Session 3: Peace between us
Introduction
In this session you will be introduced to the ways in which circle sessions can be used to explore convivial peer relations – termed ‘peace between us’ in Peace at the Heart. You’ll consider the principles of using circle sessions as part of educational peace building before taking a deeper look at approaches to conflict.
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
- understand the principles behind teaching in a circle
- articulate the concept of empathy and its uses in supporting positive relationships and resolving conflict
- begin to develop strategies for building peace through resolving conflict fairly.
Before you start, watch this video where Izzy introduces the session.
Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1
Transcript: Video 1
IZZY
Welcome to Session 3, Peace between us. In this session you are continuing your journey through the layers of peace. You’ll think more about inter-personal peace, peace between us and how educators can cultivate cooperation and conflict resolution.
You’ll look at circle time, a useful way to deliver peace education. Many educators are familiar with circle time and might use this teaching approach when there’s a problem to discuss, or something difficult to explore.But it’s an approach that can offer much more than that. You can do interactive activities, games and group work. A circle has a space in the middle for sharing and even drama. It can be exciting as well a great way to learn.
It does take time to build up the habits of a successful circle time. Initially people will have different levels of comfort in a large group, but you can help the group work together, so everyone feels valued. As a group becomes accustomed to working in a circle, it becomes a regular way of being and doing together, creating an inclusive and reflective space that helps to strengthen relationships in a peaceful class community.
This session draws lots on the work of Peacemakers, an organisation that supports lots of schools with this work. In schools where they’ve worked a long time, the students don’t see a circle and think ‘uh-oh, has something bad happened?’ – they think ‘Yes!’ They know from experience it is fun and a fun way of working and will actually help them.
A big part of how human beings connect is empathy, so later in the session you’ll consider what empathy is and how you can cultivate it through peace education. You'll consider the question - Can empathy be taught?
You’re also going to learn about how to teach about conflict. This word can sometimes make people feel uncomfortable. But conflict is part of everyday life – you could say that we sometimes need conflict. But conflict can escalate to become harmful, but it doesn’t have to! You’re going to look at ways to help young people understand and respond to conflict in positive and creative ways, and at the competences that help them handle conflict constructively.
Children will at times of course need support from adults to resolve conflicts, and it’s important they know who they can turn to, but sometimes we might jump in as a figure of authority instead of empowering children to resolve conflict themselves. Children and young people need encouragement to take responsibility for resolving their own conflicts. That’s the cultural shift that peace education seeks.
We’ll be continuing some of these themes in the next session, Peace among us, as you think about peace and conflict at a school and community level, you’ll discover that given the chance, young people are great at making peace.
Video 1
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