Peace Work (PREVIEW) by CedarLanePress

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electric or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the Publisher.

Publisher: Paul McGahren Editorial Director: Matthew Teague Copy Editor: Kerri Grzybicki Design: Troy Thorne Photography: Lynn Johnson, unless otherwise noted

Spring House Press 3613 Brush Hill Court Nashville, TN 37216

ISBN: 978-1-940611-07-5 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017935507 Printed in the United States of America First Printing: May 2017 Note: The following list contains names used in PEACE WORK that may be registered with the United States Copyright Office: Baby Gap; Being Peace; Biological Relativity: Time and the Developing Child; Building Emotional Intelligence; Can You Say Peace?; Everyday Blessings; Full Catastrophe Living; Good People Everywhere; Greenpeace; Growing Up Mindful; Harvard Medical School; How Children Succeed; Inner Kids; Let There Be Peace on Earth: And Let It Begin with Me; Mindful Games; Mindful Parenting for ADHD; Mindfulness for Teachers; Minding the Body, Mending the Mind; National Geographic; New York Times; New York University; Peace; Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class; Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease; Sitting Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Children; Smart but Scattered; Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens; 10 Mindful Minutes; The Brain: The Story of You; The Mindful Child; The New York Times Magazine; The Peace Book; The Way of Mindful Education; The Whole Brain Child; University of British Columbia; University of California, Los Angeles’ Mindful Awareness Research Center; Wellness Works in Schools; What Does Peace Feel Like?

To learn more about Spring House Press books, or to find a retailer near you, email info@springhousepress.com or visit us at www.springhousepress.com.

Spring House Press

table of contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A Rationale for Peace . . . . . . Early Years as an Opportunity . . Self-Regulation for Peace . . . . What is PEACE WORK? . . . . . How to Use This Book! . . . . .

. . . . .

. . 8 . 12 . 16 . 20 . . 25

Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

1: What is Peace? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 2: No Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 3: A Place of Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 4: A Sense of Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 5: Peace Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 6: Share Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Discussion Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Reflection Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 PEACE WORK Curriculum Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 About Wellness Works in Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Resources for Peace and Mindfulness . . . . . . . . . . 143 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

DEDICATION

Dedication To Rick, Gralyn, Chris, and all who have participated in Wellness Works classes, programs, and trainings.

peace work

Foreword As many of you reading this probably are

world, it has never been more important

aware, quiet meditation is not the point when

for adults to provide our children specific

it comes to mindfulness. Mindfulness aims

guidance for navigating all the challenges

to build specific traits in everyday life, from

and changes they will face through the years.

calm, focused attention to the capacity to be

A generation ago, much of what promoted

responsive and less reactive when stressed,

healthy child development happened more

as well as guiding children toward more

naturally—open-ended play, screen-free time

compassion with themselves and their peers.

interacting with both kids and caring adults,

Teaching mindfulness, like anything, comes

quiet hours outdoors, running around, reading,

down to having a grasp of it yourself, knowing

and concentrating on old-fashioned, traditional

your children, and then engaging them to

games. Nowadays, the vital life skills of

learn. Mindfulness requires neither mental

attention and awareness can easily get lost in

nor physical stillness. With young kids in

the chaos of so much technology, pressured

particular (although often for adults too) it

academics, and our busy, busy lives.

can—and should—be play-based, light-hearted,

But the goal for children isn’t ‘awareness’ as

and, whenever possible, fun. And that’s where

its own endpoint; it’s that they lead happy lives.

Wellness Works and PEACE WORK will be

That requires resilience, the ability to rebound

such a perfect addition to any home, school, or

after adversity. Even an experience as simple as

library.

an academic test gone wrong requires reigning

Another facet of childhood resilience arises

in frustrated emotions and creating a plan to

from experiencing caregivers who provide

seek out help. At the other extreme, of course,

emotional consistency, solidity, and strength.

resilience means the capacity to overcome the

Wynne embodies that ideal, and uniquely

tragedies of life too. Thankfully, this capacity to

understands both mindfulness and children.

bounce back is something any of us can develop

Not everyone can spend time with Wynne

at any age. One of the best methods to support

herself, so thankfully she and Midge have

children in building skills that support resilience

written a book to share their approach with

is introducing mindfulness into their lives.

the world. PEACE WORK is the most concise,

The entire mindfulness-in-education

FOREWORD

In our crazy, fast-paced, technology-driven

compassionate, accessible book yet written for

movement is rooted in the desire to provide

parents and teachers looking to bring peace

children with life skills that assist them in the

and clarity to their young children’s lives

classroom, on the playground, and through

through the practice of mindfulness.

all the uncertainty of whatever else arises.

