(2005). Primarily Peaceful: Nurturing Peace in the Primary Grades. Early Childhood Education Journal, v32 n5 p321-328 Apr. Conflict is a very real part of relationships that occur on global, national, and local scales, as well as in daily interpersonal relationships. This article details the relevance of peace studies for children in the primary grades, both in terms of current events and in classroom applications. Suggestions are presented for addressing this topic through an ecological approach that includes the establishment of a peaceful learning environment and the development of a diversified, literature-rich curriculum. Readers are invited to explore developmentally appropriate approaches for teaching conflict resolution strategies, as a venue for helping students to cultivate the skills and dispositions to live and learn peacefully with one another…. [Direct]
(2007). ICDI Annual Report, 2007. International Child Development Initiatives (NJ1) The International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI) promotes the wellbeing of children growing up in difficult circumstances. ICDI works to improve policies and practices affecting these children by doing research and training. ICDI believes in the power of children and young people, supporting their rights and addressing the underlying causes for the problems they face. 2007 was a significant year for ICDI. Despite its relatively small size the organization has–once again–been remarkably active. ICDI was engaged in 11 large and many much smaller projects in Central and Eastern Europe, Surinam, and the Middle East, all of which focused on the needs of children who have to grow up in very deprived situations. ICDI also began to employ more staff (up from 5 to 8) as it grew organizationally. The appointment of a new director in September 2007 saw central management change hands for the first time. With new staff came new expertise (children in conflict zones, children and… [PDF]
(1993). The United Nations Peace Action Plan. Case Study–Cambodia. A Curriculum for Secondary School Students. This curriculum module for students in grades 9-12 focuses on the United Nations (UN) peace action plan evolving as a partnership between Cambodia and the UN. The eight lessons provide students with varied opportunities for hands-on experiences. Divided into four sections, section 1, "Lesson", includes: (1) "Peacemakers"; (2) "The United Nations: Successes and Failures in Securing Peace"; (3) "The United Nations: A Four Part Peace Action Plan"; (4) "Story of Cambodia"; (5) "The United Nations: Peacemaking in Cambodia"; (6) "The United Nations: Peacebuilding in Cambodia"; (7) "Challenges to Peacebuilding in Cambodia"; and (8) "Designing a Peace Plan Abroad and at Home." Section 2 provides "Role Models for Peacebuilding." Section 3 suggests "Resources for Classroom Strategies on Peacebuilding/Conflict Resolution." Section 4 lists "Selected Resources." An appendix… [PDF]
(1995). Fear and Hate vs. Hope and Cooperation. Lesson Ideas Examining an Important Lesson from World War II. This paper addresses how fear and hate have had an impact on the ways in which people and nations behave. A study of World War II reveals to people the terrible consequences of fear and hate. After this long war ended, many hoped that the United Nations would put an end to warfare and the acts that had nourished hatred. Using the theme of \Fear and Hate vs. Hope and Cooperation\ to study World War II, teachers can address World War II in a meaningful way with children of different ages, abilities, and interests. Suggestions are given for discussion questions, trade books, large and small group activities, and interviewing techniques. (EH)… [PDF]
(1994). After the Cold War: The U.S. Role in Europe's Transition. Revised. [and] Teacher's Resource Book. These materials explore the decisions that face the United States as a result of the changes in the past decade in the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The background readings allow students to examine such questions of values and foreign policy as: (1) Should the United States remain committed to its Western European allies?; (2) How should we respond to conflict in the region?; and (3) What is the U.S. role in the world now that Soviet communism is no more? The student booklet provides a framework for considering such issues by presenting policy choices, or options, that lay out distinct viewpoints about what U.S. policy toward Europe should be. The background readings are to provide an understanding of how the history of the regions from World War I to the present has shaped the questions of today. The options for student discussion include: (1) "Promote Western Values"; (2) "Protect Our Interests"; (3) "Beyond Europe"; and…
(1995). Conflict Resolution: Learning To Get Along. Although the issues of conflict and violence cannot be blamed on schools, schools are one of the most logical places to tackle problems associated with conflict. This booklet offers practical tips to help school leaders, staff, and students resolve their disputes peacefully. It focuses on student-versus-student and student-versus-teacher conflicts. Part 1 describes systemic strategies for teachers and staff that use peer mediators to incorporate conflict management into the curriculum. The second part offers discussion starters and scenarios targeted primarily at problem solving among middle and high school students. Part 3 offers strategies to mitigate conflicts between students and educators. The best conflict-resolution programs help individuals help themselves by teaching empathy, anger management, impulse control, and listening skills. A list of resource organizations is included. (LMI)… [PDF]
