Healing Times Radio with Dr. Emmett Miller

A Conversation with Suzanne Lyons If we could learn to live in a more cooperative way with ourselves and the planet our civilization could quickly solve many of our great problems. People must learn how to live less violently. If not we are done for personally, in our relationships, and globally. Problems are at all scales; from the global “war on terror” to our polarized congress, to our personal conflicts and the dysfunctions they produce. Humanity urgently needs to develop real solutions and to move past constant conflict, polarization, and confrontation. Unless we all learn how to cooperate, and soon, we are done for; our own violent, competitive urges and training will destroy us all. If we really want our world to change, we will begin by changing our children, and learning from how we do that. I know of no better way to begin this process than by teaching our kids about the survival and creative value of cooperation – and there is no better way to do this than by helping them learn the games that Suzanne teaches about. In this conversation Suzanne and Dr. Miller explore what science has taught us about the effect the games we play as children has had on us. They also discuss games that don’t teach us to compete (where somebody has to be the “Looozerrr”) but to cooperate. There is even a version of musical chairs you will learn that makes people feel closer rather than excluded. You will learn about her website, cooperativegames.com, a resource for games, and about her latest book, The Cooperative Games Bullying Prevention Program, that clearly makes the case for using these games to prevent aggression in young children as well as nurture their innate drive to care and cooperate. Suzanne Lyons is the founder of CooperativeGames.com, an educator and author who specializes in integrated science and climate change education. Her textbook Conceptual Integrated Science is sold internationally. It is within the context of a desire to create teaching materials relevant to the challenges of the global community that Suzanne became interested in teaching about cooperation. Cooperative games are games that emphasize the joy of playing together rather than competition. The games and other forms of cooperative play exist for all ages. Playing together rather than against each other is an option for anyone of any age at any time. Suzanne’s latest book is The Cooperative Games Bullying Prevention Program. It makes the case for using the games to prevent aggression in young children as well as nurture their innate drive to care and cooperate. Suzanne believes in cooperation. Play which promotes cooperation is an idea for our troubled times with wide ranging benefits. They can help with bullying prevention, fostering sustainability and helping each individual enjoy more peaceful and healthy personal relationships.

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