THE TEACHING PEACE CONFERENCE

Weaving Peace Through Curriculum and Community

April 14, 2007

This year’s conference focused on the ways educators and community leaders can weave peace education concepts, principles and values into their existing curriculum and how community can further peacemaking goals.

Photos of this year's conference can be viewed here

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS CLICK HERE

Help promote the 2007 Teaching Peace Conference. Click here to download a current press release to send to your community newspaper.

Conference Registration Form: Download PDF and mail with your check payable to: Teaching Peace Conference  to: 

Kay Morgan, Teaching Peace Conference, Oyster River High School, Durham, NH. 03824

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

   

Time	Event	Location
7:30-9:00am	Registration	Multi-purpose
	Set up, coffee,	Room
	bagels
9:00-9:45am	Welcome	Auditorium
	Superintendent
	Keynote
10:00-11:30am	Session #1	Assigned
	Concurrent	Classrooms
	Workshops
11:30-12:30pm	Lunch & Exhibits	Multi-purpose
		Room
12:45-2:00pm	World Café	Cafeteria
	Conversations
2:15-3:30pm	Session #2	Assigned
	Concurrent	Classrooms
	Workshops
3:40-4:30pm	Closing Activities

“Weaving Peace through the Curriculum and Community”

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Session I:  10 - 11:30

______A. High school student and community involvement in an anti-bullying campaign (Presenter: Kate Kerman, Youth Coordinator, Cheshire Mediation)

Sharing recommendations gleaned from more than two years of work on involving high school students and community groups in developing an anti-bullying and harassment campaign at Keene High School.  Brainstorming with participants on how to apply these ideas in their own settings.

______B. Alternatives to Violence Project (Presenter: Barbara Thorngren, Peace Educator)

This workshop will introduce people to the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) which has been in existence since 1975 and is now offered in schools, communities and prisons throughout the world. This is an experiential program that helps people become aware of the ways they communicate with others and offers a fun new approach to resolving conflict.   The process uses the life experience of participants as a learning resource, drawing on that experience to deal constructively with the violence in themselves and others in their lives.  We all have conflict in our lives . . .the question is, how will we handle that conflict . . .? Join us for a fun informative workshop and gain insights and skills that can be used every day!

______C. Bringing Down a Dictator:  A Nonviolence Success Story (Presenter: Karen Barker, Nonviolence Trainer, Fellowship of Reconciliation)

Inspirational, real-life stories of successful nonviolent movements exist though many people are not aware of them. Bringing Down a Dictator is the story of the student-led nonviolent movement that brought down Slobidan Milosevic in Yugoslavia. Participants will view the film and then  generate ideas on how this film might be used in a high school setting.

______D. Introduction to Engage:  Exploring Non-violent Living Curriculum (Presenter:  LR Berger, New  England Associate  for  Pace  e  Bene Nonviolence  Service )

Engage is a twelve part user-friendly curriculum of  resources, exercises and readings about the principles, practices and history  of creative nonviolence.  The Engage workbook is a skill building, multimodality study that can be taught and adapted by teachers and facilitators.   It employs interactive exercises, stories, readings, nonviolent communication  and action models, film, music and visual art to develop nonviolent tools for personal and social change.  Participants will have an opportunity to  experience several Engage exercises, discuss the curriculum contents, and schedule future teacher training and workshop opportunities.

______E.   Unraveling Afghanistan, One Stitch at a Time (Presenter:  Rachel Lehr,  Artist/Educator)

Through compelling stories, brought to life by beautiful and informative visual images and a fascinating collection of domestic artifacts, Rachel introduces her audiences to the home lives of ordinary Afghans.   Her photographs and  personal anecdotes illuminate the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan in a rapidly changing world.

______F. Peace in a Time of War (Presenter:  Douglas Wheeler, Professor Emeritus, UNH)

The heroic examples of Humanitarian intervention, assistance and rescue during armed conflicts in the 20th century can serve as effective, even inspiring teaching about peace  devices in today’s classroom. Such material can include a brief background of the armed conflict as context, and  special biographies of humanitarians who risked  life, limb and livelihood to help the afflicted in wars. The case in point is the remarkable case of a Nashua-born  Barton Carter who had elite credentials (St.Paul’s School, Williams College, wealthy family of an industrialist of NH) and an adventurer’s spirit. Barton Carter went to Spain for personal reasons, the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, but became a humanitarian rescuer as he established refugee homes and orphanages in Spain for Spanish children orphaned in bombed out cities. The presentation will include slides, handouts and film clips from the Spanish Civil War and the biographies of the NH volunteers, especially the extraordinary life of Barton Carter.

______G. Understanding the Middle East: What Should we Teach about Islam and Arabic Cultures? (Presenter: Mohamed Eddefaa, Teacher, Merrimack High School)

What should we teach about Islamic and Arabic cultures? Topics include:  Arabic civilization before Islam; the birth and spread of Islam; End of Islamic Empires.  Resources will include useful websites, and movies to teach Arabic and Islamic civilizations.