(1981). Culture and Diplomacy in the Third World. Studies in Third World Societies, Publication Number Twelve. New ground has been broken in what is labeled as "anthropological diplomacy"–a study of the theory and practice of peace promotion and/or conflict resolution between/among micro-units (e.g., tribes) or macro-units (e.g., nation-states) based on sound knowledge of a society's fundamental cultural premises. There are six papers. The first underscores the importance of the psycho-socio-cultural characteristics of concerned and politicized populations in the recent U.S.-Iran diplomatic confrontation. The significance of the psychological and sociopolitical contexts in Soviet-U.S. relations is stressed in the second paper. The second and third papers use the tribe and the town as their units of analyses, discussing the relationships between the custom of headhunting and diplomacy in the Philippines and ethnicity and diplomacy in Mexico. Development diplomacy (the attempt of developed nations to earn cooperation from other nations through assistance) and the need for… [PDF]
(1984). Peace Is Our Profession: Teaching Nonviolence in the Schools. Ways in which secondary level humanities teachers can incorporate information and materials on pacifism and nonviolent action into their existing courses are discussed. To improve their abilities to think creatively about how to change the world, students must learn about nonviolence and the strategies used by pacifists in the pursuit of their causes. For example, in U.S. history and American literature classes students can be exposed to the writings of William Penn, George Fox, and John Woolman and can learn about the Quakers' commitment to nonviolent principles. By reading works of and about the abolitionists of the 18th and 19th centuries, students can learn about the tactics used by Elihu Burritt, Sojourner Truth, and others as they worked to end slavery. In addition to the examples from previous centuries, recent U.S. history also teaches the discerning student how nonviolence may be successfully used in resistance to violence and oppression, e.g., the Civilian Conservation… [PDF]
(2000). Russia's Uncertain Transition: Challenges for U.S. Policy. [Student Book and] Teacher's Resource Book. Public Policy Debate in the Classroom: Choices for the 21st Century Education Project. 4th Edition. This teacher resource text and student text are part of a continuing series on current and historical international issues, placing special emphasis on the importance of educating students in their participatory role as citizens. It steps back from the day-to-day turmoil in Russia to examine the issues that most deeply affect the United States. At the core of the unit are four distinct options for U.S. policy. Each option contains a different perspective on the threats and opportunities presented by conditions in Russia. The background reading provides students with the knowledge needed to take part in the debate on the U.S. role in Russia's post-Cold War transition. Part 1 offers an historical overview of U.S. relations with the Russian empire and the Soviet Union. Part 2 surveys the economic and political changes that Russia has undergone since the Soviet collapse, with special attention given to Russia's evolving foreign policy. Part 3 concentrates on the leading challenges…
(1995). Teaching Peace: Alternatives to Violent Play. Early Childhood News, v7 n5 p39-40 Sep-Oct. To help combat the effects of violence on children and improve the quality and nature of play, early childhood teachers can: define violence by helping children become aware of the issue, help children resolve their own conflicts, create a peace place in the classroom, intervene when violent play occurs, evaluate media and toys, and educate parents about violence. (TJQ)…
(1994). The Nobel Peace Prizes as Teaching Tools. Educational Resources. OAH Magazine of History, v8 n3 p83-88 Spr. Asserts that the Nobel Peace Prize provides a gateway for teaching the critical issue of peace in history courses. Presents an overview of the origin, development, and history of the Nobel Peace Prize, with special focus on U.S. winners. Includes six suggested student projects and a list of U.S. Nobel Peace Prize winners. (CFR)…
(1999). Toward a Humane World: Making a Difference with Social Studies. Social Education, v63 n1 p6-7,62-64 Jan-Feb. Presents the address delivered by President Tedd Levy at the 78th National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Conference. Stresses that social studies offers students a place to discuss social-environmental problems the culture is suffering from and gives teachers a chance to promote values inherent in a more humane world. (CMK)…
(1999). Power. Online-Offline, v4 n1 p2-25 Sep. This issue addresses advantages and disadvantages of having power. Includes Web sites, CD-ROMs and software, videos, books, and additional resources with suggested age levels and disciplines as well as ideas for appropriate related activities. Sidebars discuss the power of the pen, the power of peace, and the power of the media. (LRW)…
(1999). Mexico and the Zapatista Revolt: Examining the Resolution Dialogue. Southern Social Studies Journal, v25 n1 p66-89 Fall. Presents an activity where students examine the perspectives of the indigenous poor of Mexico as well as of the Mexican government in a time of political change. Explains that the students read the background information in the accompanying handouts in order to simulate the negotiations between the government and Zapatista National Liberation Army. (CMK)…
(1997). Teaching Conflict and Conflict Resolution in School: (Extra-) Curricular Considerations. Schools can play an important part in helping diverse young people see themselves as citizens. This paper examines a broad range of school-based learning opportunities that influence young people's development of knowledge and inclinations for handling conflict. The ingredients for conflict resolution can be taught. Like violence, nonviolence is a learned behavior. As public concern over violence increases, school leaders often respond with what has been called \negative peacemaking,\ the premature use of bargaining or settlement procedures before underlying problems have been solved or understood. The goal is avoidance, not problem solving. In contrast, \positive liberty\ procedures involve the presence of active democratic participation. These alternative emphases in education for citizenship are the conceptual framework for reviewing the research on a range of school-based conflict resolution training programs to examine the relative space given to negative peacemaking and… [PDF]