Why Do We Teach Peace Education?

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”     

(Martin Luther King)

Children are not born with a sense of 'difference' - they do not naturally notice the difference between themselves and other babies - the development of an awareness of others as being different from themselves is a gradual, fairly long-term process and children are usually just beginning to truly become aware of others as being different from themselves around the same time they enter school. Even then, this awareness is more heavily influenced by the attitudes and perceptions of the adults and older children in their lives rather than a true recognition of 'different' internalized naturally. 

Schools, therefore, have an awesome responsibility to help families foster growth in the empathy, generosity and acceptance capacities of all students, building on the natural acceptance and innocence of childhood. This may be the most essential teaching we do as we encourage students to think independently, honour humanity and be fully aware of their personal strengths and ways in which they can make an immediate and sustained positive impact on the world. We call this Peace Education. 

We teach Peace Education as a way to extend the acceptance of all by all - to ensure this doesn't become a 'story of childhood' but rather an enduring life experience.

We teach Peace Education to help children understand they are always capable of accepting, honoring and valuing the existence of all humans - including themselves.

We teach Peace Education to leverage the natural innocence and acceptance of children into expansive, shared experiences where learning frames connections rather than divisive distinctions between people. 

We teach Peace Education to foster dialogue, exchange of ideas and promote empathy for all. 

We teach Peace Education to help our children understand humans must have love, attention, care and connection to even survive - without each other, no human child could live and grow. We are a dependent species - we need each other and we need the best of each other to thrive and grow successfully. 

We teach Peace Education so our students will learn a language of positive conflict resolution where our problems challenge us to think differently, exercise empathy and seek best possible resolutions for everyone, not just for a privileged few.

We teach Peace Education to help children learn to share their ideas and experiences comfortably and to accept, listen to and honor the ideas and experiences being shared with them as well.

We teach Peace Education so all of us - regardless of where we were born, what faith we follow - or don't, our gender, age, occupation, education or ability - learn to honour all cultures and communities and share the essential skills, strategies and resources we need to live successfully side by side in a world that can successfully sustain all human life.

Tonight I had the pleasure of taking my seven-year-old grandson to a birthday party for one of his classmates. As I dropped him at the party, the broad smile on his face as he caught sight of his friends - all clearly from very diverse backgrounds and cultures - and the beautiful smiles they returned as they all rushed together in one boisterous re-connection, made my heart sing. These children will - and already are - changing the world. If we, as adults both in schools and as parents and grandparents, keep our wits about us and deliberately leverage this natural joy in companionship and connection, these children will grow into joyous, accepting adults - not just tolerant of each other but fully accepting and celebrating all humans as simply wonderful to experience life with together. The divisiveness that is currently writing the beginning of the 21st century story will transform into fully collaborative enthusiasm for improving the quality of life for the planet, and write a completely different script for the future. 

We teach Peace Education so our children will raise their voices in unison rather than division, celebrating both the human experience and the rich cultural diversity that brings vibrancy, energy and joy to daily living for all of humanity. 

We teach Peace Education so the divisiveness  pinging around the world today will seem as archaic, irrelevant and small-minded as many of the historical events that populate humanity's past and our history books today - one where protectionism, violence, war and conflict over our differences slip into the 'lessons learned' pages of the past and clear the way for a beautiful new story of sharing and celebration of rich and diverse human experiences. 

It is, for me, a privilege and an absolute responsibility to teach Peace Education. 

It is also my hope for the future of humanity. 

Lorraine Kinsman, Principal