Exercise Two: FOUL Buster
Teaching Purpose
Students practice responding to a possible FOUL without immediately returning another FOUL.
In PeaceDNA, a FOUL is a word or action intended to hurt, harm, or intimidate. A rude or harmful effect matters, but intention should not be treated as proven merely because someone feels hurt. FOUL Buster brings attention to the possible intention and redirects the conversation toward the Problem.
Learning Goal
Students will be able to:
- Recognize a possible FOUL.
- Avoid an immediate counter-FOUL.
- Question the harmful intention without pretending to read minds.
- Set a boundary, redirect the conversation, or seek help.
Materials
- Situation cards
- Toss-in cards
- Three signs: Continue, Pause, Get Help
Write on the Board
“Are you trying to hurt, harm, or intimidate me?”
Possible follow-ups:
“If not, can we talk about the Problem without insults?”
“I’m willing to continue when we can speak without threats.”
40-Minute Teaching Plan
1. Introduce the Skill—6 minutes
Explain:
“A FOUL is defined by an intention to hurt, harm, or intimidate. We cannot always know another person’s intention from a word, face, gesture, or tone. FOUL Buster turns the suspected intention into a question instead of an accusation.”
Students should also understand that they never have to remain in a dangerous conversation.
2. Sort the Examples—6 minutes
Read each example. Students point to Continue, Pause, or Get Help.
- A student rolls their eyes.
- Someone uses an insulting nickname after being asked to stop.
- A classmate disagrees strongly but does not insult anyone.
- Someone threatens to attack another student after school.
- A student bumps someone in a crowded hallway.
- Someone deliberately knocks books from another student’s hands.
Discuss the difference between:
- What was observed
- What effect it had
- What intention is suspected
- What remains unknown
3. Teacher Demonstration—5 minutes
Student A:
“Only an idiot would make that mistake.”
Counter-FOUL:
“Shut up. You’re the idiot.”
FOUL Buster:
“Are you trying to embarrass me?”
Possible response:
“No. I’m just frustrated.”
Follow-up:
“Then tell me what the problem is without calling me an idiot.”
Explain that FOUL Buster does not excuse the insult. It challenges the possible intention and creates an opening for a safer conversation.
4. Triad Practice—10 minutes
Create groups of three:
- Speaker
- Responder
- Observer
The Speaker reads a mild school-conflict card. The Responder uses FOUL Buster. The Observer watches for:
- Calm words
- A nonthreatening voice
- No counter-insult
- A clear boundary
- A safe next step
Rotate roles.
5. Add Toss-ins—8 minutes
Introduce one Toss-in during each role-play:
- “The speaker says, ‘No, I was only joking.’”
- “The speaker apologizes but continues using the nickname.”
- “Two friends begin watching and laughing.”
- “The speaker becomes louder and moves closer.”
- “The speaker explains that they misunderstood what happened.”
- “The responder becomes too upset to continue calmly.”
- “A threat is made.”
- “The behavior stops, but the original Problem remains.”
Students choose whether to:
- Continue peacefully
- Pause the conversation
- Move away
- Get help from an adult
6. Debrief—5 minutes
Ask:
- How is a FOUL Buster different from a counter-FOUL?
- Why is intention asked about instead of announced as a fact?
- When did a boundary help?
- Which Toss-in made continuing unsafe?
- After the FOUL stops, what still needs to be discussed?
Teacher Reminder
Do not role-play slurs, sexual harassment, weapons, severe bullying, abuse, or traumatic personal experiences. Use fictional, low-risk situations. Real threats or repeated harmful conduct should be reported according to school safety rules; they should not be treated as ordinary peer-mediation exercises.