Create activities to promote peer teaching in your classroom. Set pupils up in pairs or groups so that they can exchange ideas, help each other and support each other's learning. Peer teaching can take many forms, including organizing pairs in which stronger pupils tutor weaker ones or pupils of similar abilities work together. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English and Communication says peer teaching teaches "positive attitudes, values and skills through peer modeling" and encourages children to "learn to share, to help, to comfort and to empathize with others."
Devote a specified time every week to allowing children to discuss issues of concern. Allow the children to anonymously submit discussion topics or subjects that they wish to raise to a central "Discussion Group" box. Set clear rules that will guide a classroom discussion before you start. Ensure that the children understand that each child will speak in turn, that no one can tease or humiliate a child who speaks, and that no one can interrupt a child while he speaks. Raise topics for the discussion sessions when you feel that a classroom situation demands attention. Encourage the children to problem-solve during the session. Encourage the pupils to suggest solutions for problems that arise in the classroom but clarify that the final decision rests with the teacher.
Create a system that gives positive reinforcement when a pupil exhibits caring and positive behavior. Allow pupils to nominate classmates who have exhibited helpful or caring actions. Set aside a specific time every day when pupils can acknowledge their classmates' positive behaviors. Reserve space on the class bulletin board where pupils can write public thank-yous to their classmates.
Use books to generate discussions, book reports, dramatic presentations and other forms of expression among the students. Select books that relate to a problem that the protagonist of the book faces in school, with family members or among peers. Popular books for elementary-age children that feature peer, school or family interactions include the Ramona and Henry Huggins books by Beverley Cleary, "Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh, "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton and "Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing" and "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume. Read the book aloud or allow the children to select and read their own books. Follow-up activities may include book reports, discussions about the dilemmas that the characters faced or selecting scenes from the book in which the protagonist had to choose a course of action and allowing groups of children to act out the scene, followed by a discussion.