______H.  Appreciative Planning in Action- Session I (Presenter:  Malcolm O’Dell, Consultant/Trainer, International Team Building, Community Development) Note: Participants may register for both Session I and Session II (see afternoon workshops) or only Session I.

The APA process, while embodying a streamlined version of Appreciative Inquiry, involves the asking of 7 basic questions,  posed to any group facing what traditionally have been seen as problems. Apparently intransigent obstructions or barriers to progress are approached by seeking the “positive deviation” – exceptions to negative patterns from which we might learn. The APA process, which requires no more than two or three hours, asks stakeholders to address these questions swiftly and collectively, dwelling on each for as little as a few minutes.

______I.   Creating New Story (Presenter:  Pat Savage, Teacher, Coe Brown)

While changing the world one heart at a time still has its place, my impatience has led to raising consciousness about cultural revolutions that have happened without violence.  There are many examples of thousands of lives being changed by social revolutions without violence.  Story shapes our mind. What we teach, we live. Come explore the possibility of creating new story....of frontlining the page 4s of the newspaper and making these stories the basis of a new educational paradigm. There will be a table with bookmaking ideas for the classroom on the theme of social change and building global consciouness.

______J.  Tai Chi:  Peaceful movement (Presenter:  Kevin Beane, Tai Chi Teacher & Massage Therapist)

Tai Chi is an internal martial art originating in China and is widely practiced for health, exercise, and relaxation benefits. Tai Chi is a meditation in motion, and consists of a series of slow, graceful movements. Routine practice reduces stress and promotes integration of mind/body/spirit. This experiential workshop will explore how the principles of Tai Chi can be applied to conflict resolution and establishment of peace.

______K. What does it mean when 'peace' comes? (Presenter:  Cathy N. Vincevic, Graduate Student, Goddard College)

More a “Report from the field” this workshop will pose a series of questions.

After the conflict “ended” in Bosnia the rebuilding began.

Does anyone know what that  means here in America?

Does anyone know what’s going on?

Many Bosnians people are trying to return home. Their lives in the diaspora have not been fulfilling and they are nostalgic for their country.  This repatriation is being hampered by the Dayton Accord which gave power to the perpetrators to maintain power and control in a large part of Bosnia. I will describe this situation and then ask the audience to think of it not just in terms of this situation but globally.

What does it take to bring a lasting peace?

Can a conflict of this nature be resolved?

Then we must take the metaphor down to local terms.

When we find ourselves in smaller conflicts how do we address them in a long term sustainable terms?

Session II:  2:15 - 3:30

______L. Non-Competitive Games and Classrooms (Presenter:  Ben Stump, Teacher, Concord Academy, Concord, MA)

In this workshop we'll imagine ways to play our favorite competitive games non-competitively, and try some fun non-competitive versions of popular games.  We'll also discuss ways to reduce competition in classrooms, using collaborative learning models.

______M. Creating a Wave of Citizen Support to Bring the Department of Peace Legislation from a long awaited ideal into Law (Presenter - Barbara Thorngren, Peace Educator)

Come learn about the current legislation to create a cabinet level Department of Peace.  There is a  Bill pending in both the House and Senate and will be re-introduced to the 110th Congress.  The history of this legislation goes back to 1972!   The Department of Peace will augment our nation’s problem solving options, provide practical, non-violent solutions to the problems of domestic and international conflict.  Discover the fun ways you can get involved and spread the word.

______N.  Words of War  (Presenter:  Tom Lee, author, Battlebabble:  Selling War in America)

Wars, and appeals for participation in them, as well as support for military action in general, has to be sold by governments through persuasive and relentless use of deceptive language in order to soften brutal realities and foster a particular notion of patriotism.  Participants will be asked to discuss a wide variety of such language and talk about how they might translate these words of war into more realistic terms for their students, many of who will be prime targets of military recruitment. The facilitator is the author of “Battlebabble: Selling War in America”, published by Common Courage Press.

______O.  Addicted to War (Presenters - Will Thomas & Richard Murphy, NH Veterans for Peace)

This workshop will explore and examine U.S. Foreign Policy and how it affects all Americans.  Participants will be able to anaylze carefully a copy of a booklet with the workshop's title.  Reading this booklet will help citizens better understand the consequences of U.S. militarism for U.S. residents and for those living around the globe. In addition, a brief clip of "Why We Fight" will be shown.

______P.  Culture of Peace in Higher Education (Presenters:  Leo Sandy & Scott R. Meyer, Professors,  PSU)

This workshop will focus on efforts at Plymouth State University to implement UNESCO?s resolutions to promote a culture of peace in higher education. Special topics will include the results of a faculty survey and a new general education course entitled Building A Civil Society within which issues of peace and justice are discussed.

