptive behavior and bring the focus back to teaching and learning. Dr. Nicholas J. Long, founder of the
Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute, and other experts in education and psychology discuss how to safely and successfully manage behaviors using psycho-educational techniques.
I first came to know the book in 2001, shortly after coming to CPI, when I attended my first Life Space Crisis Intervention training with Dr. Long. I since became a Senior Trainer of LSCI. I only wish I would have met Nicholas and read the book sooner, during my 27 years in public schools. I would have had less stress, and been much more successful.
For the latest Seventh Edition of the book, I had the honor of sharing strategies from my own career in education. In a chapter titled Fostering Emotionally Safer Environments for Youth and Staff Members, I discuss how we as educators can not only advance physically safe schools, but advance emotional safety for all within the teaching and learning environment. I shared a term I call “Youthship skills” and a corresponding self-inventory for us as educators. For example, do you consciously and consistently promote and model youth-centered statements, actions, beliefs, and attitudes, versus self-serving or staff-centric language?
Here at CPI, we’ve enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration with Dr. Long and so many other colleagues associated with LSCI. If you’re a Certified Instructor, you’re likely familiar with our advanced course on Enhancing Verbal Skills. That popular course interfaces the prevention, de-escalation, and de-briefing skills of the
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® program with the therapeutic strategies of LSCI that, like CPI, focus on turning crisis situations into learning opportunities for children, youth, and their teachers and caregivers.
Check out our
podcast interview with Signe for more on LSCI. Signe shares her expertise on navigating the challenges of working with kids and helping them cope with issues such as bullying, anger, and self-defeating patterns of behavior.
Congratulations LSCI, Dr. Nicholas Long, and Dr. Jody Long on an amazing 50 years. Your legacy and influence on me, CPI, professional educators, students, and others who deal with challenging behavior will continue for many, many more years.
Find out more about Conflict in the Classroom and how to help a troubled youth.