Judy Hung '99, who is also the treasurer of the Phillips Brooks House Association, sat down with Geralda Jean and Miriam R. Zefnaf, ages 7 and 8, on Friday afternoon to talk about applying the new four-step method.

Zefnaf drew a picture of her brother putting toothpaste in her eye.

"I told my mom and she gave me a facecloth to wipe it off," Zefnaf says.

"When someone does something by accident they didn't mean it so you shouldn't really feel to mad."

Satisfaction, Hung says, comes from helping kids learn about peace.

"Our kids are always excited about Peace Games and it's wonderful to teach them about compliments and putdowns and how to solve situations when they're mad or angry," Hung says.

King School Coordinator Janel A. Moore '00 sees how Peace Games works--not just in one class but also how it can change the entire school culture

"Peace Games teaches kids that there are alternatives to violence and it permeates through the school," Moore says.

"The younger kids like playing the games, but they remember how to talk about violence and peace. The older kids might think it's a bit corny in the beginning. But now when arguments erupt, they know how to discipline themselves."

Making a difference, no matter how small, is all that matters to Moore.

"If I can just get one person to think about [non-violent] options, I'll feel like I've done something. That's enough for me," she says.

Dancing and Self-Esteem

Every spring, about 150 Cambridge fifth and sixth graders put on costumes, stride onstage and perform an elaborate dance musical.

The students spend an entire year learning the dance through CityStep, a group of 28 Harvard teachers and five directors who visit three elementary schools and run two after-school programs.

CityStep is unconventional in its approach to helping kids.

Dance can be an important medium for building self-esteem, says CityStep director Stephanie Firos '98.

"Kids are often judged by teachers and parents by how well they do in school," Firos says. "A child's self-esteem may suffer if he's not that great at school.

"Dancing is something everyone can do. People have different styles, and every style is good. CityStep has the unique ability to reach different kinds of kids, even those who don't do well in school can really excel."