CRETE Solutions

CRETE educates teachers in conflict resolution education (CRE) and social and emotional learning (SEL) to help teachers constructively manage conflict, create positive learning environments, and  develop students’ conflict competence and social skills. CRETE partners with colleges of education to infuse CRE and SEL in teacher education curriculum and professional development programs.

“NO TEACHER LEFT BEHIND”

• 50% of teachers nationwide leave teaching after 3 years due to chaotic and disruptive learning environments and difficulty managing conflict.

• Conflict resolution education (CRE) helps teachers improve their classroom management and increases their willingness to stay in the teaching profession.

• Teachers who know CRE can teach these valuable skills to students and help create a physically and emotionally safe learning environment.

• CRE has proven benefits in terms of increasing students’ academic achievement, constructive conflict behavior, and decreasing aggression and discipline problems.

CRETE Goals:

• Training: Provide CRE/SEL curriculum and training for pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, cooperating/mentor teachers, field supervisors and school staff.
• Infusion: Work with higher education faculty in teacher education  programs to increase their knowledge of CRE and SEL and infuse it into courses in teacher and counselor preparation programs
• Instructional Materials: Develop and distribute hard copy and web-based protocols, curricular materials, and evaluation materials and provide materials on clearinghouse web site (www.creducation.org).
• Evaluation: Evaluate  impact of CRETE curricula and training processes and systems interventions.

CRETE Infusion:

Each partner institution works to develop the best model for CRETE for their institution. The ultimate goal is to have CRETE institutionalized in teacher education programs. The following approaches have been used by various partners:

Faculty Training: Faculty at partner universities have participated in CRE training and infused elements of CRE into their pre-service coursework.

Required Practicum Experience:  CRETE training has become the basis of required practicum.

Required Student Teaching:  Colleges require CRETE training for all student teachers.

Required Course:  Colleges require a 3-credit or 1.5 credit CRETE course of all teacher education majors.

Elective Course: Colleges offer elective CRETE courses in addition to offering external CRETE trainings.

Field Supervisor and Mentor Teacher Training: Colleges have developed courses for Field Supervisors and have created CRETE training for mentor and cooperating teachers.

Professional Development Schools: Colleges have developed and delivered CRETE trainings for their Professional Development Schools.

External CRETE Trainings: All of the partners offer 4-day external CRETE trainings available to pre-service and in-service teachers, counselors, and other school staff.