Parenting for Peace: Invitation to conference for advocates on March 12 in Augusta

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Invitation to conference for advocates on March 12 in Augusta

Every Child Matters

The Alliance for Children's Care, Education, and Supporting Services ACCESS

And Building Partnerships to Strengthen Maine Families

invite you to join us for a day of information, discussion and networking for child and family advocates, parents, providers and legislators.

Thursday, March 12th

Maine State Legislator's Breakfast - 7:30 - 8:30 am

Conference - 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

At the Holiday Inn, Augusta
How Congress Can Make a Difference in the Lives of Children: The Link Between Federal and State Programs to meet the Needs of Maine's Children and Families Congressional Roundtable on Children's Programs with representatives from the offices of Maine's Congressional Delegation "What is the Forecast for Maine's Children?"

Panel Discussion with:
Jim Clair, Goold Health Systems and Business Roundtable on Early Childhood Investment
Patti Woolley, DHHS Early Childhood Division

Barbara Van Burgel, DHHS Office of Integrated Access & Support
Representative Seth Berry, Maine House District 67

Elinor Goldberg, Maine Children's Alliance
And much more!!!

Seating is limited so please RSVP to mlbeaver@everychildmatters.org
by Monday, March 9th.

This event is free and open to the public. Lunch will be
provided.

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Books for Teachers

Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools For Empowering Young Children, by Louise Derman-Sparks (1989), Washington, DC: NAEYC - includes both philosophical and theoretical overview and specific activities to use in a preschool setting.
Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (new edition in 2007) - a fabulous source book, although appropriate for the oldest children. includes both philosophical and theoretical overview and specific activities to use for adults and older children
That's Not Fair : A Teacher's Guide to Activsim with Young Children (2000) by Ann Pelo and Fran Davidson. Redleaf Press.
Writing for a Change : Boosting Literacy and Learning Through Social Action. This book is a collaboration between the National Writing Project (USA) and the Centre for Social Action (UK). The first half of the book describes a variety of experiences engaging in social action in the classroom. The second half provides specific models and activities to use. The book emphasizes creative and critical problem solving skills.

What is Peace Education?

There are many dimensions to peaceful parenting, educating and living. Ghandi's famous words "Be the Change you Seek in the World" implore us to balance our work for a peaceful world with efforts toward finding inner peace. Yoga, meditation, writing love letters (instead of hate mail), sitting in silence, looking for the best in others -- these are peaceful practices that occur in our everyday lives and promote a peaceful existance. These are important practices - and easy ones for me to overlook. Yet they are not the only pieces. We also need collective action, creative problem solving and smart conflict resolution.

There seem to be 5 basic elements to peace education with young children:

1) Teaching children to calm themselves and develop a sense of inner peace, including teaching kids how to "cool off" when they are angry.

2) Teaching children a more expansive vocabulary around emotions and group process. There are many resources to promote social and emotional intelligence, and this learning helps kids develop empathy and to care about community.

3) Teaching children about social justice and diversity -- promoting anti-bias education and providing kids with information about "isms" (both historical and current) and tactics for challenging and resisting the status quo.

4) Providing children/community members with clear strategies for solving conflicts that allow all community members to maintain thier integrity and inclusion in the group. These strategies are non-violent and focus on win-win solutions. Confict is understood as normal, healthy and providing opportunities for growth and learning.

5) Education about peacemakers, peace movements and the possibilities of non-violence in social change. This moves the arena out of "skill building" and into content -- learning about the world of peace and peacemaking in a historical and global context.

Parenting for Peace

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Invitation to conference for advocates on March 12 in Augusta

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No Child Left Inside

Harvard Educational Review on Peace - Internet References

Books for Teachers

Interesting Reads

What is Peace Education?

Blog Archive

Service, Leadership, Building Community

Social and Emotional Learning

Booklists and Bibliographies - Children's Books

Diversity and Social Justice

Marketing Violence & Stereotypes to Children