The environment plays an important role.  In the right environment students feel safe, secure, and proud.  You can create this by displaying children's work and photos on the walls so each child feels they have a place.  Rules and boundaries need to be set and respected.  Children can help with this process.  The rules need to be posted and referred to on a daily basis.  Consequences need to be set and followed through with.  Each student should know if they do not follow a posted rule there will be a consequence. 

To develop peer relationships between children empathy needs to be modeled and taught on a daily basis.  This can be done by taking the time to discuss peer confrontations.  Ask children to imagine if someone were speaking to them the way they are speaking to their peer.  Teach feeling words and encourage children to use them in the 'working it out' process.  Always give children a chance to work it out on their own but be available to step in for closure. We need to make character building a priority when caring for and teaching school aged children.  They need to learn how to work with others, take care of themselves, and offer help when others are in need.  They are our future and it is our job to help them grow.