What do we want to see in our community, classroom or home? Identify shared rules together. Call them “peace actions” or ask individuals what they want to call them. Individuals should select no more than 5 rules and should review them every day. Post these peace actions in a prominent place, and refer to them …
An international evidence-based early childhood (age 3-5 years) program started in Canada in 2005 as the “younger sibling” of the Roots of Empathy K-8 program. The mission is to raise social/emotional understanding and literacy, and develop empathy in the youngest of children. See: seedsofempathy.org.
Use a tangible object like a stick, a flower, a ball, or something important to the group to facilitate civil discussions and collaborative activities. Three rules are: 1) only the person with the item speaks, 2) all others focus on the person with the item in hand, and 3) anyone has the right to pass. …
An international evidence-based K-8 classroom program (started in Canada in 1996), which has shown significant effect in reducing levels of aggression among school children while raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. The mission is to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. The “emotional literacy” taught in …
A way of seeing situations play out and encouraging individuals to think critically about how to intervene, and in the process build compassion for alternate perspectives. Here are some scenarios that can be role-played with youth, in order to encourage them to think (and act) outside of themselves. * You see a kid looking sad …
Explore what role females played in various events in providing leadership for problem-solving, collaboration and working together. How is that different or similar from today?
TWPG is an elaborative hands-on, youth-driven game/exercise. Founded in 2010, TWPG Foundation is dedicated to sharing the global mission of peace, developing self-awareness, and the life work of teacher John Hunter. It supports development of collaboration and communication skills for resolving and transforming conflicts, and the development of the skills of compromise, all while accommodating …
Restorative Justice (RJ) is a form of restorative practice and a problem-solving approach that focuses on relationships and building community. It is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract principles or punishing the offender. Restorative practices counter …
In more diverse classrooms or other groups, have youth share their cultural heritage through music, food, literature, language, art and so on. Have each of the observers identify in these presentations: a) something they recognize or find familiar, b) something that surprised them or something new that they learned (absorb), and c) something that they …
The bystander is one of the most critical, if not the most critical person in a conflict. Teaching youth how to successfully and confidently intervene when appropriate is very important. If intervening is not a good idea, they need to know how to get help. Role playing, watching videos, and brainstorming together what might work …
