~Does the Past Foreshadow the Future? ~ The choice to remember, and why and how to remember are explored in the memoir Where Angels Lived by Margaret McMullen as she discovers her lost Jewish relatives in Hungary. The family’s traits, both physical and behavioral, become evidence linking the past to the present. The historical past […]
~ Shooting to Kill ~ An essay on guns and violence intended to spark class and family discussion People have been killing people for a very long time. First we used rocks. Then we used iron. Next we used gunpowder. Now we use incredible killing machines invented by our amazing minds. In this essay, we […]
What is International Peace Day? The International Day of Peace, or as it is often titled, World Peace Day occurs on September 21st every year. This day is officially dedicated to world peace, and the elimination of war and violence. The day was established in 1981 by the United Nations as a way to bring world attention […]
~ The Foolishness of War ~ Armistice or Remembrance Day November 11 was designated a holiday to recognize the ending of WWI hostilities in Europe in 1918. Would that had been the end of all wars as people hoped back then, instead of the beginning of modern warfare. Here are four children’s books that address the […]
Do you love torture? Do you watch TV shows and movies where characters are subjected to intense physical pain? Do you play video games where you stomp on characters and mutilate them? Do you read books where evil minds and law enforcement design new ways to extract that important bit of information from the hero or the criminal? Seems […]
Wake up America! Which do you love more your guns or your children? Yesterday I received an e-mail from Teaching Tolerance an organization that provides wonderful materials for teachers to use in helping to create positive peaceful learning experiences for children. Here is the beginning of the letter: December 16, 2012 Dear Friend of Teaching Tolerance, When […]
By Tim Wolcott “Help us stomp out domestic violence – join Waverly Cares.” The President of STANYS (Science Teachers Association of New York State), my professional association, rallies us to implement Common Cores (national teaching standards) and SLO’s (Student Learning Objectives), address STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teaching objectives), adhere to RTTT (Race To […]
In light of the recent event in Aurora Colorado, it behooves us to re-examine the violent nature of our society where all too often the solution to one’s personal hurts seems to be go out and hurt someone else. Why? It’s on the TV, on the movie screen, in the video games: According to the […]
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