Open Discussion Forum

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

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Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
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Hi Craig: Peace Education for Early Education is showing love and care for all children. Children dose not know stress. It is the adult that bring stress in our young children life, sadly to say. All children deserve to be love and care for by adult. We the adult are their care taker.
It is us that determine how a child function in society. That is why, it is very important that we who take care of children show them lots of love in our environment.

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Petra Wickham-Charles
Brooklyn NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

Petra,

I appreciate your comments about how we bring peace into our Early Childhood environments. I believe peace begins with me and when I bring my whole-hearted and loving self into each day, the children learn from my example. Their sense of self and the person they become depends on the relationships they have with others. When we are a loving and peace-full model for them they learn to be peaceful and loving. When they witness us being caring and accepting of others, they learn how to be caring and accepting of others.

A January 2003 article by Ellen Hall and Jennifer Kofkin Rudkin in the Child Care Exchange magazine describes "Supportive Social Learning" as an approach to "creating classroom communities that care". I highly recommend this theory and practice as a way to model peace in Early Childhood environments. The article has very practical suggestions such as appreciating the perspective of every child in the group including those who present challenging behavior, seeing each child as loveable and capable of overcoming problems and being socially successful as individuals and in groups, and making relationships the priority in each day.

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Linda Boss
Lewistown PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-26-2017 07:48 PM
From: Petra Wickham-Charles
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

Hi Craig: Peace Education for Early Education is showing love and care for all children. Children dose not know stress. It is the adult that bring stress in our young children life, sadly to say. All children deserve to be love and care for by adult. We the adult are their care taker.
It is us that determine how a child function in society. That is why, it is very important that we who take care of children show them lots of love in our environment.

------------------------------
Petra Wickham-Charles
Brooklyn NY

Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

Hi!
What a great question. It's even more important in these violent times. According to "UNICEF, peace education is defined as "the process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behaviour change that will enable children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural; to resolve conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether at an interpersonal, intergroup, national or international level" To understand Peace Education in early childhood settings, you should check out the work of Dr. Diane Levin. Talk Topics   UNICEF also offers some great information: ECD and Peacebuilding  and Yale's Child Study Center has an Early Childhood Peace Consortium.

UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization		remove preview
ECD and Peacebuilding Peacebuilding is a fast emerging theme in education and early childhood. Just as Early Learning prepares young children for the challenges of school and sets the foundation of lifelong learning, starting peace-building education in early childhood is of paramount importance. View this on UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization >

Dianeelevin		remove preview
Talk Topics Diane speaks at professional conferences, schools, and to parent and community groups. She gives keynote addresses, interactive workshops and intensive trainings. Her topics range from sexualization of childhood, media literacy, and the meaning and development of play and war play, to conflict resolution and violence prevention. Below are some sample talk titles and descriptions. View this on Dianeelevin >

------------------------------
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies, LLC
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars
Early Childhood Investigations Consultants Directory
Washington, DC Metro
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

Thanks for these wonderful responses and resources. We are trying in the the Peace Educators Interest Forum to bring these ideas forward. We have a Facebook page (Peace Educators) and a developing website peaceeducators.org where we try out lots of our ideas. Our website has lots of resources too. But we can always use more. We hope to ally ourselves with groups around the world doing peace education and get them to realize that starting with the youngest we can introduce peace through diversity, nature , spirituality, play, conflict resolution to ideas of peace and nonviolence. Thanks to Fran Sokol Simon for those  resources from UNICIEF. I have to do my homework from articles of Linda Boos, and the personal insights of Petra Wickham-Charles. Lets keep some of the ideas going esp. the Charlottesville discussion on another discussion Hello.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-28-2017 10:12 AM
From: Fran Simon
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

Hi!
What a great question. It's even more important in these violent times. According to "UNICEF, peace education is defined as "the process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behaviour change that will enable children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural; to resolve conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether at an interpersonal, intergroup, national or international level" To understand Peace Education in early childhood settings, you should check out the work of Dr. Diane Levin. Talk Topics   UNICEF also offers some great information: ECD and Peacebuilding  and Yale's Child Study Center has an Early Childhood Peace Consortium.

UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization		remove preview
ECD and Peacebuilding Peacebuilding is a fast emerging theme in education and early childhood. Just as Early Learning prepares young children for the challenges of school and sets the foundation of lifelong learning, starting peace-building education in early childhood is of paramount importance. View this on UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization >

Dianeelevin		remove preview
Talk Topics Diane speaks at professional conferences, schools, and to parent and community groups. She gives keynote addresses, interactive workshops and intensive trainings. Her topics range from sexualization of childhood, media literacy, and the meaning and development of play and war play, to conflict resolution and violence prevention. Below are some sample talk titles and descriptions. View this on Dianeelevin >

------------------------------
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies, LLC
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars
Early Childhood Investigations Consultants Directory
Washington, DC Metro

Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

​Hi Craig and others,

I would like to remind everyone that there is also an intrinsic link between spiritual development and peace education. Both are nourished through loving relationships and time spent in nature and other beautiful contemplative places and contemplative activities.  I invite readers to take a look at Growing Wonder which describes a system for spiritual growth and development for young children without referencing god or religion.  Part of the system has to do with children growing into kind, empathetic individuals beginning at a very young age. This definition of spiritual development can be found in Mary Rivkin's book The Great Outdoors (2014, NAEYC); chapter 4.