Mark Bertin, M.D. Developmental Pediatrician Author of Mindful Parenting for ADHD

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a rationale for peace INTRODUCTION

a rationale for peace “Peace is the constant effort to maintain a harmonious existence.” — Native American Wisdom

eace is essential for a positive quality of life. One needs peace for oneself

personally, for others through relationships and the community at large, and for the environment both locally and globally. To live in peace or harmony is to be able to create and maintain a calm and thoughtful existence in the midst of various forces—some of which may conflict—both within the individual and in the greater world. This quality of peace needs to be continually renewed and reinforced. Unfortunately, in the midst of today's events of conflict and violence, peace may appear increasingly rare and elusive. One doesn’t have to look far to see evidence of the opposite of peace in the form of distressing events. In this environment, it is imperative that we open our consciousness and extend our efforts to present, cultivate, and sustain peace across our culture.

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Everyone’s life experience is in a state of flux from one moment to the next. The forces and events that affect us, both within and without, are constantly changing: ebbing, flowing, and eclipsing. While change can be stressful, peace may be described as the skillful management of change and stress. The essence of peace is evidenced by patience and gentleness, while the opposite of peace reflects impulsivity, aggression, and conflict. One’s experience of peace is ease, kindness, and balance—both within oneself and externally through relationships and behaviors. Peace needs to be cherished and cultivated both in present time and for the sake of all our futures. How might one (of any age) initiate, maintain, Change can be and re-establish peace in life? A sense of peace, stressful, while ease, and balance first requires self-awareness peace may be to recognize the state of one’s inner and outer described as skillful environment. Clear observation is essential to establish balance or recognize when one is management of moving out of balance. Peace requires perception, change and stress understanding, and the development of skills to

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shift oneself and one’s environment toward peace. Modern life is often characterized as fastpaced, complex, and stimulant-intensive. Our lives are bombarded by continuously transmitted broadcasts across multiple forms of media and perpetually accelerating technology. This contemporary style of life too often fosters quick, impulsive reactivity that results in forms of unhealthy behavior rather than a slow, responsive, and patient style that represents peace. So while the concept of peace may be vaguely familiar, its experience and expression are too often remote and challenging to access in these hectic times.

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INTRODUCTION a rationale for peace

How Change Erodes Peace

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a rationale for peace INTRODUCTION

Simultaneously, there is an increasing awareness of the rise of mental health issues across all our societies that manifests itself in forms of depression, anxiety, and aggression. This is evidenced by increased violence toward: Oneself: i.e., self-harm, substance abuse, other unhealthy addictions, and suicide Families: i.e., child, spouse, and family abuse— physical, mental, emotional, and sexual Community: i.e., rampant discourtesy and disregard, road rage, bullying, and crime World: i.e., a spreading network of trauma, terror, violence, and international conflicts

Living in an Absence of Peace A toll is taken by the absence of peace. In the place of peace there may be inappropriate stimulation in response to the multiple models of conflict and violence. Conflict can be experienced both directly and indirectly across our lives and age spans. But our young generations are particularly endangered.

“Where does one find

models of certainty, stability, order, rationality, civility, and compassionate problem solving?”

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Martin Luther King Jr. Harriet Tubman Nelson Mandela Gandhi Mother Teresa His Holiness the Dalai Lama Sometimes the word peace is used purposefully with misguided intent to disguise or mask the resultant aggressive behavior. The organization Greenpeace, for example, uses the word in its title, but some of its acts in the name of protecting the environment and wildlife may be the opposite of peace. Some of their

“To bring about world peace through internal transformation of individuals is difficult but it is the only way.” —

INTRODUCTION a rationale for peace

In this environment, where does one find models of certainty, stability, order, rationality, civility, and compassionate problem solving? The heroes and heroines who have evidenced peace as a part of our history have become increasingly distanced and dimly appreciated. Many of their roles and impacts have become marginalized and mythologized across time. To name a few:

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

expressions are even harmful, taking on an aggressive and destructive nature. Ambiguity and confusion are reinforced throughout society; therefore, the experience of peace may appear obscure, diminished, and unattainable. Though the concept of peace may seem abstract, it is highly tangible. It is therefore critical to bring the experience of peace into schools, classrooms, homes, and communities to counter today’s increasing trends toward anger, impulsive aggression, and violence in its many forms.

