There are many ways a teacher can bring an awareness of peace into the classroom. The teacher must decide what methods speak to her and that she is most comfortable with. Since art is my area of expertise I would implement a peace curriculum that revolves around art making. I believe that creating art is a very spiritual experience. I think that this method is effective because as Picasso said "All children are artists". I would design my curriculum on three different ways to bring out the artist’s spirit and learn about peace: Art Happenings, Art and Nature, Art and Culture. These approaches to art and peace could be introduced in any order.
A happening is a group experience in which the act of making art is emphasized not the end result. In a happening "whatever happens, happens, there are no mistakes" as my high school art teacher used to say. The children would experience one medium in each happening. For example, clay is a wonderful medium that really puts you in touch with your senses. The children would sit in a circle and be given a lump of clay each. I would narrate the experience, "Feel the clay’s texture, is it smooth or lumpy? Is it warm or cool? What does it smell like?…." Next we would mold the clay with our hands and join the clay together with the person’s clay on each side to create a circle. At the end all the clay is thrown back into a bucket together to be used again in the future. There are many happenings I have done with paper and pencil. A couple examples of this would be having the children sit in a circle, listen to a story and draw with their eyes closed or draw in response to different kinds of music. The drawings are not saved, as the point is the experience to put you in touch with your mind and soul not the end result. The possibilities are endless. At my summer camp we painted using powder paint and ice-the kids were enthralled!
Art and Nature holds much possiblity as well. I designed a curriculum for my summer camp in which all the projects involved objects from nature or recycled objects. The children got to collect their own materials on nature walks and turn them into art when they returned to the classroom. We read books on nature and recycling. Through art the children learned to appreciate nature and save the planet. We made water bottle bird feeders, take-out top sun catchers and cereal box paintings. These ideas can also be tied into a science curriculum. My favorite experience was making our own paper. Everyone was able to help in the process. Everyone had to work together, take turns, be gentle with the wet pulp and benefit from the end result-which was shared by all. We mixed grasses and dried flowers into the wet pulp- what wonderful textures we created! Then we turned the paper into a camp scrapbook with all the children’s pictures and comments.
Learning about different cultures through art is also a favorite of mine (since I was an art history teacher). There are so many opportunities to explore other cultures through their art. We have studied Mexico by making pinch pots, Japan by making paper mache cats, Italy by painting a ceiling (really the underside of a table but they got the ideaJ ). Art is a valuable part of a society and is a way to tie people together and teach tolerance and diversity. The artifacts in any culture teach us much about the people and how they live/d. The arts bring out the spiritual side of every society. Making art requires the hands and brain to work together. As Montessori explained in the Absorbent Mind, it is the people who used not only their minds but their hands who have left their mark for future societies. "For if men had only used speech to communicate their thought, if their wisdom had been expressed in words alone, no traces would remain of past generations. It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen."(AM151)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Diamira Torrens Peace Education
Diamira Torrens
Peace Education
Living through two world wars can leave an impact on a person’s feeling for humanity, Maria Montessori was that person. She watched the hatred between people and felt that the only way to resolve and improve our future was through the child. Montessori was much respected in her work and made an impact in introducing Peace Education. She believed if we taught children compassion and respect from birth they would carry it with them and build a better society.
As in all aspects of the classroom the preparation must begin with the teacher “…to purify her heart and render it burning with charity toward the child.”(1) The classroom should be prepared to show a feeling of tranquility and love. Peace education, in part, is an extension of Grace and Courtesy. The teacher should be approachable so the child can trust to come to her when they feel they cannot handle a conflict on his own. A child should also be taught to reflect on his feelings and speak for himself, if needed, the teacher can help verbalize what they are feeling. It is the teacher’s responsibility to teach then to respect each other for their differences.
