Photo: The cover of the new 'Learning for Peace' pack.
Human resource: Heather Rowlands on a new peace pack
‘There has never been a more important time for peace education.’
Peacemakers, a branch of Central England Area Meeting, is delighted to be launching a new improved edition of our popular resource Learning for Peace. This peace education resource for primary schools is packed with activities, games and approaches that can be built into any school or classroom.
In schools, when there is learning for peace, children and young people understand and communicate their emotions and needs. They get along, work and play together better in class and the playground, and they navigate the complex issues they face as they grow up and become more engaged in the world around them.
Schools that Peacemakers have worked with report that children have more confidence and empathy, develop their listening skills, find their voice, and build emotional literacy, wellbeing and self-esteem.
As programme manager (and former assistant headteacher) I believe there has never been a more important time for peace education to become a core part of how schools help children to navigate conflict, difference and complex global issues. Peace education is developing and practising the tools, skills and confidence to build peace within us, peace among those we live and work with, and peace in the wider world.
Schools play a crucial role in shaping the values, attitudes and skills that children carry into their lives. In today’s fractured and fragile world, we believe it is essential to add peacebuilding, relationships and conflict resolution to the core life skills taught in schools.
But hard-pressed teachers need support to explore these complex issues and foster these critical skills in their students. That’s why we decided our popular resource Learning for Peace needed a revamp. It now contains more about why peace education matters, and, more importantly, how to make it happen in schools and communities. There are many more games, activities, discussion prompts, and reflective exercises aimed at developing social and emotional learning.
Our online launch is being held on 8 April at 4pm, when you can:
- find out the four levels of peace, and how they intersect and support each other to build peace in the school as a whole, as well as in individuals
- get a taster of games and activities, and how they can be introduced into schools
- hear from schools and facilitators who have used this approach, and the difference it has made
- see how activities can be planned across a school curriculum
- hear about the offer of free training to schools to embed this work.
Contact office@peacemakers.org.uk to attend the launch.