Deb

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Deborah Schein
Minneapolis MN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-29-2017 09:32 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

Thanks for these wonderful responses and resources. We are trying in the the Peace Educators Interest Forum to bring these ideas forward. We have a Facebook page (Peace Educators) and a developing website peaceeducators.org where we try out lots of our ideas. Our website has lots of resources too. But we can always use more. We hope to ally ourselves with groups around the world doing peace education and get them to realize that starting with the youngest we can introduce peace through diversity, nature , spirituality, play, conflict resolution to ideas of peace and nonviolence. Thanks to Fran Sokol Simon for those  resources from UNICIEF. I have to do my homework from articles of Linda Boos, and the personal insights of Petra Wickham-Charles. Lets keep some of the ideas going esp. the Charlottesville discussion on another discussion Hello.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA

Original Message:
Sent: 08-28-2017 10:12 AM
From: Fran Simon
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

Hi!
What a great question. It's even more important in these violent times. According to "UNICEF, peace education is defined as "the process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behaviour change that will enable children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural; to resolve conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether at an interpersonal, intergroup, national or international level" To understand Peace Education in early childhood settings, you should check out the work of Dr. Diane Levin. Talk Topics   UNICEF also offers some great information: ECD and Peacebuilding  and Yale's Child Study Center has an Early Childhood Peace Consortium.

UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization		remove preview
ECD and Peacebuilding Peacebuilding is a fast emerging theme in education and early childhood. Just as Early Learning prepares young children for the challenges of school and sets the foundation of lifelong learning, starting peace-building education in early childhood is of paramount importance. View this on UNICEF | Children's Rights & Emergency Relief Organization >

Dianeelevin		remove preview
Talk Topics Diane speaks at professional conferences, schools, and to parent and community groups. She gives keynote addresses, interactive workshops and intensive trainings. Her topics range from sexualization of childhood, media literacy, and the meaning and development of play and war play, to conflict resolution and violence prevention. Below are some sample talk titles and descriptions. View this on Dianeelevin >

------------------------------
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies, LLC
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars
Early Childhood Investigations Consultants Directory
Washington, DC Metro

Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

A few years back I taught a PeaceMaker program to preschools here in Florida on the west coast.  We had five units, each unit was about an hour in a classroom and it was set up for children ages 3-5.  In these units we were able to bring awareness to the children regarding, cultural diversity, how to solve problems in a non-violent way, how to use our words to express ourselves, how to identify our feelings, how we are the same and yet different (and that is okay), how to stay safe if faced with stranger danger, emergency situations and domestic violence; and also environmental respect.  We used puppetry, songs, and creative artwork to express what we learn and to help make a deeper impression of these skills.

I am currently the director of a preschool and each fall I present these lessons to our children. Although I am no longer working in the PeaceMaker program, I feel strongly that these skills are important and continue the practice of educating and being a part of children learning how to live non-violent, empathetic, safe, and respectful lives.

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Jayne Goldstein
Holiday FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------

The teaching of compassion and empathy from the earliest stage of life is sure to promote peace education. By allowing infants to express their struggling emotions -- because they all live with discomfort and effort -- with their trusted empathetic adult responder, comforting but never stifling them with external regulators like swings or things like food or pacifiers, they will become authentic and connected very young children who know acceptance in their hearts and minds and bodies, relating to others with their true self. Whether they have these experiences in group care or home settings, they are learning that as embodied sentient beings from the start -- with mirror neurons joining them with those they come to trust are meeting their self-regulated biological needs extremely well -- a grounded sense of potential calm and peace will unfold. No matter if there is the heat of conflict, they are capably learning to solve problems in the ways of the peaceful activist/player who accepts reality. We can give them time and space to live their unique human life humanely, only if we adults model that for them.

------------------------------
Elizabeth Memel, M.A.
RIE® Associate
Resources for Infant Educarers®
Los Angeles and Ojai, CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-21-2017 09:23 AM
From: Craig Simpson
Subject: What is Peace Education for Early Education?

My question today is "What is Peace Education for Early Education? These last few months I have been thinking about peace education and how it applies to young children. In these difficult and stressful times Peace Education and learning it seems so important for everyone.
As a retired infant/toddler teacher I spent many days watching and observing very young children. They want love, they give love and expect love in return. We all want to connect from the time we are born. And we deserve it. So how do we set it up so that Peace education is part of what we do in early education. I think peace comes through our diversity work, it comes through our respect for others, it comes through our work in promoting play, it comes through nature and spirituality. It comes into our anti-bias work. Peace education supports the way we as teachers interact with children and we support the children in their interactions with us and their peers.Peace education is the curriculum for young children.
I think others in the Peace Education Interest Forum would have similar ideas.

------------------------------
Craig Simpson
Dorchester MA
------------------------------