Teaching
& Learning Peace
by
William M. Timpson
Wouldn’t it be nice if people all
over the world could get on the worldwide web, click on peace and be
hit with an electronic energy impulse that made them experience a true
moment without conflict, a moment of real peace. Even then, we would
have no more than the foundation for building a new culture of peace.
Such a foundation is actually the first
goal in the ambitious structure Timpson builds to provide models,
tools and techniques for pursuing a new culture of peace through
classroom teaching. While we hear the words of many theorists and
people devoted to peace and justice, the ultimate strength of Teaching
and Learning Peace lies in the practical way Timpson connects the
pursuit of peace to the individual, the classroom, the home, the
workplace and the world.
The Introduction to Teaching and
Learning Peace describes the burden of the book, the questions to be
answered:
How do we
teach about peace? How do we help young people manage their own anger
and aggressiveness when violence is so prevalent in their lives, at
school and on the streets, in the news, on television, in the movies
and in the lyrics of some of their music? When memories of attacks are
raw and calls for retaliation are shrill, how does an educator—or
anyone in a leadership role who is committed to the ideals of a
sustainable peace—open a meaningful dialogue about alternatives to
violence? At its core, democracy demands open and honest discussions
and we can do much in our schools, colleges and universities to
support responsible citizenship.
Timpson addresses these
questions in two parts. Part I lays the groundwork by pointing out
where violent behavior originates and offering alternatives on a level
familiar to both teachers and students. The chapters in Part I offer
practical approaches to understanding how such things as the desire
for revenge manifest themselves on both the world stage and in the
classroom. Part II connects the values and models of Part I with
specific classroom teaching strategies, models and methods—it offers
tools and ideas for applying the concepts explored in Part I to the
classroom.
The book’s assertion
of hope is, perhaps, one of the most important elements of this
exploration of peace in a time when most of the world is in no mood to
consider the subject seriously. Timpson offers a thoughtful reflection
on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assessment in "My Pilgrimage to
Nonviolence":
We
stand today between two worlds—the dying old and the emerging new.
Now I am aware of the fact that there are those who would contend that
we live in the most ghastly period of human history. They would argue
that the rhythmic beat of the deep rumblings of discontent from Asia,
the uprisings in Africa, the nationalistic longings of Egypt, the
roaring cannons from Hungary, and the racial tensions of America are
all indicative of the deep and tragic midnight which encompasses our
civilization. They would argue that we are retrogressing instead of
progressing. But far from representing retrogression and tragic
meaninglessness, the present tensions represent the necessary pains
that accompany the birth of anything new.
Preceding this quote Timpson comments,
"Looking back, do we see King’s assessment as unrealistically
naďve or a tangible sign of his genius? How do we judge an optimism
that is grounded in possibility, articulating an achievable though
distant goal and energizing others through difficult times?"
Teaching and Learning Peace judges such optimism to be a cornerstone
for teaching and creating a new culture of peace.
Links: Some interesting links on the
subject of teaching peace are:
http://www.teachingpeace.org/
http://www.salsa.net/peace/teach/teachers.html
http://www.peace.ca/
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