Last week our school community shared in the beautiful gift of celebrating peace as a community and as part of a world-wide event. Each member of our school, from the tiniest toddler to the tallest elementary student, joined together on the field to sing “Light a Candle for Peace.” Then, our elementary students sang “What a Wonderful World” and one of our elementary teachers, Christian, spoke to our students briefly about sharing compassion around the world. He invited the students to imagine a mirror that allows them to look at themselves full of love and compassion, then invited them to turn that mirror and extend the same love to their friends, their family, their community, their city, their state, their country and, finally, to the entire world.
As stewards over these each of these beautiful little humans, we take great joy and responsibility in the privilege and responsibility of teaching peace to the students of Montessori Community School. MCS teachers touch on many different aspects of peace throughout the year. Our peace curriculum, written to create a culture of cooperation and compassion, acts much like the other subjects taught in a Montessori environment. The following ideas are touched on year after year and at varying levels, depending on the development of the students and the make up of each classroom.
- Creating a space for peace
- Supporting peace
- Acknowledging peace
- Advocating for peace
- Developing inner peace
- Intentional acts of peace
- Cultivating peace
- Nurturing peace
- Celebrating peace
Peace truly does begin within. However, just like addition and history and penmanship, our children must be taught to develop and emanate peace. We teach through lessons, we teach through experience, and we teach by example.
May each of us be filled with intention to develop our own sense of inner peace and compassion and may we seek opportunity to spread compassion and light to our fellow man. May the love of our wonderful MCS students be given the respect and attention it deserves to grow and spread and make a sincere difference in the world.
Two friends, one Toddler and one Early Childhood, gleefully meet on the playground and dance, providing great pre-program entertainment for the rest of us
These Aspens class students hold a sign that says “Peace” during the program
MCS students, toddler through elementary, gather together to sing “Light a Candle for Peace.”
Younger students are paired with older student while they hold hands and walk around the campus to look at the peace flags made by their peers.
This mother and son look at the peace flags during the peace walk.
An Upper Elementary student signs “Peace.
Upper Elementary teacher, Christian, talks to the students about self compassion and sharing compassion with the greater community.
Peace flags are decorated by MCS students and staff and then hung along the Outdoor Classroom fence.
Peace in any language.