Teach your students Conflict Resolution with the three choices they have in responding to both fair and unfair criticism… HOT, COLD, and COOL!

Criticism is seldom easy to take and often triggers anger and unnecessary conflict. To make matters more difficult, middle school students are so sensitive and can feel criticized when none is intended. If not handled effectively, criticism will impede improvements in performance, diminish self-esteem and lead to aggressive behavior or social withdrawal. Handled well, criticism can promote learning, improve performance, and enhance self-confidence. This module presents effective ways in which students can cope.

BeCool teaches students about the three basic ways we respond to criticism: Aggressively (HOT), Passively (COLD) or Assertively (COOL). In each of the video scenarios, children are challenged by a difficult person or situation. Your students will watch as their video peers hesitate and then model three different ways to respond to conflict: Giving Up (COLD), Blowing Up (HOT) or Staying in Control (COOL).

In this module your students will learn how to respond to valid as well as invalid criticism in a COOL way. They will learn how to clarify unclear criticism to obtain more information. Students will also learn how to explain their side if the criticism is unfair. In the first vignette they’ll meet Vanessa, an aspiring chef, who has to deal with criticism from her cooking teacher. After modeling both a HOT and COLD response, we see Vanessa asking for clarification, only to find that, although disappointing, the criticism from her teacher was valid. Meet the other middle school students portrayed in this series and learn how they cope with criticism.

The BeCool paradigm is research based and truly works.