Global Education

Today I googled “peaceful thoughts” (try it…I think you won’t be disappointed), and found–as expected–some nice results.  Among these was the following “teaching activity” on the Global Education website, in Australia:

“Thinking peaceful thoughts

Year level: Lower primary / Middle primary

Learning outcomes

Students share personal thoughts, ideas and understandings of peace.

Preparation

* relaxing, gentle music
* large sheets of paper and drawing materials
* large space

Lie on floor with eyes closed and listen to gentle music.

Think about things that make you feel calm and happy.

Draw a picture to represent these peaceful thoughts.

Write captions for the pictures ‘Peace is…’.

Share these ideas and pictures.

Assessment task

Are students able to revisit these peaceful thoughts in times of conflict? “

If you look at the left side of the page, you will see that this is just one of the teaching activities under the heading Peace building.  Here is the whole list:

“* Children as peace builders (UP)  : Students consider the roles children can play in peace building and overcoming obstacles to peace
* Current conflicts (LS)  : Students develop an understanding of current conflicts and the international responses
* Peace building (LS)  : Students explore and evaluate factors in building sustainable peace
* Peace education in Sierra Leone (UP)  : Students consider the roles children can play in peace building in their community
* Peace keeping (LS)  : Students develop an understanding about processes involved in assisting countries to move from conflict to peace
* Personal peace through the five senses (LP/MP)  : Students focus on personal peace through their five senses
* Piecing lives together (LS)  : Students will analyse the integrated approach necessary for the elimination of landmines
* Recipe for peace (LP/MP)  : Students will use procedural writing to express the key components and actions for peace.
* Stepping out! (UP)  : Students will learn about the problems of landmines, how survivors of landmine accidents are rebuilding their  lives and how the international community is working toward the removal of landmines
* Taking flight (LP/MP)  : Students will to develop empathy for people escaping conflict though book discussion.
* Teachers as peace builders (LS)  : Students will analyse the role of teachers as change agents in rebuilding society after conflict
* Thinking peaceful thoughts (LP/MP)  : Students share personal thoughts, ideas and understandings of peace
* Women as peace builders (U/Sec)  : Students investigate the specific role women play in the building of peace”

Imagine hundreds of thousands of classrooms all over the world doing these things.  Imagine these activities being started early in school and being reinforced and expanded as children move through the grades.  Imagine this being supported by nonviolence training in schools and communities.  This is a lot, but there is nothing here that is not already underway to some degree somewhere.

IGBarb says:  good on yer’ mate!