-Maria Montessori
In times of uncertainty, teaching peace to children becomes a vital and compassionate mission. Often, children might have heard about peace but may not fully grasp its meaning.
By instilling values like understanding, tolerance, and conflict resolution, we provide children with essential tools to navigate the complexities of a world marked by conflict.
Montessori's philosophy views peace as more than just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice, empathy, and understanding. She believed in nurturing children's innate kindness and cooperation through practical activities that encourage collaboration and community building. Montessori's vision aims to empower children as ambassadors of peace for a more compassionate and interconnected global society.
Community Awareness - An awareness of other people in the community and the nature of relationships we have with people, especially people with whom we interact every day. Community radiates out from each individual to include family, other students, teachers, school staff, neighbors, shopkeepers, etc.
Environmental Awareness - An awareness of what the earth needs to stay healthy and how individuals, communities, and cultures treat the earth.
Cultural Awareness - An awareness and appreciation of the differences in people’s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior.
In Early Childhood, we spend a significant amount of time on the first petal of Self Awareness. We want to help identify and name all of the various feelings the child will have, and help them know that all feelings are okay and give them tools to process their feelings in a healthy way. Continuing to move outward, we want to show them what appropriate actions they can do with these feelings. We then want the child to begin to contemplate and meditate upon their actions before they are performed.
While concentrating on the first petal of self awareness, our overall goal is to help the child move from a less egocentric state to one of community, environmental, and ultimately cultural awareness.
(Optional: You can trim the edges so the ends are rounded before separating)
A basket containing the peace flower is made available to the children at all times. When a conflict arises one child will get the Peace Flower. While holding the Peace Flower the child can express what they did not like or how they feel to the other child. When they are done they pass the flower to the other child.
Respect for the other persons turn to talk is stressed. The children are encouraged to use “I” words such as “I didn’t like it when you hit me”. We use kind language when holding the Peace Flower.
When the two children reach a solution or simply get over their difficulty they put their hands on the flower and say, ‘we declare peace’, or ‘friends’.
Spreading Peace through Symbolic Art!
Picasso's Peace Doves
Breathing Beads
These breathing beads help you slow down and keep track!
We start with coloring our popsicle stick.
Peace Yoga
-"Taking deep breaths"
-"Getting a hug from someone"
-"Playing kindly"
-"Someone sharing with you and you sharing back"
-"Letting someone borrow a toy"
Peace Books
Parachute Cooperation
Moments for Gratitude
For circle time, we each took turns drawing a straw and using the correspondent color to express our thanks.
Students were prompted with "I'm grateful for..." and here were some of their responses:
-"Momma"
-"The sun"
-"My puppy"
-"Plants from the garden"
-"My warm bed"
Thank you Lunch Bunch Helpers!
Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
It was a blast thinking up all the people, places and things that corresponded with each letter.
Extra special if you could find the letter in your name!
Drumming, Shaking, and Singing along!
Story Time with Mica Sun
Sweet Banana Squash
Ingredients:
- 1 medium banana squash, scooped out and cut to bite size
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1/3 cup of honey
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp of cinnamon (saving some to sprinkle on after it cooks!)
This recipe can be done easily (and mess-free) in a plastic bag. Just throw all the ingredients in give it a good shake, set the oven to 450, and cook for 15 minutes!