Clare Sartori Free-lance writer and college instructor Clare Sartori is committed to resolving conflicts peacefully and creating community in various settings. She has completed trainings with Billy Eyman and with the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies. She has worked as a school psychologist and as a consultant to schools and families in Rhode Island for over 14 years. She currently teaches an undergraduate course on “Psychological Approaches to Stress Reduction and Wellness” through the Feinstein College of Continuing Education at URI

As a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1980’s, Ms. Sartori learned how to adapt to different cultures. She brings this quality to work experiences in schools, with Head Start families, in group homes for children with autism, and counseling for individuals and families. In the broader community, she has volunteered in various activities that enhance mutual understanding and cooperation among people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“Because self-control becomes much more difficult as an individual’s distress increases, coping strategies must be taught.”

Ms. Sartori believes that self-regulation is critical for learning and for basic day-to-day functioning. Time and time again, teachers express concerns about their students’ behaviors which often become obstacles to their teaching. Thus, behavior management workshops remain the most frequently requested in-service topic. Because self–control becomes much more difficult as an individual’s distress increases, coping strategies must also be taught.

Creating a sense of belonging and respect in the classroom is an efficient way to reduce discipline problems, increase academic learning, and teach social emotional skills. Ms. Sartori teaches practices such as relaxation techniques, learning how to identify anger triggers and emotional needs, and behavior choices. Students can learn ways to identify the deeper roots of their anger or frustration and effective ways of communicating their needs and feelings. Simply practicing how to express and receive feelings of gratitude creates an atmosphere of trust and of contribution to the greater whole. Utilizing such practices improves relations between students and their peers and teachers and helps transform the atmosphere of the classroom into a shared learning community.

“When the seeds of self-understanding are nurtured, compassion towards oneself and others blossoms.”