Sometimes I look at our little school and think of it as a Utopia, I wish full hardly that what they experience in this nurturing environment they can carry to the world and make a difference. There are several things we do already and some we have implemented recently. When a child has a problem with another child be in fighting (physically or with words) usually one child will find a teacher to tell the teacher what the other child has done. The teacher then takes the child back and tells the child to explain how they feel about what has been done to them, they both have a chance to express their feelings and resolve their problem if a resolution is needed, with time the children will learn to handle the situation on their own and can be moderators to younger children in a conflict. I’ve never felt that “I’m sorry” expresses as much concern as asking the other person if they are ok or what they can do to make them feel better or right their wrong. When a child is physically hurt by another (lets say pushed down on the playground) we ask the child to stay with the hurt child and maybe hold the ice if they are hurt until they feels better. This process teaches them compassion and also what their actions have caused. I would like to implement in the classroom a jar that a teacher or child can write a random act of kindness that is seen, and these acts can be read during circle time, for example: “during the morning I saw John give Jane a paper towel at the sink to dry her hands.” This will make a child more aware of the world around them. Reading books about peace and friendship is something else I’d like to do. I would also like the children to write stories about how to treat others; this will allow them to express their feelings, giving a scenario and how they would resolve it is also an idea for their writing. As part of our geography area we should have more about different cultures and religions so that children become aware that there is more to their world and to learn to respect others for their differences. We have a very diverse group of children and it would be wonderful if their parents could share about their culture and ethnicity as well, having different culture days, learning about holidays, food or traditions will teach tolerance.
Teaching the children to have inner peace is just as important. I would do this by teaching them about their bodies and about breathing and relaxing and how to use it when we feel angry or frustrated. Even though we do practice the “silence game” I would frequently so they can become aware of their surroundings and relax and listen to the world around them. I would love to do this outdoors sometimes and listen closer to the sounds they hear and then discuss them. I would also like to have the children learn more about our classroom pet and its care.
What a difference we can make in the lives of the children we are entrusted. The only hope we have for our future and theirs is that they can carry what they learn and spread it to others. Using the philosophies Maria Montessori has established we have a chance to make a difference.
(1) E.M. Standing Maria Montessori – Her Life and Work, New York, Mentor, 1957
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Peace Education
Living through two world wars can leave an impact on a person’s feeling for humanity, Maria Montessori was that person. She watched the hatred between people and felt that the only way to resolve and improve our future was through the child. Montessori was much respected in her work and made an impact in introducing Peace Education. She believed if we taught children compassion and respect from birth they would carry it with them and build a better society.
As in all aspects of the classroom the preparation must begin with the teacher “…to purify her heart and render it burning with charity toward the child.”(1) The classroom should be prepared to show a feeling of tranquility and love. Peace education, in part, is an extension of Grace and Courtesy. The teacher should be approachable so the child can trust to come to her when they feel they cannot handle a conflict on his own. A child should also be taught to reflect on his feelings and speak for himself, if needed, the teacher can help verbalize what they are feeling. It is the teacher’s responsibility to teach then to respect each other for their differences.
Sometimes I look at our little school and think of it as a Utopia, I wish full hardly that what they experience in this nurturing environment they can carry to the world and make a difference. There are several things we do already and some we have implemented recently. When a child has a problem with another child be in fighting (physically or with words) usually one child will find a teacher to tell the teacher what the other child has done. The teacher then takes the child back and tells the child to explain how they feel about what has been done to them, they both have a chance to express their feelings and resolve their problem if a resolution is needed, with time the children will learn to handle the situation on their own and can be moderators to younger children in a conflict. I’ve never felt that “I’m sorry” expresses as much concern as asking the other person if they are ok or what they can do to make them feel better or right their wrong. When a child is physically hurt by another (lets say pushed down on the playground) we ask the child to stay with the hurt child and maybe hold the ice if they are hurt until they feels better. This process teaches them compassion and also what their actions have caused. I would like to implement in the classroom a jar that a teacher or child can write a random act of kindness that is seen, and these acts can be read during circle time, for example: “during the morning I saw John give Jane a paper towel at the sink to dry her hands.” This will make a child more aware of the world around them. Reading books about peace and friendship is something else I’d like to do. I would also like the children to write stories about how to treat others; this will allow them to express their feelings, giving a scenario and how they would resolve it is also an idea for their writing. As part of our geography area we should have more about different cultures and religions so that children become aware that there is more to their world and to learn to respect others for their differences. We have a very diverse group of children and it would be wonderful if their parents could share about their culture and ethnicity as well, having different culture days, learning about holidays, food or traditions will teach tolerance.
