Dear Cathie—
Our children are both in Primary Montessori classrooms. One is a young three-year old-who just entered, and the other is four and one-half. They talk in passing about the Peace Corner and peace works that they do. Although the peace curriculum has been mentioned in our parent education talks, it still seems vague to both of us. Could you discuss this topic and help us understand why this area of the classroom exists and what it teaches our children. —Parents Who Would Like to Understand More
Dear Parents,
Maria Montessori based her system of education on the belief that children are the hope of the future. It is through them that the world will be sustained and lasting peace will come about in our world. Therefore, it is the job of all Montessori educators to teach children about peace, give children the opportunity to live in a peaceful classroom, to help them find peace within themselves, and to surround children with peaceful adults. To this end, the Montessori classroom has a Peace Curriculum. Let’s look at each part separately!
Montessori classrooms are meant to be a microcosm of society. All Montessori educators strive for classrooms to be calm places where children can engage in meaningful work that is chosen by children and completed within their timelines. Children are not rushed or ordered about but free to do the things that call to them developmentally and socially at that time in their lives.
Any issues that arise between two children are dealt with as they occur. If the children are very young, an adult is there is help facilitate this discussion and make sure that each child feels heard as the discussion unfolds. The children come to some mutual agreement about the issue.
As the children mature, adult presence may be necessary only to stand by and listen, and later in the Kindergarten year, an adult may not even be necessary at all; although, one can be available if necessary at all stages of development. Through this experience, children come to practice, learn, and eventually master conflict-resolution skills that will serve as a foundation and follow them throughout their lives.
Children learn to live as part of a community, fulfilling their needs but also understanding what others need to be happy and healthy. We discuss their place in a classroom or school community as part of our peaceful community. “Everyone will feel cared about if there is a tissue box with tissues in it when they need one! If you use the last tissue, what can you do to help our community?” These skills are taught from the time a child enters the community, and children help to keep the classroom functioning, as well as practicing caring about others.
Children are encouraged to become aware of their feelings and give them names. “I feel sad, happy, angry, disappointed, etc.” While this may seem obvious, it is actually pretty challenging work for young children. Children are taught to take time to relax, regroup, or spend some time away when the need arises. These self-calming skills are critical for each child to learn to manage their emotions. This is a key to self-regulation. Some children need a short time for calming down with no adult intervention.
They take themselves to the Peace Corner for some quiet time and leave when they are ready. Others need reminders to use that space as well as suggestions to use physical tools such as a “worry stone” to rub, deep breathing, yoga poses, a sand garden to rake, a heavy object to carry from one place to another and/or discussions with adults to achieve calm once they have gotten upset.
The Montessori classroom provides the opportunities to use tools for children to have what they need to ‘self-calm.’ These tools can then transfer to other areas of a child’s life: home, play dates, a grandparent’s house, outings, etc., as they internalize these skills. Many of these tools and activities are found on the Peace Shelf, and children are given lessons on how to use them at a neutral time when they are not upset. Then, in moments when they need tools to self-calm, they are available to them, and they know how to use these techniques. Other children just enjoy these activities for their own sake.
Adults are also encouraged to be their calmest selves in the Montessori classroom. Teachers model an atmosphere of self-awareness and calm to the children and use the tools in the peace area, such as deep breathing and sitting peacefully, if necessary. Adults also actively teach about peace though stories, class discussions, and songs. While this very adult concept is examined in very basic ways, your children get a feel for the concept of peace by living it every day. Peaceful children and adults create a peaceful classroom. Peaceful classrooms create a peaceful school, and that is the beginning of what it might feel like for there to be peace in the world.
The concept of peace infuses the Montessori classroom from every aspect. Children learn to act calmly and peacefully in the classroom, find personal peace when they are upset, either personally or with another child or adult, and they are fully surrounded by others who model these values that Montessorians hold so dear. At the same time, the class discusses, reads, and sings about the idea of peace so children can come to understand this concept on their age-appropriate level. Every aspect of Montessori education gives your children a basic understanding and commitment to learning and living peace.
“Let there be Peace on earth and let it begin with me!”
Tomorrow’s Child/ November 2017/ Pg 36
