Can an orange teach kids how to get along? Tanenbaum thinks so.
Many of you may have heard this lesson before…two kids who were fighting over an orange; the last one in the house. They refused to split the orange, saying they both needed more than half. After learning more from each other, they learned that one needed the peel while the other needed the fruit.
Last Wednesday, we visited a career workshop at Carrie P. Weber Middle School in Port Washington, NY and used this refreshing fruit to develop conflict resolution skills. Students conducted a role play based on this story from our COEXIST curriculum about two individuals who want the same orange. The role play challenged students to explore the underlying feelings, interests, and worldviews of the parties involved and to collaborate on a mutually agreeable solution. Students enjoyed the interactive and theatrical nature of the activity and eagerly offered input.