In our modern world, it is so easy to get sucked in to conflict – online, on the news, with our family and friends. It is important that at a very young age, we begin to learn how to settle our differences and appropriately handle strong emotions.
Peace education is a major component of the Montessori classroom. Adults model peaceful and respectful behavior, and because Montessori classrooms are composed of mixed age groups, older students serve as role models for younger children.
Most classrooms have a peace corner or peace table, at which two students can go to resolve a conflict or a single child can go to calm down and feel peaceful. One strategy is the use of a peace rose. Children learn to take turns holding the peace rose while speaking about how they feel. They stay at the peace table until they have heard each other and resolved their conflict. With very young children, adults model and coach the children with words they can use. Older students can do this independently. At the Elementary level, when the imagination takes off, students enjoy role playing and solving problems in small groups. Elementary and Middle School age students may participate in student-led community meetings, in which conflicts are discussed, brainstormed, and resolved as a group.
Going hand-in-hand with peace education is the Montessori Grace & Courtesy curriculum. Students practice simple lessons such as how to greet others, say please and thank you, tuck in chairs. At the core of these lessons is respect for others, self, and the environment. Montessori students engage in community service at every level – within the classroom for youngest students and outside the classroom and the school for older students.
Below are some additional resources related to Peace Education in the Montessori classroom. For more information on our programs at Greenspring Montessori School, please contact us at inform@www.greenspringmontessori-b.dev or give us a call at 410-321-8555.
Video:
Educating for Peace: The Essence of Montessori
Articles:
The Montessori Approach to Discipline
http://www.montessori.org/
Cultivating Peace in the Classroom
http://www.montessoriservices.
The Peace Corner
http://www.montessoricircle.
Books about Peace Education in the Montessori Classroom:
Education and Peace by Dr. Maria Montessori
http://www.amazon.com/What-
The Peace Table by Mary Da Prato
http://www.amazon.com/Peace–
Picture books for children about Peace:
The Peace Rose
http://www.amazon.com/The-
Our Peaceful Classroom by Aline Wolf
http://www.amazon.com/Our-
What is Peace? by Louise Kelley
http://www.amazon.com/What-
These are just a few of the many wonderful picture books about Peace for children! Current parents are always welcome to visit our library to check out books on peace education.