Teaching the children to have inner peace is just as important. I would do this by teaching them about their bodies and about breathing and relaxing and how to use it when we feel angry or frustrated. Even though we do practice the “silence game” I would frequently so they can become aware of their surroundings and relax and listen to the world around them. I would love to do this outdoors sometimes and listen closer to the sounds they hear and then discuss them. I would also like to have the children learn more about our classroom pet and its care.
What a difference we can make in the lives of the children we are entrusted. The only hope we have for our future and theirs is that they can carry what they learn and spread it to others. Using the philosophies Maria Montessori has established we have a chance to make a difference.
(1) E.M. Standing Maria Montessori – Her Life and Work, New York, Mentor, 1957
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Assignment II (ch:15 - 28 )
Rati Sivashankar
Assignment 2 Absorbent Mind – Chapters: 15- 28
Chapter 15:
The very young child’s efforts are not towards imitating but to forming in himself the capacity to imitate; thus exhibiting to the world the universal importance of indirect preparation.
Chapter 16:
The child before the age of three unconsciously creates himself by absorbing the environment (hence, he has no memory of it); after three he deliberately and consciously acts on his environment to construct himself.
Chapter 17:
The child in the postnatal/psychological period of his embryonic life absorbs from the world around him the basic patterns of his social group and they remain with him as fixed characters for the rest of his life.
Chapter 18:
The normal development of a child in any of the three stages before the age of 18 has its foundation in the previous stage; hence the more fully the needs of one period are met, the greater will be the success of the next….this unfortunately is true in the reverse too!
Chapter 19:
The child when given the freedom has the power to choose his work spontaneously and keep herself occupied with deep concentration, joy and serenity; this arrival of discipline from freedom is the evolving of a psychological type common to the whole of mankind.
Chapter 20:
A child between the ages of three and six carries out gradually the work of building his own character; what the adult can do is put education on a scientific footing so that the child can work effectively without being disturbed or impeded.
Chapter 21:
In the formation of the child’s character nature plays a pivotal role; we can observe in the child initially the trait of concentration followed by perseverance (normalization), one of the flawed character traits that disappear after this is possessiveness (possess to lose it or break it) and this is instead replaced by a secondary possessiveness which is the interest in knowing how things work.
Chapter 22:
The children in a multi age classroom unravel from within themselves the quality of concentration which in turn gives rise to the virtue of patience; these are key components in the development of character and social behavior.
Chapter 23:
The children in a 3 – 6 environment slowly become aware of forming a community and their activities contribute toward it; once they have reached this level they put the group first and try to succeed for its benefit.
Chapter 24:
When the children make an error in our environment other children become the bearers of corrections; this forms a unity among all children.
Chapter 25:
The three levels of obedience in a child are 1) the level of obedience is one in which the child can obey, but not always; a period in which obedience and disobedience seem to be combined. 2) The level in which the child can absorb another person’s wishes and express them in his own behavior. 3) The child becomes enthusiastic, anxious and impatient to obey; this comes about with his obedience being turned toward a personality whose superiority he feels.
Chapter 26:
The task of the teacher is to enable the emergence of discipline in the children by not only preparing the environment where she is in a role of service, but also, to know to be firm when the spirit of the children need awakening and effort to pull them back on track when they digress from the path.
Chapter 27:
The teacher in a Montessori class must have faith that the child will reveal himself through work; she works on this via the following three aspects;
1. Watch over the environment and be its keeper and custodian.
2. To be able to entice children in a timely and appropriate fashion to work or use soothing techniques to calm them.
3. Know when not to interrupt or interfere with a child who is concentrating on a piece of work.
Chapter 28:
The child is the only point on which there converges from everyone a feeling of gentleness and love; the child is a well-spring of love.
Assignment 2 Absorbent Mind – Chapters: 15- 28
Chapter 15:
The very young child’s efforts are not towards imitating but to forming in himself the capacity to imitate; thus exhibiting to the world the universal importance of indirect preparation.
Chapter 16:
The child before the age of three unconsciously creates himself by absorbing the environment (hence, he has no memory of it); after three he deliberately and consciously acts on his environment to construct himself.
Chapter 17:
The child in the postnatal/psychological period of his embryonic life absorbs from the world around him the basic patterns of his social group and they remain with him as fixed characters for the rest of his life.
