October, 2015
One thing we sometimes forget to plan for is Peace education.
Promoting Peace was a large part of Dr. Montessori’s career – one of her most famous quotes is “Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education.” She thought it was extremely important in her day; today it may be more important than ever.
The staff at Brookside has been consistently delivering the message of “Peaceful Classroom, Peaceful Playground”. Among others, 10 ways we are including peace in our curriculum this year:
1. We talk about the word “peace” with our students – We ask the children what they think it means; their answers are very enlightening. They are often surprised to realize that peace can be found many places. It doesn’t just refer to “world peace”. They can have a hand in creating a peaceful environment wherever they are.
Peace may look a little different to everyone. It’s learning how to deal with conflict in a way that doesn’t put the rights, wants, or needs of one person over the other. It’s learning conflict resolution skills that stress respect for the individual and the group.
2. We’ve declared our classroom and playground a “peace zone” – Brookside does not tolerate any kind of bullying. We have laid down ground rules since the beginning of the year. We reinforce this message regularly and seek agreement from the children on the concept.
3. We teach conflict resolution skills – One way (that children enjoy very much) is through role-playing. We try to choose a time when everyone is together and there are no unresolved conflicts. We role-play different situations that are noticed amongst the children. We talk about peaceful ways to resolve the conflict. We define and discuss compromise, taking turns, and listening skills.
4. We are choosing “Peace” as the theme every so often – We challenge the children to find stories, poems, and songs about peace. We will, throughout the year, seek opportunities to draw or paint pictures of “peace” and what it means to them. Again, much insight can be gained by looking into their responses.
5. We vary Peace education by age – Our older children will be able to get into the history of peace and conflict through our study of different countries and cultures in the kindergarten classroom. They can participate at a higher level by researching and writing about peace and peace education.
6. Our children participate in the care of their environment – showing respect for the materials, pets, plants, and other children.
7. When studying geography, history, and other cultures, we emphasize respect for the diversity of traditions and customs found around the world.
8. We have banned any representation of weapons or violent characters or stories at the school. Period.
9. We try to set a good example – And you can, too. Don’t argue with parents, spouses, or other teachers in front of the children. Speak respectfully about other people. Don’t gossip. Show kindness. It can be easy to forget that children are watching your every move, and learn more from what you do than what you say.
10. We have established special holidays and rituals for our school – These include joyful celebrations as well as sad occasions (like the loss of a pet). Everyone shares in the planning, decorating, and celebrating. Ask yourself, is this something that we can (or do already) implement at home?
We will continue to work on Peace in our classroom and on our playground throughout the year. In this day and age it is one of the most important messages we can deliver to our children. Any assistance you as parents can provide in modeling and reinforcing peaceful behavior is greatly appreciated.