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early years as an opportunity INTRODUCTION

early years as an opportunity

to create peace “Childhood experience shapes the structure of the developing brain.” — Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, National Geographic

eace must begin from within the individual, and the earlier it is cultivated the better. It is an inner state of peace that resonates outward from the individual and subsequently affects all relationships and environments. The possibility of developing and strengthening peace, inner as well as outer, represents a great opportunity within our personal and collective lives.

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The Brain Is Live-Wired to Create Peace

While the ability for the brain to change is life-long, it is greatest in the early years of human development. Modern technology has been essential to accelerating neurological research. Largely, the focus of research has only recently been directed toward the brain of the infant, child, and adolescent. This research continues to unfold, inform, and influence approaches and experiences believed to enhance positive effects. Neuroscientist David Eagleman, in his book The Brain: The Story of You, recounts that “at birth we are helpless.” He tells us that the human brain at birth is unfinished. The brain is shaped by the details of life experience. Rather than “hard-wired,” it is “live-wired.” In life’s early years, there is an enormous expansion of connections or synapses in the brain. These Neuroplasticity connections are formed rapidly in refers to the brain’s response to sensory information. If the ‘ability to change its developing brain is not given a proper structure and function environment, the brain will struggle to develop normally. in significant ways not

INTRODUCTION early years as an opportunity

The human brain, with its unique design and function, plays an essential role in the development of peace. Our brain affects our attitudes, emotions, choices, and resultant behaviors. Contemporary research explains that the human brain is capable of change at all stages of life. That ability to change, according to neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson, is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s “ability to change its structure and function in significant ways not only in childhood but also in adulthood and throughout life.”

“

only in childhood but also in adulthood and throughout life.’”

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early years as an opportunity INTRODUCTION

early years as an opportunity to create peace The Toll of Stress on Early Childhood Peace The developing brain of the young child is responsive to positive input, but it is also negatively impacted by stress and trauma. “Early emotions shape the organization of the central nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Youngest children have no experiential ballast,” writes Robin Karr-Morse, author of Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease. This leaves young children vulnerable to negative stress. The effects of this stress can endure and magnify across one’s health and lifetime. In the 1990s, Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda investigated personal histories in 10 categories of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including physical and sexual abuse. The correlations between ACEs and adult outcomes had linear meaning: the higher the ACE scores, the worse the outcome on almost every measure—from addictive behavior to chronic disease. The key channel through which early adversity causes damage to developing bodies and brains is stress. We believe that creating a curriculum of peace is a way to resurrect and articulate this concept. In the child’s brain, stress impacts the prefrontal cortex, a crucial area for executive function (EF) skills, that affects an individual’s ability to function and execute tasks across the life span. Self-regulation may be the most important of the executive skills. It enables learning and plays an integral role in each of the other Early emotions shape executive skills. Paul Tough, author the organization of of How Children Succeed, reminds the central nervous, us that the prefrontal cortex is more responsive to intervention than other endocrine, and immune parts of the brain. The opportunity systems. Youngest to affect both brain development and children have no positive life experience at this time is experiential ballast. truly advantageous.