Chapter 18:
The normal development of a child in any of the three stages before the age of 18 has its foundation in the previous stage; hence the more fully the needs of one period are met, the greater will be the success of the next….this unfortunately is true in the reverse too!
Chapter 19:
The child when given the freedom has the power to choose his work spontaneously and keep herself occupied with deep concentration, joy and serenity; this arrival of discipline from freedom is the evolving of a psychological type common to the whole of mankind.
Chapter 20:
A child between the ages of three and six carries out gradually the work of building his own character; what the adult can do is put education on a scientific footing so that the child can work effectively without being disturbed or impeded.
Chapter 21:
In the formation of the child’s character nature plays a pivotal role; we can observe in the child initially the trait of concentration followed by perseverance (normalization), one of the flawed character traits that disappear after this is possessiveness (possess to lose it or break it) and this is instead replaced by a secondary possessiveness which is the interest in knowing how things work.
Chapter 22:
The children in a multi age classroom unravel from within themselves the quality of concentration which in turn gives rise to the virtue of patience; these are key components in the development of character and social behavior.
Chapter 23:
The children in a 3 – 6 environment slowly become aware of forming a community and their activities contribute toward it; once they have reached this level they put the group first and try to succeed for its benefit.
Chapter 24:
When the children make an error in our environment other children become the bearers of corrections; this forms a unity among all children.
Chapter 25:
The three levels of obedience in a child are 1) the level of obedience is one in which the child can obey, but not always; a period in which obedience and disobedience seem to be combined. 2) The level in which the child can absorb another person’s wishes and express them in his own behavior. 3) The child becomes enthusiastic, anxious and impatient to obey; this comes about with his obedience being turned toward a personality whose superiority he feels.
Chapter 26:
The task of the teacher is to enable the emergence of discipline in the children by not only preparing the environment where she is in a role of service, but also, to know to be firm when the spirit of the children need awakening and effort to pull them back on track when they digress from the path.
Chapter 27:
The teacher in a Montessori class must have faith that the child will reveal himself through work; she works on this via the following three aspects;
1. Watch over the environment and be its keeper and custodian.
2. To be able to entice children in a timely and appropriate fashion to work or use soothing techniques to calm them.
3. Know when not to interrupt or interfere with a child who is concentrating on a piece of work.
Chapter 28:
The child is the only point on which there converges from everyone a feeling of gentleness and love; the child is a well-spring of love.
Lori Daniels Peace Education
Lori Manzino-Daniels
Peace Education
“Peace education is directed to the free development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”(1)
As directresses we try and extend the messages of equality, acceptance and respect for everyone and everything around us. We guide the children through the modeling of our own behaviors inward and outward by the usage of patience and kindness with every occurrence within the environment. Encouragement in sharing thoughts and ideas through open discussions is practiced in our classroom, daily, as well as eliciting further oral communication in our language area by using open ended questions as we work with each child.
The children also freely express themselves non-verbally through the materials in practical life and sensorial. The activities are inviting and therapeutic in nature for the child as they are prepared by using various colors and textures to entice and engage the child. This aids them in the use of their minds and bodies through manipulation of the materials. We will strive to incooperate further materials working toward the cooperation of the mind and body as one entity for the child to explore.
Taking turns and sharing is practiced everyday in our classroom as well as during free play. The children learn respect for others time and length of work through observing and exercising patience. The simple lessons of grace and courtesy are exercised, daily, and extend outward into the other areas of the classroom to include peace making skills. Taking care of oneself and the environment reinforces love and respect for oneself as well as those around them. We will also extend our care of the environment from the classroom to the out of doors in nature that surrounds our school to include seasonal plantings as well as wildlife watching in our area.
We will try an extension of the already exercised silence game to include different music played; other than that which is quietly used all session long. We would also like to accompany this with a breathing exercise to help center the child’s mind and body before work time.
In our cultural and geography areas we will be discussing other countries to include their customs and beliefs. We will talk with the children about the similarities and differences that may notice. The heightening of the child’s awareness of others may help them to feel more comfortable with the “goings on” around the world. With this, a realization that we are all more alike than they might have previously thought prior may bring about a more conscious awareness of others feelings and basic needs around the world.
