Teachers Without BordersPeace Education Program

SDEMC/City College WorkshopDecember 4, 2010

Workshop OutlineIntroductionsIntro to the TWB Peace Education ProgramDefinitions of Peace EducationCore Concepts – negative and positive peace,

nonviolent resistance, transformative practice, culture of peace

Peace Education in the curriculum – StandardsEvaluation/Wrap-up

*I will email this presentation to you!

Goals/Objectives for TodayBe familiar with the TWB Peace Education

ProgramDevelop a definition of peace education and

relate this to classroom practiceUnderstand core concepts of PE/peace

studies fieldReflect on what it means to be a peace

educator and begin the process of infusing peace education into the curriculum

Icebreaker - Introductions1. Introduce yourself (ideally to someone you

don’t know), telling them your name, where you work, what you teach, and what makes you feel peaceful.

2. Introduce your partner to the group.“My name is Stephanie, and I work for Teachers Without Borders. I teach….I feel peaceful when…”

This Classroom is a Zone of Peace1. Listen when someone is talking 2. Do not exclude anyone. 3. Say only kind words. 4. Speak gently. 5. Show respect for each other.

Declare your classroom a zone of peace and establish rules to achieve it.(Navarro-Castro & Navario-Galace, 2008)

TWB Dr. Joseph Hungwa Peace Education Program for Teacher Professional DevelopmentUnit 1 – Today’s focus

History of Peace EducationDefinitionsKey Thinkers: Dewey, Montessori, FreireCore Concepts

Negative and Positive Peace Peace Education as Transformative Practice Nonviolent Resistance Culture of Peace

Unit 2: Scope of Peace EducationUnit 3: Beyond Classroom Walls

Guiding Principles of the TWB PEP“…since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in

the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed”--UNESCO Constitution

Þ Peace can be learned, taughtÞ Teachers as agents of peaceful change

Guiding Principles (Cont’d)1. Comprehension of key peace education

theories2. Critical self-reflection and applying these

theories to yourself How does this apply to my life?

3. Applying the theories to your classroom practiceHow does this apply to my classroom practice? How can I put these theories into action?

(What Freire called praxis)

Definitions of Peace Education1. Walk around the room and read

different definitions. Stop at the definition that resonates the most to you.

2. Sit down and write your own “definition” of peace education based on what resonates with you or what is most relevant or pressing in your community.(or answer the question “What does PE mean to me?”).

Write your own definition4. Move to your “focus groups” to share your definitions and reflect on classroom practice.How will your own definition (or any one of

the definitions included in this section) guide your classroom practice?

What will have to change in your classroom? What will stay the same?

How will this definition impact your students and their learning? How will your students benefit from it?

My definition “Peace Education is the practice of teaching the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to transform the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and nonviolence.”

Goals of Peace Education“The ultimate goal of peace education is the formation of responsible, committed, and caring citizens who have integrated the values into everyday life and acquired the skills to advocate for them.”--Betty Reardon

UNICEF Peace Education Guidelines Function as 'zones of peace', where children are safe from conflict in the

community; Uphold children’s basic rights as enumerated in the CRC Develop a culture of peace/climate of peace in the school Demonstrate the principles of equality and non-discrimination in

administrative policies and practices; Draw on the knowledge of peace-building that already exists in the

community, Handle conflicts - whether between children or between children and

adults - in a non-violent manner that respects the rights and dignity of all involved;

Integrate an understanding of peace, human rights, social justice and global issues throughout the curriculum whenever possible;

Provide a forum for the explicit discussion of values of peace and social justice;

Use teaching and learning methods that promote participation, cooperation, problem-solving and respect for differences;

Allow opportunities for children to put peace-making into practice, both in the educational setting and in the wider community;

Provide opportunities for continuous reflection and professional development of all educators in relation to issues of peace, justice and rights

Core ConceptsNegative and Positive PeaceTransformative practiceNonviolent resistanceCulture of peace

Negative and Positive Peace – Galtung (meet him next week! )

Home group discussionWhat forms of physical &/or structural

violence do your students deal with? How does this impact their learning and the

learning environment?

Peace Education as Transformative Practice

Turay M. and English, L.M. 2008. Toward a Global Culture of Peace: A Transformative Model of Peace Education. Jounrals of Transformative Education, 2(286).

4 Phases of TMPE1. Begin with the participants2. Movement to emphasis on family and peace3. Movement to focus on the community or

organizational perspective4. Movement to the global sphere

From the past to the future, micro to the macro

NonviolenceGandhi – ahimsa and satyagrahaMartin Luther King, Jr.Gene Sharp – 198 Methods of Nonviolent

Action

Recommended Reading:Search for A Nonviolent Future – Michael Nagler, Metta Center (available on Google books or from www.mettacenter.org)

Culture of Peace- UNESCO

This Classroom is a Zone of PeaceWhat elements are necessary to create an

atmosphere of peace in the classroom and school community?

How can we work towards creating it?

Approaches to Peace Education in the Curriculum

Infusion- part of everything

(mainstreaming)

Separate subject

Integration- part of some

areas

Identifying Entry PointsFind entry points in the learning

competencies of the basic education systemLink subject objectives to peace education

objectivesLink subjects/topics to peace education

themes/topics

If we leave peace education to “accidental teaching” or “teachable moments,” we may never get to it….

Recommended Reading: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htm

Standards – Candice Carter vs. the State of CaliforniaBreak into “home groups” and look at

Carter’s standards for students (p. 1-5), comparing them with your standards (state, school, self).How are you already using these standards?

Which of these standards is already a part of your teaching practice?

How can you find entry points for these standards in your curriculum?

What are the challenges? What areas might be harder to teach?

As the teacher, let this peace begin with you.“Each morning, tell yourself that you will be a peaceful teacher that day. Every time something rubs you the wrong way, remind yourself that you have resolved to be peaceful and would not allow yourself to explode. Each time you enter the classroom, breathe out or ground off any negative energy that you caught along the way. Radiate positive energy. Smile as you greet others.”

--Navarro-Castro & Nario-Galace, 2008

Wrap-UpDebriefEvaluationNext sessions – Unit 2 & Unit 3 (February)

Unit 2 – January 29thTopics – 5 votes

“Only when ministries of education realize that their responsibility includes preparing future generations to not only know how to read and write, but also to be thoughtful, responsible

members of their communities, who will graduate not to make money but to make a

difference, will we rest knowing that we have contributed to creating a Culture of Peace.”

--Cora Weiss, Hauge Appeal for Peace

Thank you!Don’t forget – sign up at www.teacherswithoutborders.org

Email me with any questions!stephanie@teacherswithoutborders.org