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Since launching Wellness Works in Schools in 2001, we have discovered that it is possible–and necessary–to present students with an inner experience of peace. We have also discovered that there are

“We believe that

creating a curriculum of peace is a way to resurrect and articulate this concept as tangible, teachable, accessible, and experiential.”

many unique ways that children communicate what they feel inside. After an introductory class, one student described her personal experience as “something I never felt before.” At the end of a similar class, another student offered this description: “At the beginning it was all dark inside and now there’s only a little darkness left.” We believe that creating a curriculum of peace is a way to resurrect and articulate this concept as tangible, teachable, accessible, and experiential. Peace must begin within each individual. The embodiment of peace affects one’s attitudes and behaviors while simultaneously addressing one’s relationship with oneself, others, and the greater environment. Predictably, the benefits could manifest across individuals, schools, homes, and communities. There is a rationale for peace! It is essential that it be cultivated, communicated, experienced, and evidenced throughout each of our lives, particularly beginning in the early years. As noted by Dr. Bruce Perry, author of Biological Relativity: Time and the Developing Child, “Time is short. If we remain passive and let the momentum of our dissolving social structures sweep us into the next generation, we lose the creativity and productivity of millions of children. And we lose our future.”

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INTRODUCTION early years as an opportunity

Teaching Peace

self-regulation for peace INTRODUCTION

self-regulation for peace “Problems of self-regulation . . . may well be the defining social pathology of our time. The signs that something is amiss in our inner mechanisms of control and restraint are everywhere.” — Judith Warner, “Dysregulation Nation,” The New York Times Magazine

elf-regulation is critical to success in both school and life. It is arguably the most significant skill one can cultivate in oneself and foster in others—of any age. Self-regulation can be described as the art of balancing how we eat, sleep, work, play, care for ourselves, and connect with others. It is foundational across many different environments for all kinds of health: physical, mental, emotional, and relational.

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Self-control

Impulse control

Self-management

Inhibitory control

Self-discipline

Inner locus of control

Self-restraint

Emotional regulation

Whichever term one chooses, the essence is the same. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, we will refer to this skill as self-regulation. The origin of self-regulation must occur from within the individual. Selfregulation generates from within oneself, and is not exclusively directed nor dictated by the outer environment, including other people. Self-regulation must be self-generated—not dictated by external elements.

Executive Function Self-regulation is included among the neurologically respected and functionally acclaimed executive function (EF) skills. Each of the other skills appear to be impacted by self-regulation. EF skills are brain-based skills required to execute or perform tasks throughout one’s lifetime. These skills have been identified as: Getting organized

Controlling impulses

Planning

Regulating emotions

Initiating work

Being adaptable

Staying on task

Resilience

INTRODUCTION self-regulation for peace

The skill of self-regulation has been expressed in diverse language forms, but its meaning is the same:

“EF skills help us get done what needs to be done,” according to Dr. Richard Guare and Dr. Peg Dawson. Their book, Smart but Scattered, spans the entire human life span including children, teens, and adults. Adele Diamond, researcher at the University of British Columbia, explains the particular relevance of EF skills by saying “executive functions predict achievements as well as IQ or even better because they go beyond what we know and tap our abilities to use what we know.”

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self-regulation for peace INTRODUCTION

self-regulation for peace When Self-Regulation Begins Perspectives on the developmental emergence of self-regulation differ among experts. Some propose that the seeds of self-regulation can be identified in infancy (6 to 12 months), but the initial capacity needs to be further developed. Another viewpoint on the origination of self-regulation has come from Dr. T. Berry Brazelton of Harvard Medical School, often referred to as “America’s pediatrician.” He reported observing infants shutting down (turning away or falling asleep) as the beginning of self-control. He noted newborns as having ways of being connected to what was happening around them. Brazelton reported that the typical pediatric exam over-stimulated most newborns and they managed the stress by shutting down. He realized that shutting down is a positive response—it is the beginning of self-control. Other child-development specialists, based on responses in utero during prenatal testing, have postulated that the origins of focus and self-control begin even before birth. Regardless of when it starts, it is possible to strengthen each of the executive skills (including self-regulation) throughout the life span. These skills are often likened to muscles—the more we work them, the stronger they become. The skill of self-regulation can and should be taught because it is essential for health, learning, and a peaceful and productive life.