We also have an area for quiet thinking which is part of our language area. It is here, children may listen to or read a book; it is also an area for conflict resolution to take place. Children use their communication skills to express their differences and resolve the issue at hand on their own with a plan of action for the next (potential) conflict to be resolved. All this with gentle guidance from the teacher. We found, that the children seem more apt to implement their own resolutions that they discovered rather than that from the adult.
The children are also free to use their imagination and develop their individual creativities in the area of art in the classroom. Children seem to enjoy painting and drawing pictures, it services their inner feelings which help them to express themselves. The children take turns using the easel; on occasion they even complement the work of their friends. The self-expression displayed through use of their artistic talents is priceless. We will also try and incorporate art expression from the countries that we will explore, into the art area to aid in heightening the child’s awareness.
We will continuously try to create a welcoming, calm, accepting environment for all who enter. We will continue to observe and learn from the child as they observe and learn from us. We will work together in communicating our thoughts and ideas to create a peaceful union for all. We must remember to look inward and reflect upon the experiences of each day and use this reflection time as a tool to bring us closer to a more spiritual union of our mind and body leading us closer to perfection.
“Of course, this peace of inner illumination is not accomplished overnight; it is a continual process of self-observation, discrimination, and purification until one is able to experience true peace. Peace then becomes our inner teacher, our guide, and our inspiration that allows us to move out into the world in harmonious relationship with everyone and everything.” (2)
By following this, we can spread our message of peace throughout the world, one being at a time, beginning with the child.
Foot Notes
1. Article 26, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2. Historical Peace Education by Sonnee McFarland. Montessori Connections.
Peace Education
“Peace education is directed to the free development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”(1)
As directresses we try and extend the messages of equality, acceptance and respect for everyone and everything around us. We guide the children through the modeling of our own behaviors inward and outward by the usage of patience and kindness with every occurrence within the environment. Encouragement in sharing thoughts and ideas through open discussions is practiced in our classroom, daily, as well as eliciting further oral communication in our language area by using open ended questions as we work with each child.
The children also freely express themselves non-verbally through the materials in practical life and sensorial. The activities are inviting and therapeutic in nature for the child as they are prepared by using various colors and textures to entice and engage the child. This aids them in the use of their minds and bodies through manipulation of the materials. We will strive to incooperate further materials working toward the cooperation of the mind and body as one entity for the child to explore.
Taking turns and sharing is practiced everyday in our classroom as well as during free play. The children learn respect for others time and length of work through observing and exercising patience. The simple lessons of grace and courtesy are exercised, daily, and extend outward into the other areas of the classroom to include peace making skills. Taking care of oneself and the environment reinforces love and respect for oneself as well as those around them. We will also extend our care of the environment from the classroom to the out of doors in nature that surrounds our school to include seasonal plantings as well as wildlife watching in our area.
We will try an extension of the already exercised silence game to include different music played; other than that which is quietly used all session long. We would also like to accompany this with a breathing exercise to help center the child’s mind and body before work time.
In our cultural and geography areas we will be discussing other countries to include their customs and beliefs. We will talk with the children about the similarities and differences that may notice. The heightening of the child’s awareness of others may help them to feel more comfortable with the “goings on” around the world. With this, a realization that we are all more alike than they might have previously thought prior may bring about a more conscious awareness of others feelings and basic needs around the world.
We also have an area for quiet thinking which is part of our language area. It is here, children may listen to or read a book; it is also an area for conflict resolution to take place. Children use their communication skills to express their differences and resolve the issue at hand on their own with a plan of action for the next (potential) conflict to be resolved. All this with gentle guidance from the teacher. We found, that the children seem more apt to implement their own resolutions that they discovered rather than that from the adult.
The children are also free to use their imagination and develop their individual creativities in the area of art in the classroom. Children seem to enjoy painting and drawing pictures, it services their inner feelings which help them to express themselves. The children take turns using the easel; on occasion they even complement the work of their friends. The self-expression displayed through use of their artistic talents is priceless. We will also try and incorporate art expression from the countries that we will explore, into the art area to aid in heightening the child’s awareness.
We will continuously try to create a welcoming, calm, accepting environment for all who enter. We will continue to observe and learn from the child as they observe and learn from us. We will work together in communicating our thoughts and ideas to create a peaceful union for all. We must remember to look inward and reflect upon the experiences of each day and use this reflection time as a tool to bring us closer to a more spiritual union of our mind and body leading us closer to perfection.
