Peace Projects 2023
The P.E.A.C.E Projects is an initiative to sponsor and mentor early childhood educators, in promoting Peace Education for young children in the classroom.
By Michelle Hughes and Donna Satterlee
For this P.E.A.C.E. project, Michelle and Donna created the following learning objectives:
- Increase awareness of problems that exist in our society that affect the social and emotional climate for young children.
- Plan activities that teach young children to negotiate with peers and resolve conflicts.
- Gain resources to create an inclusive classroom community.
- Share ideas for helping teachers to lead children in mindfulness activities.
- Start the conversation about peace.
- Gain strategies to assist teachers to be more aware of inclusiveness and thinking globally.
To start the project, they posed the question, “What do you think of when you hear peace?” This was followed by discussing realistic versus unrealistic expectations:
Realistic:
- There will be times when we get angry, mad, etc.
- There are ways we can handle our emotions in a healthy way.
- There are people there for you that can help you.
Unrealistic:
- Informing kids that we will be happy all the time.
- Nothing bad or challenging will ever happen.
- Certain emotions shouldn’t be expressed.
In this process, Michelle and Donna embedded the Conscious Discipline opens in a new tab model, which is an emotional intelligence program consisting of “Brain Smart” strategies for responding rather than reacting to life events. Through responding, conflict moments are transformed into cooperative learning opportunities.
- Yoga
- Trying new foods
- Working in small groups
- Statements of peace & encouragement
- Calming with calming toys & a sound machine
- Outdoor calming area
- Gardening
Also embedded in this project was how children can work on expressing emotions in a safe and healthy way. Here are some techniques:
- Tucker Turtle strategies opens in a new tab
- Using our words
- Counting to 10
- Reading a book
- Using a calming or quiet area to relax
The project was concluded by adding the following inclusive statement:
As children grow, they experience diversity, including differences in skin color and culture. As peace educators we must:
- Help the young children with whom we work and play to learn to appreciate how they and their classmates are alike and different;
- Lead in creating a peaceful environment for all the children;
- Show them how to maintain peaceful relationships with each other;
- Help them share respectful listening and peaceful relationships in their lives together and apart; and
- Help them build a culture of kindness.
In these efforts each of us must continue to:
- Listen
- Learn
- Share information, and
- Commit to restoring justice and mutual respect with our allies to help abolish racism.