Success and Self-Regulation The well-respected Marshmallow Test was originally conducted by Dr. Walter Mischel and colleagues in 1972 and involved preschool children sitting with a researcher. The children were told they could have a treat now (one marshmallow) or have a more preferred treat (two marshmallows) if they could wait 15 minutes until after the adult left the room and returned. The intent was that the children would find it challenging to delay satisfaction until the adult returned; meanwhile, the desired treat remained in front of the child on the table. One-third

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The Case for Teaching Self-Regulation A great deal of research supports efforts to enhance children’s self-regulation. Two pilot studies conducted through the University of California, Los Angeles’ Mindful Awareness Research Center indicated improvements in selfregulatory abilities among preschool and elementary school students who participated in a training program developed and taught by Inner Kids. Children who were initially less well-regulated showed the strongest improvements compared with children in the control group who did not receive the training. Preliminary findings suggested there can be a potential benefit for training children in self-regulation during their early years. In a New York Times article from May 2016, “To Help Kids Thrive, Coach Their Parents,” Paul Tough reported that interventions in homes and in classrooms with the interacting adults could positively affect children as well. Psychologist Dr. Cybele Raver of New York University reported that “the bidirectional model of selfregulation” was highly successful for both adults and children.

INTRODUCTION self-regulation for peace

of these children managed to wait for the adult to return so that they could have their treat plus an additional marshmallow. Years later the researchers tracked down many of the children from the original study. The ability to self-regulate appeared to correlate with adult well-being, and consequently was predictive of long-term success.

Mark Bertin, developmental pediatrician, reported a 2011 study that took place in New Zealand. The researchers found that “differences between individuals in self control are present in early childhood and can predict multiple indicators of health, wealth, and crime across three decades of life.” Bertin concluded that EF skills can be remarkably predictive of long-term success. EF skills, particularly self-regulation, warrant our attention and efforts to foster development in children during their early years.

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what is PEACE WORK? INTRODUCTION

what is PEACE WORK? “Peace work means being peace.” — Thich Nhat Hanh, author, Being Peace

mplicit within the phrase, “being peace," is the assumption that each individual, at almost any age, has the capacity and possibility of embodying

peace. Our personal experience is expressed both inwardly and outwardly through thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The experience of “being peace” may be unique to each individual but it has a common beginning from within each one of us.

The Intention of PEACE WORK

PEACE WORK, as a curriculum, affords children and adults the opportunity to create, recognize, experience, and reinforce the presence of peace within themselves as well as its behavioral expression. The program’s purpose is to generate and strengthen our understanding of peace while providing activities and skills to promote its presence both within and beyond oneself into the outer environment. peace work

The Origin of PEACE WORK as a Curriculum

decided to create a new Wellness Works in Schools curriculum for this situation. Given the setting and behavioral issues, they developed an overall theme of “peace” respecting that thoughtful “work” would be required to create peace in this challenging setting. Thus PEACE WORK, a six-week curriculum, was born.

The Brain, the Mind, and Mindfulness The brain is the most important organ in the body. It controls every movement, thought, and behavior, as well as a myriad of internal automatic processes. Though the brain evidences a wide variety of skills, the most critical is our ability to pay attention, which is the foundation of self-regulation. The brain’s power of attention is critical to our behavioral function and, at the same time, fosters the expansion and deepening of awareness. With training, the skill of attention can be more fully developed and used to our benefit across all dimensions of life. Accordingly, the underlying and There is a common encompassing foundation of the PEACE core of self whose WORK curriculum is cultivation of attention nature is peace. and awareness. How we relate to and — Dr. Joan Borysenko, author, manage our mind (thoughts and emotions) Minding the Body, influences our reactions (impulses) and Mending the Mind responses (behaviors). PEACE WORK is a mindful awareness or mindfulness curriculum of sequenced lessons to fortify and enhance one’s personal experience of peace. To be mindful is to focus

INTRODUCTION what is PEACE WORK?

The creation and teaching of PEACE WORK, as a curriculum in schools, began in the summer of 2005. Wynne Kinder and Christen Coscia were asked to bring the Wellness Works in Schools program into a summer school program in a single, urban elementary school classroom. The classroom had significant challenges, including: 60 students in a hot, humid room that had a small, insufficient window air conditioner, four loud fans, mismatched chairs that were unfit for smaller students, and 2 paraprofessionals whose job it was to remove students who didn’t comply. Drawing on considerable teaching experience, Kinder and Coscia

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what is PEACE WORK? INTRODUCTION

what is PEACE WORK? and sustain attention while engaging fully in the present moment, inclusive of both inner and outer experiences, with attitudes of curiosity, kindness, and acceptance. By cultivating mindful awareness skills we are developing the ability to pay attention—the foundation of self-regulation.