“Of course, this peace of inner illumination is not accomplished overnight; it is a continual process of self-observation, discrimination, and purification until one is able to experience true peace. Peace then becomes our inner teacher, our guide, and our inspiration that allows us to move out into the world in harmonious relationship with everyone and everything.” (2)
By following this, we can spread our message of peace throughout the world, one being at a time, beginning with the child.
Foot Notes
1. Article 26, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2. Historical Peace Education by Sonnee McFarland. Montessori Connections.
Peace Education
Grainne Bellotti
Philosophy 2
"Inherent in the very meaning of the word peace is the positive notion of constructive social reform…society at present does not adequately prepare man for civic life…establishing a lasting peace is the work of education." Maria Montessori
"Within the child lies the fate of the future." Maria Montessori
Montessori saw that the small child held all the possibilities for a better future for our world. Every time a child is born there is a new opportunity to create a perfect member of society. Montessori observed that young children held the best characteristics of man and brought out the best qualities in adults. The Montessori classroom is designed to bring out these positive characteristics seen in all children. Children’s natural tendencies toward order, concentration, kindness, compassion, beauty etc. are nurtured within this environment. The classroom has a peaceful atmosphere where the children feel safe, loved and can become their best selves.
In order for this to be possible it all must begin with the teacher. She must be committed to creating a harmonious and peaceful classroom. The teacher must be the model of peace, respect, harmony and unconditional love for all children. She must create a beautiful, organized and loving environment. The children must be shown how to treat the materials and how to treat one another. Children are expected to respect all the people in the room. By example the child learns to love, trust and be kind to others. He is shown how to work quietly, wait his turn, respect other’s space and ask permission to watch someone work.
The child is also given problem solving skills. The teacher must have a method for conflict resolution. There could be a table for two children to meet at and talk about their conflict. The teacher should model or guide the conversation so that each party is heard and a resolution can be agreed upon. Once the problem is solved the children can ring a bell or shake hands to signify this moment of peace-making. Because these skills are being taught at the 3-6 year old level they will stay with him for life.
Respect for others can be extended into geography. An awareness of all the different cultures of the world is important in our global society. For example when studying the United States there is an opportunity to learn about the Native Americans, who were a very spiritual people who had great respect for our planet. Their art, music and culture can be learned through books and music.
Respect for others extends to the classroom materials and environment. The child is taught how to handle the materials carefully and quietly. The materials in the room are beautiful and made of good quality. The children know that they are being trusted with special objects that other children will need to use. They learn to set up their materials and to clean up after themselves so that the next person will have the same opportunity to work that they had. They are also taught how to care for plants and animals. Every classroom should have plants or animals that the child can learn to care for. Montessori believed that the more children learned about the care of plants and animals the more gentle and caring they were as a whole.
I believe it is important to introduce the idea of recycling. This will teach the children to respect the earth and all we have. Using recycled materials in art is something fun and practical that my students have enjoyed and learned a lot from. Kids can make their own paper from paper scraps or make a bird feeder from an old water bottle to hang in the garden.
Refinement of the senses is important in creating a peaceful environment. Montessori saw the value in sensorial education. In the chaotic over stimulated society we live in this is a lost art. Through sensorial awareness children are trained to have sharp senses and appreciate the subtleties in life. The silence game is a unique opportunity for the child to experience calm. They can share a special moment that is created by the group working together to make silence. Their ears can pick up the little sounds that occur that we might seldom notice.
Many classrooms have a Peace Table where the child can go to have a peaceful reflective moment by himself. This area might have a poster of the planet earth or a painting of a dove. It might also have a book on nature or a story about peace. There could be a crystal to refract the light and create a rainbow of color or an object to touch and hold like a beautiful rock. The teacher can also play peaceful music in the background while children are working. If possible there should be a spot outside for the same purpose. In our school we have a children’s garden with walking paths, a NSEW rock, a birdhouse and a quiet bench. This is the children’s space to go and enjoy a moment alone with nature.
There is no one way to teach Peace. There are many ways a teacher can bring an awareness of peace into the classroom. The teacher must decide what methods speak to her and that she is most comfortable with.
