{"id":1188,"date":"2020-09-15T09:37:53","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T13:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/?p=1188"},"modified":"2020-09-15T09:37:53","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T13:37:53","slug":"shaping-peace-together-at-mca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/15\/shaping-peace-together-at-mca\/","title":{"rendered":"“Shaping Peace Together” at MCA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Peace before me; Peace behind me
\nPeace at my left; Peace at my right
\nPeace above me; Peace below me
\nPeace unto me; Peace in my surroundings
\nPeace to all; Peace to the Universe<\/em><\/p>\n

Most of us think of September as the end of summer and start of a new school year, celebrating Labor Day as the month\u2019s main holiday. However, around the globe, September is known for something different – it is the month in which the International Day of Peace is celebrated. Established in 1981, September 21st<\/sup> has been designated as the date when \u201ct<\/em>he United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Each year, the United Nations adopts a theme for their peace celebration, and this year\u2019s theme is \u201cShaping Peace Together<\/em>\u201d.\u00a0 At MCA, this very idea has long been the foundation of our peace curriculum, following in the footsteps of Dr. Maria Montessori who dedicated herself to peace efforts. The work continues today, as we all strive for peace in our homes, peace in our communities, and peace in our world.<\/p>\n

As the school year begins, Montessori classrooms work very hard to establish a peaceful community by focusing on respect for self, others, and the environment. Teachers know that one key to external<\/em> peace is having internal<\/em> peace and that one method of instilling inner peace in children is by showing them respect. At its core, Montessori education focuses on respecting children, as we \u2018follow the child.\u2019 In the classroom, teachers observe their students, looking at and attending to the interests and needs of each individual.\u00a0 Children\u2019s work is valued and their needs are considered. Students in Montessori classrooms learn that what they do<\/em> matters, what they feel<\/em> matters, and what they say<\/em> matters. The primary lessons shared in class relate to those three factors and move children towards doing good work, acknowledging their feelings and the feelings of others, and expressing themselves kindly, clearly, and respectfully. This in turn helps promote feelings of being centered, confident, and capable. Children show respect for themselves in the work choices they make at school, in the self-care activities they practice and learn, and in they way they come to understand their feelings. These small but important steps help children feel at peace within themselves.<\/p>\n

As children gather this sense of self, they then can begin to extend respect beyond<\/em> themselves. They learn simple Grace and Courtesy lessons in sharing greetings, asking for help, contributing to circle time discussions, and making their needs known. As they grow in their communication and social skills, they form friendships, manage disagreements, and acknowledge differences. Inner peace and respect for self moves outward as children begin showing respect for others and creating a peaceful environment for all. Moving forward on this path, the classroom community very quickly begins to collectively take ownership of the beautiful materials they share, the space they inhabit, and the kind of feelings they want to sustain while working together. The classroom becomes a place where a peaceful community works together.<\/p>\n

At each level, from toddlers up through Upper Elementary students, these basic lessons about respect and peace are built upon year after year, further cementing this important foundation. The beginning of every school year at MCA is all about \u201cShaping Peace Together\u201d, by planting the seeds of peace and respect inside of each individual child and growing these values so they can be shared with peers, teachers, and the classroom environment. Ultimately, the goal is that peace and respect spread and bloom beyond classroom walls and into our homes, communities, and the world. We see the promise of peace each September when we welcome our students. And we strive to continue Dr. Montessori\u2019s peace efforts as we celebrate the International Day of Peace and promote peace in our world not only on September 21st<\/sup>, but each and every day.<\/p>\n

You may enjoy reading some of the following books centered on the theme of peace with your families at home:<\/p>\n

A Handful of Quiet \u2013 Happiness in Four Pebbles<\/em> by Thich Nhat Hanh<\/p>\n

Can You Say Peace?<\/em> by Karen Katz<\/p>\n

Maybe \u2013 The Story about the endless Potential in All of Us<\/em> by Kobi Yamada<\/p>\n

Peace is an Offering<\/em> by Annette LeBox<\/p>\n

Somewhere Today – A Book of Peace<\/em> by Shelley Thomas<\/p>\n

The Peace Rose<\/em> by Alicia Olson<\/p>\n

And for parents of older children, you might like to explore the United Nations site at https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/observances\/international-day-peace<\/a>, which presents various ways to engage in the International Day of Peace and includes information about its virtual event for students on September 17th<\/sup>, a summary of which follows as taken from the website:<\/p>\n

Online Student Observance
\n<\/strong><\/em>This year\u2019s International Day of Peace Observance will be a virtual event under the theme \u201cShaping Peace Together\u201d, to be held on 17 September 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT. The online Student Observance will begin with a dialogue between United Nations Messengers of Peace and young people around the world on the United Nations Secretary-General\u2019s call for a global ceasefire and the importance of coming together peacefully to turn the COVID-19 crises into an opportunity for peace and inclusivity. The Peace Bell Ceremony will follow, featuring the participation of the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations. There will also be a performance by the Universal Hip Hop Museum.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Peace before me; Peace behind me Peace at my left; Peace at my right Peace above me; Peace below me Peace unto me; Peace in my surroundings Peace to all; Peace to the Universe Most of us think of September as the end of summer and start of a new school year, celebrating Labor Day […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[138,144,54,259,147,137],"coauthors":[13],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7icff-ja","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":729,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/20\/celebrating-the-international-day-of-peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":0},"title":"Celebrating the International Day of Peace","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"September 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu Once again, The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy (MCA) will be joining with people worldwide to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21st. \u201cPeace Day\u201d, as it is sometimes referred to, began in 1981 when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to have \u201ca day\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Children-Peace-Sign-Adamo-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":253,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/16\/sing-for-peace-international-day-of-peace-celebration-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":1},"title":"Sing for Peace!: International Day of Peace Celebration 2016","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"September 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"September 21st may not be a date you recognize, but around the world and in our Montessori community, we look forward to celebrating the International Day of Peace on this day.\u00a0 Established by the United Nations in 1981, the International Day of Peace began as a way to promote a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Giving Back"","block_context":{"text":"Giving Back","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/giving-back\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Montessori Children's Academy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1167,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/09\/lets-light-a-candle-for-peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":2},"title":"Let’s “Light a Candle for Peace”","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"June 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Our families know that a key component of the Montessori philosophy is the focus on peace education. Not only do students learn about cultures from around the world to gain respect for and understanding of people of many backgrounds, but they also participate in ongoing grace and courtesy exchanges, mindfulness\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Montessori Chatham\"","block_context":{"text":"Montessori Chatham","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/tag\/montessori-chatham\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/peace-candle-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":772,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/11\/peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":3},"title":"Peace","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"December 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu \u201cPeace is every step,\u201d wrote Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, author, and peace activist. In his many books, he offers suggestions for how we can find peace in any and every moment, especially the most hectic ones! This sage one would probably love\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Mandala-from-Aziminias-class-e1544188094789-300x253.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1379,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/04\/world-connections-through-montessori\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":4},"title":"World Connections Through Montessori","author":"Tori Inkley","date":"October 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Camilla Nichols, Senior Director of Montessori Development At The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy, we are always looking for opportunities to connect our students with other children and cultures through events inside and outside of the Prepared Environment. Maria Montessori believed that widening the children\u2019s horizons was an important aspect of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Care of Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Care of Environment","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/care-of-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/World-Connections-Pic4.jpg?fit=902%2C912&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":603,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/14\/reflections-at-the-montessori-childrens-academy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1188,"position":5},"title":"Reflections at The Montessori Children’s Academy","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"January 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As we enter this new year, we thought we\u2019d take a look back at just some of the MCA special events and highlights from September through December. 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