An elementary school teacher once encountered two Wellness Works teachers and proudly pronounced “I get it now. I tell them to pay attention and you are teaching them how.” Mind and Body Integration To attempt to foster peace exclusively through the brain would be to ignore the critical interactive potential of the mind and the body and thus limit fruitful possibilities. To establish a full and meaningful relationship within ourselves in this distracting world, it is essential to also connect, maintain, and strengthen a healthy relationship to our own body. To do so we learn to bring our attention to our breath and the sensations of the body in stillness and movement. Our body has its own repository of intelligence. We strengthen a sense of connection and integration in the way we breathe, sit, stand, and move. An integrated mind and body is deemed to function in the healthiest of ways. Mindful approaches—in the form of focused attention and awareness, guided silence, healthful breathing, mindful

“The dynamic balance we call health involves both mind and body and can be enhanced by specific qualities of attention.”

posture and movement, reflection, and quiet—are at the base of developing mind and body integration and peace.

— Jon Kabat-Zinn Ph.D., author, Full Catastrophe Living

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With expanded use of the curriculum in various classroom settings, the PEACE WORK curriculum has been conducted, modified, and synthesized into six sequenced lessons appropriate for children in their early years. It is an active learning opportunity that encourages engagement and consequently, the translation of peace from an insular learning environment into one’s broader life experience. PEACE WORK as a curriculum includes the following lessons:

1. What is Peace?

4. A Sense of Peace

2. No Peace

5. Peace Inside

3. A Place of Peace

6. Share Peace

The PEACE WORK lesson components (listed below) are purposefully sequenced to afford children and adults the opportunity to strengthen attention and better integrate their mind and body.

INTRODUCTION what is PEACE WORK?

PEACE WORK Lessons

Opening: Peaceful sounds are auditory signals at the beginning of a lesson. The sounds encourage students to bring their attention to this moment of their unfolding experience. Guided Silence: This initial brief period of silence invites students to calm, quiet, and guide their attention within themselves. Breath Practice: Various breath exercises cleanse and integrate the body and mind. Each breath practice calms and strengthens attention and awareness. Guide words such as “in breath” and “out breath” may precede “inhale” and “exhale.” Discussion: A sequence of topics related to peace is introduced. Students have an opportunity to explore facets of peace. Interchange and questions are encouraged.

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what is PEACE WORK? INTRODUCTION

Seated Practice: The movements suggested in seated practice represent an opportunity to explore and experience the reality of their own bodies. One’s sensations, posture, and flexibility become objects of attention and awareness without judgment. Standing Practice: This change of body position from seated to standing offers further discovery of how posture and movement may reflect and affect the body and the mind. Some respond well to small movements, while others welcome large and challenging movements. Balance: All movement presents an opportunity to experience the challenges of balance and imbalance. The skill of balance can be strengthened through practice. Its effect extends across body and mind. Students are encouraged to do their best. Resting: Time is provided to access, recognize, and integrate one’s state of being. This is a time of potential release and engagement with one’s own reality. Quieting may be an opportunity to experience balance within oneself. Closing: Peaceful sounds signal the conclusion of the lesson. The three sounds of peace encourage the students to remain still and quiet, absorbing their experience with focus and attention. Reflection: Students are afforded an

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

opportunity to make statements and ask questions about their experience in the class. Time for reflection may represent an opportunity for the instructor to reinforce concepts about peace. Students can learn from their own comments, as well as the comments of other students.

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In the following paragraphs, we have outlined several approaches we have found helpful in teaching PEACE WORK to an individual child (one on one), in a school classroom, and/or with a community group. These are suggestions for you to consider, adjust, and develop according to your situation.

Teacher For clarity and convenience, the term Teacher refers to the adult instructor (parent, caregiver, teacher, or facilitator). The term Student(s) refers to a child or group of children. Our comments will attempt to be inclusive across various roles and settings.

Set-Up for Success

Explore your intentions: Ask yourself why you are intersted in the topic of peace. What is your intention for both yourself and your student(s)? Prepare your student(s): The tone you set will affect the openness and willingness of your student(s) to engage in something new. Our suggestion is to maintain curiosity, lightness, fun, and perhaps generate a sense of novelty or mystery.

