Our Curriculum

Students explore the foundational Peace by PEACE concepts of goals, conflict, choices, consequences of choices, and confrontation. They are introduced to win-win situations through Peace Games, and our mentors establish weekly routines and rituals, such as the Peace Rap (a fun song) and the Peace Box (a place where students can ask questions anonymously).

Diversity within the classroom is explored through understanding similarities, differences, stereotypes and discrimination, and the ways in which these concepts relate to conflict. Students celebrate their own uniqueness and that of their classmates through activities and discussions.

Students deepen their understanding of diversity through a discussion on power and privilege and how these topics relate to resolving conflicts. A visual model is used to illustrate the levels of conflict - the “Conflict Escalator” - and students learn about how people may have different points of view.

The Conflict Escalator is connected to understanding the role of anger, discovering the importance of inner peace and finding ways to “cool off.” Students are introduced to the “I Feel” Wheel, a tool designed to help explore emotions and their associated behaviours.

Communication requires a knowledge of sympathy and empathy, an understanding of how non-verbal cues can help communicate, an ability to listen to different perspectives, and an aptitude to verbalize emotions. Students learn about “I-statements” and explore ways to increase their power of empathy.

Students are introduced to negotiation as a tool for peaceful conflict resolution. They practice this skill through games and activities that promote collaboration, require compromise and highlight the process of finding a win-win solution.

Students learn about Inner Power, the term in Peace by PEACE used to describe self-esteem. They explore the concepts of self-talk and peer pressure, as well as celebrate personal strengths as a way to build Inner Power.

Various types of bullying behaviour are discussed, as well as their potential social and emotional effects. Students learn about the different roles that they may play in this type of conflict, and practice ways to respond to bullying behaviour by applying what they have learned about empathy and communication.

Community building emphasizes the importance of having a strong classroom community. Students think critically about how to create a caring environment, and explore how Inner Power, diversity and empathy can help them meet this goal.

Our conflict-resolution program concludes with a classroom Peace Festival, which is organized with a special theme each year. It is a time for students to celebrate their successes and reflect on what they have learned during Peace by PEACE.