If you know anything about
Montessori Peace Education is the core of what makes the
So, what exactly is Peace Education and how does it help our children, our society, and our world? Read on to find out!
Why Peace is Important in Montessori
Maria
To
In her 1951 speech at UNESCO, she stated:
“Remember that people do not start at the age of twenty, at ten or at six, but at birth. In your efforts at solving problems, do not forget that children and young people make up a vast population, a population without rights which is being crucified on school benches everywhere, which – for all that we talk about democracy, freedom and human rights – is enslaved by a school order, by intellectual rules which we impose on it. We define the rules which are to be learnt, how they should be learnt and at what age. The child population is the only population without rights. The child is the neglected citizen. Think of this and rear the revenge of this populace. For it is his soul that we are suffocating. It is the lively powers of the mind that we are oppressing, powers which cannot be destroyed without killing the individual, powers which tend either towards violence or destruction, or slip away into the realm of sickness…”
-MariaMontessori
Maria Montessori knew that children are the future and that a future without war or suffering must be constructed through the education of those children. This is one of the many things that makes the
As Maria
Peace Education in Montessori Classrooms
So what does this look like in a classroom?
Montessori Peace Education begins with
In fact, children are not controlled at all! Before you think I mean that there is no control in a
So, how does this relate to Peace Education? Look at some of the words I used in the above paragraph: “order,” “punishment,” “control,” “force.” These are all terms you might be used to hearing associated with schools or “no-nonsense” approaches to child-rearing.
Teachers and parents give orders, maintain order, punish “bad students” and children behaving “badly,” “control” their classrooms and homes, and “force” children to learn and behave. They are also the type of words we use when talking about war or repressive governments. If children are raised and educated in such environments, how can we expect them to grow up to become peaceful, respectful, empathetic adults?
Montessori understands this, which is why the
- Respect for yourself
- Respect for others
- Respect for the environment.
These rules are simple and general for a very specific reason: their meaning changes as a child ages. For a six-year-old, these rules might mean trying their best in class, not hitting their classmates, and cleaning up after snacks.
For a twenty-six year old or thirty-six year old, these rules take on a deeper meaning. Respect yourself by doing work that does good in the world, not just work that gives you money and power. Respect others by standing up for the rights of oppressed groups. Respect the environment by doing your part to reverse climate change. The same words and principles being used to teach children discipline and good learning habits still apply when they’re adults. (You can read more about
Montessori Peace Pledge
Many
The Peace Pledge clearly demonstrates how, in
Montessori Peace Corner
This can also be seen in the use of the
Montessori Peace Flower
Montessori also engages in Peace Education by quite literally writing it into the curriculum. This is often represented by the
- Self Awareness
- Cultural Awareness
- Community Awareness
- Environmental Awareness
- Social Justice
The center of the flower is usually used to represent either “peace” or the “spirit.” Notice how the Peace Flower aligns with the
Montessori Peace Education
One of the most important aspects of the
In
Even if a child is naturally empathetic or good at problem solving, if they are taught that these skills are less important than being able to quickly calculate sums or write a five-paragraph essay, they aren’t likely to use these skills as often. Practice makes perfect!
Montessori also builds in activities and lessons that explicitly teach Peace Education to children. Read more about them in the next section!
How to Teach Peace: Peace Education Activities
While every aspect of the
One such activity uses the Peace Flower. In this activity, children are able to build their own Peace Flowers out of natural materials. On each petal (self awareness, community awareness, cultural awareness, environmental awareness, social justice), they can share one thing they can do to embody that value in their classroom or community. This is a great activity as it can be repeated multiple times and it can help you track a child’s development as their answers become more and more sophisticated.
Another activity is called The Love Light. This activity uses literal light as a metaphor for feelings of joy, love, and acceptance. Children can explore how, when they are feeling sad or upset, their light can dim, but it never goes out. This is a great Peaceful Education for younger children, as younger children need a chance to explore peacefulness within themselves before they can fully understand what it means to be peaceful to others or peaceful in the world. This is a good rule of thumb to remember as you engage in Peace Education with your child or classroom. Children first need to find peace within themselves before they are able to effectively extend that peace to others.
Other Peace Education activities can include yoga, mindfulness practices, meditations, art and writing prompts, community service, role-playing activities, and more! There are also many, many books that help teach children about Peace Education. Some lists of these books can be found here and here. Since Auto-Education is an important
No matter what activities or lessons you may choose to do with your child and classroom, however, they will always be engaging in Peace Education if you are teaching them according to the Montessori Method. Peace Education is
Montessori Peace Song
To wrap up this article, let’s take our own peaceful moment to listen to “Light a Candle for Peace,” the
Lyrics:
Light a candle for peace
Light a candle for love
Light a candle that shines
All the way ’round the world
Light a candle for me
Light a candle for you
That our wish for world peace
Will one day come true
Light a candle for peace
Light a candle for love
Light a candle that shines
All the way ’round the world
Light a candle for me
Light a candle for you
That our wish for world peace
Will one day come true
Sing peace around the world
Sing peace around the world
Sing peace around the world
Sing peace around the world