______Q.  Esperanto Peace Movement and Language:  Beyond War and the Greetings to the World Experience  (Presenters: Inna Vozlinski  Lehman, Teacher, Interpreter and Cultural Advisor & David Diamond, Psychologist and Peace Activist)

Our world is being divided in many ways, politically, religiously and linguistically.   In order to achieve world peace we should be able to identify and communicate with each other without unnecessary boundaries.  The Esperanto movement, which has existed for 120 years, has been active in many countries throughout the world, uniting people of different cultural, religious, social, ethnic, linguistic and professional backgrounds with the help of the universal auxiliary language.  It is easy to learn even if you have absolutely no gift for languages.  To prove this point, a demonstration will be done during this workshop that you can begin speaking and understanding Esperanto in a few minutes.

______R. Sustainability and The Natural Step (Presenter:  Ben Goss)

This session will discuss sustainability from an environmental, economic, and social perspective using The Natural Step for Communities as a framework.  The discussion will correlate how eco-municipalities and sustainable communities foster peace, respect, and environmental awareness.  The subject of sustainability and the concept of eco-municipalities will be introduced, with some attention given to renewable energy technologies, but the primary focus will be on community and social responsibility.

______S. A Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation to Develop Political Will: A Model for Building Local and Global Community  (Virginia Swain, Director, Institute for Global Leadership, Worcester, MA) 

In an interactive setting using presentation, discussion, question and answers and case studies, participants will learn why the Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation to Develop Political Will (PPR), begun at the United Nations in 1992, developed in local and international settings, presented at the Hague Appeal for Peace (1999),  helps groups in conflict come to peaceful resolution of disputes and move beyond self interest to the common good. Political will is shown when states work together to implement a UN resolution.  The PPR is a vehicle through which the peoples of the world can speak and act for the common good, a new definition of political will.  Examples of its application for families, communities, institutional, national and global challenges will be given along with an introduction to an educational component of the project—teaching a peace competency methodology developed and tested over fifteen years in the United Nations and community settings.  The methodology can be widely applied to personal, interpersonal, community/systemic and global challenges. During the presentation, participants will have an opportunity to learn how the PPR was applied in three cases—one community and two global—a high school peer mediation program in Worcester that enlarged into a school-wide non-violence project, a community-building intervention into the United Nations system, Celebration of the Children of the World, and a UN sponsored consultation in Mindanao, Philippines where Virginia de-briefed Muslim and Christian peacemakers who had attempted to implement the Peace Treaty.

______T. Stonewalk (Presenters:  Dot Walsh, The Peace Abbey & Andrea LeBlanc, Sept. 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows)

A grass roots project created to honor all civilian victims of war.  By pulling a caisson with a Memorial Stone engraved with the simple message “Unknown Civilians Killed in War”, volunteers of all ages, race, and ethnicities come together in unity and cooperation.  The weight of the stone and caisson are two tons which makes this an incredible journey and gives meaning to the expression “waging peace”.  There have been five journeys in four countries since 1999 with a journey planned in Korea for this summer. This workshop will focus on values and the individual’s opportunity to make a difference for peace in their community and the world. Educational as well as Motivational.

______U.  Appreciative Planning In Action - Session II (Presenter:  Malcolm O’Dell) Note:  Participants in this session must have registered for Session I - see morning sessions)

Using Appreciative Inquiry, and the streamlined APA process, we focus dialogue, discussion, and training around core peace-building questions, asking people to share stories of their positive experiences around conflict resolution. Some examples:

• Share a story of a time when you were part of a successful activity that resolved a conflict – anytime in your life, work, family, or community.

• Tell us about your most positive experience in bringing about harmony and cooperation to resolve a difficult situation.

• Describe a time when you witnessed or were part of a process that brought adversaries together to successfully resolve a dispute.

From this foundation of “Discovery” participants will create a positive vision of a peaceful and prosperous  world for their children and grandchildren, to develop a strategy for moving toward that vision, to create action plans for bringing their strategy into reality, and to take the first steps to begin that process immediately.

______V.  The Next Phase: Socially Integrated Education, Peacebuilding, and Political Transitions in Northern Ireland and Tanzania (Presenter:  Jake Hess, Senior, Suffolk University)

Across the world, countries in post-conflict situations are using socially integrated education to meet the challenges of building a tolerant, multicultural society.  Drawing on extensive field research in both locations, this workshop will explore the policy and curriculum-based dimensions to peacebuilding in the Northern Irish and Tanzanian education systems. Special attention will be paid to the various ways issues related to diversity, identity and political conflict are managed in Northern Irish and Tanzanian school communities.  Participants will draw on both their own experiences and the themes discussed in the workshop to suggest ways in which students and educators can create cultures of tolerance in our own communities - academic or otherwise.

The Teaching Peace Conference is co-organized by two Oyster River High School teachers, Melinda Salazar and Kay Morgan. TPC is the recipient of the 2006 Sarah J. Farmer Peace Award.  View the conference website at: www.teachingpeaceconference.org