NFB / ShowPeace Series

Children need to be taught at an early age how to prevent and resolve their own conflicts. Without these skills they may become involved in increasingly serious violence, ultimately requiring intervention by the court system. Everyone must deal with conflicts, and learning to resolve them peacefully is one of the most important life-long skills a child can acquire. When many educators and social workers in the field of conflict resolution expressed a need for material they could use with children, we responded with the ShowPeace series.

Each film presents a conflict situation that provides opportunities for exploring creative problem-solving techniques and for discussing conflict resolution issues in depth. We have created dramatically compelling situations that leave lasting images with children and help them to remember the important issues raised. The films do not instruct or give pat answers, but rather provoke discussion by raising questions. Viewers are encouraged to arrive at their own conclusions and to actively resolve the questions themselves.

Central to conflict resolution is the strategy of generating many different solutions to a problem in an attempt to find one that satisfies the needs of all parties. Each film has several critical points where the tape may be stopped and possible solutions generated by members of the class or group.