~ The Power of Words ~ It is impossible to listen to the news and not be struck by the way words are being used to cover up hateful actions and outright lies by our leaders and politicians. Words are powerful as Martin Luther King knew. The 2002 Caldecott Honor children’s picture book Martin’s Big […]
~What Will 2018 Bring? ~ Teach Peace Now is offering our TPN Peace and Justice calendar for 2018 with the hope that by knowing the days set aside for honoring peace and justice we can join together with others to make our voices heard loud and strong over all the negative talk and actions taking place in the world. […]
~ Questioning What You Read ~ Thinking of buying a new book for your children or class? With the hundreds of children’s books and young adult books published every year, it is often hard to make a wise selection. Those glossy cover books sitting up front in the bookstore or hyped on Amazon or Barnes […]
~Giving of Oneself~ The Play Lady: The Senora Juguetona by Eric Hoffman and illustrated by Suzanne Tornquist is the story of a kind neighborhood woman who lets the local children play in her garden. One day her trailer is vandalized. Note: The graffiti on the trailer is very strong and full of hate. The children are […]
~ Giving More Than One Can Bear ~ What is an Altruist? Being an altruist is when we give of ourselves to someone even though it may require us to sacrifice more than we can afford, perhaps in some situations, even our lives. According to Kristen Renwick Monroe, people who display altruistic behaviors see themselves […]
~ Caring Gifts Are Meaningful Gifts ~ If you are scratching your head wondering what gifts to get the people you care about, consider giving something far more meaningful than an item off a store shelf. Give the gift of yourself. There is nothing more precious than giving of your time, your compassion, your skills […]
~ What is the Difference between a Bystander and and Ally? ~ Objective: To help students understand the difference between being a bystander and an ally. Preparation: Select a book to read aloud that shows someone being victimized. Some possible books include Going Some Place Special (McKissack), Say Something (Moss), White Socks Only (Coleman), Mayfield Crossing (Nelson) Procedure: Read the story. Then make […]
~Buying a Gift?~ As we enter the season of gift giving and buying, it is important to step back and put our needs, wants, and desires in perspective. What exactly are we hoping to accomplish when we give a gift to someone we care about? Is buying something the best type of gift to accomplish […]
~ What Can Allies Do ~ Bully proofing Educate yourself about the problem and be in touch with your own feelings on the issue. Challenge stereotypes and avoid making stereotypic comments yourself. Identify yourself as a potential ally by wearing a button, or other identifying symbol. Go out of your way to befriend people who […]
~ The Anti-Bullying Quilt ~ Objective: To learn about bullying and what to do when it happens Grade Level: Kindergarten and up Preparation: Have scissors, markers, glue, and a long sheet of mural type paper. Introduction: Bully Proofing Yourself and Others Learn about bullying. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Read some of […]
~ Shut the Digital Door ~ I love digital technology and couldn’t live without it. But just like cars (which I also can’t live without), I am not going to trust my children to know how to operate either one safely. It is up to us as parents and teachers to teach our children to […]
~Talking About Systemic Bullying ~ When we think of bullies, we often think of the big, mean kid on the playground who terrifies someone smaller and weaker than he is. But by thinking of bullying on the schoolyard level, we neglect the much more pervasive and painful systematic bullying that occurs throughout human society. Defining […]
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