Resources:
The Absorbent Mind By Maria Montessori
Nurturing the Spirit in Non-Sectarian Classrooms by Aline Wolf
Holistic Peace Education from the American Montessori Society Position on Peace Education www.amshq.org
Peace Curriculum from the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori School website
Grainne Bellotti
Philosophy 2
"Inherent in the very meaning of the word peace is the positive notion of constructive social reform…society at present does not adequately prepare man for civic life…establishing a lasting peace is the work of education." Maria Montessori
"Within the child lies the fate of the future." Maria Montessori
Montessori saw that the small child held all the possibilities for a better future for our world. Every time a child is born there is a new opportunity to create a perfect member of society. Montessori observed that young children held the best characteristics of man and brought out the best qualities in adults. The Montessori classroom is designed to bring out these positive characteristics seen in all children. Children’s natural tendencies toward order, concentration, kindness, compassion, beauty etc. are nurtured within this environment. The classroom has a peaceful atmosphere where the children feel safe, loved and can become their best selves.
In order for this to be possible it all must begin with the teacher. She must be committed to creating a harmonious and peaceful classroom. The teacher must be the model of peace, respect, harmony and unconditional love for all children. She must create a beautiful, organized and loving environment. The children must be shown how to treat the materials and how to treat one another. Children are expected to respect all the people in the room. By example the child learns to love, trust and be kind to others. He is shown how to work quietly, wait his turn, respect other’s space and ask permission to watch someone work.
The child is also given problem solving skills. The teacher must have a method for conflict resolution. There could be a table for two children to meet at and talk about their conflict. The teacher should model or guide the conversation so that each party is heard and a resolution can be agreed upon. Once the problem is solved the children can ring a bell or shake hands to signify this moment of peace-making. Because these skills are being taught at the 3-6 year old level they will stay with him for life.
Respect for others can be extended into geography. An awareness of all the different cultures of the world is important in our global society. For example when studying the United States there is an opportunity to learn about the Native Americans, who were a very spiritual people who had great respect for our planet. Their art, music and culture can be learned through books and music.
Respect for others extends to the classroom materials and environment. The child is taught how to handle the materials carefully and quietly. The materials in the room are beautiful and made of good quality. The children know that they are being trusted with special objects that other children will need to use. They learn to set up their materials and to clean up after themselves so that the next person will have the same opportunity to work that they had. They are also taught how to care for plants and animals. Every classroom should have plants or animals that the child can learn to care for. Montessori believed that the more children learned about the care of plants and animals the more gentle and caring they were as a whole.
I believe it is important to introduce the idea of recycling. This will teach the children to respect the earth and all we have. Using recycled materials in art is something fun and practical that my students have enjoyed and learned a lot from. Kids can make their own paper from paper scraps or make a bird feeder from an old water bottle to hang in the garden.
Refinement of the senses is important in creating a peaceful environment. Montessori saw the value in sensorial education. In the chaotic over stimulated society we live in this is a lost art. Through sensorial awareness children are trained to have sharp senses and appreciate the subtleties in life. The silence game is a unique opportunity for the child to experience calm. They can share a special moment that is created by the group working together to make silence. Their ears can pick up the little sounds that occur that we might seldom notice.
Many classrooms have a Peace Table where the child can go to have a peaceful reflective moment by himself. This area might have a poster of the planet earth or a painting of a dove. It might also have a book on nature or a story about peace. There could be a crystal to refract the light and create a rainbow of color or an object to touch and hold like a beautiful rock. The teacher can also play peaceful music in the background while children are working. If possible there should be a spot outside for the same purpose. In our school we have a children’s garden with walking paths, a NSEW rock, a birdhouse and a quiet bench. This is the children’s space to go and enjoy a moment alone with nature.
There is no one way to teach Peace. There are many ways a teacher can bring an awareness of peace into the classroom. The teacher must decide what methods speak to her and that she is most comfortable with.
Resources:
The Absorbent Mind By Maria Montessori
Nurturing the Spirit in Non-Sectarian Classrooms by Aline Wolf
Holistic Peace Education from the American Montessori Society Position on Peace Education www.amshq.org
Peace Curriculum from the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori School website
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