INTRODUCTION how to use this book!

how to use this book!

Create a safe environment: You may choose to limit the distractions and dim the lights to create a calm tone. Student(s) may be comfortable on chairs or on the floor. Their positions should be generously spaced. Reinforce positive behavior: Some suggestions include: Maximize positive reinforcement for desirable behavior. Use non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures. Maintain that students have the freedom not to participate. They may elect to sit quietly but are not free to distract from the learning and teaching. Nothing about this practice—including the discussion, breathing, posture, or movement—should be forced. Focus on engagement, choice, and effort, not the outcome, intelligence, speed, or accomplishment. Prepare for teaching: You may gain perspective and insight by reading the lesson ahead of time to familiarize yourself with its content and how it might best be presented. peace work

how to use this book! INTRODUCTION

Order lessons and components: You may choose to offer the PEACE WORK curriculum and lessons in the order outlined in this book. Feel free to adapt the order of lessons and components according to your sense of how the student(s) may best process the experience. Adaptation: Being invitational can lead to less resistance and more engagement. Giving young people the choice to sit with crossed legs or extended legs can open their minds. Encouraging choice is a more sensitive approach for those who may have less experience or may have had their natural choices of safety or protection taken away (trauma). Possible wording may include: “Maybe this feels right”

“Check this out”

“Notice if this way works for you”

“Join when you are ready”

“Try this”

“Watch, then try for yourself”

“Could this feel okay for you” Differentiate Instruction: Make lessons accessible for all students by differentiating instructions and expectations. Suggested approaches include: Write key directions on the board before or during the PEACE WORK lesson. Use drawings to illustrate movements. Encourage students to represent understanding using a variety of forms: journals, telling a story, or creating art. Allow for personal expression of the movements without concern or praise for alignment or perfect form. Reinforce the choices of those who sit back and watch (late adopters) as much as those who jump right in and try (early adopters). Support all expressions of effort. Optional: For the classroom: Consider integrating the concept of peace into other projects, activities, and curricula. You can set up a Peace Table or Peace Corner, display Peace Signs, make Peace Flags, and gather books on peace.

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Teacher Assists—Icons

Apple for the Teacher: These are suggestions for introducing and conducting an exercise/activity. Musical Notes: This icon indicates the use of a sound. In selecting an instrument we suggest something that is soft, resonant, and conveys a sense of peace and calm. The following are possibilities: Chimes

Tone app on an electronic device

Tone bar

Other musical instruments

Triangle Pair of Fish: This represents an “Option.” We have introduced additional steps or exercise approaches you might wish to include.

INTRODUCTION how to use this book!

The following icons have been included in the six lessons to support and provide instructions toward conducting the lesson:

Speech Bubble: These are statements the teacher may wish to include to enrich the content thread and promote student engagement.

Sticky Notes: These have been inserted in Discussion and Reflection Components as a reminder to record your ideas and reflections. These could be helpful in conducting future PEACE WORK classes.

Appendix In the back of the book, additional information and resources have been provided for further reading for both children and adults, as well as helpful websites offering articles, forums, and more.

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lessons 1. What Is Peace? . . . 31 2. No Peace . . . . . . . 47

3. A Place of Peace . . 65 4. A Sense of Peace . . 83

5 . Peace Inside . . . . 101

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6 . Share Peace . . . . 119

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LESSON

what is peace?

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what is peace?

LESSON 1

opening Students may sit in their chairs or on the floor. Select and use a sound instrument of your choice; read each of the three instructions, followed by the sound.

Three Sounds of Peace 1st sound is a signal to become

STILL.

Our movement stops. Teacher: Lower voice for next sound.

The 2nd sound is a signal to become

QUIET.

The 3rd sound is a signal to focus your mind. Pay attention to what you hear. Listen to this entire

PEACEFUL SOUND.

peace work

LESSON 1

what is peace?

To pay attention is to be MINDFUL. To be mindful is to be PEACEFUL.

peace work

Seated Mountain

what is peace?

LESSON 1

guided silence

1 Sit tall and let your shoulders drop down. 2 Breathe in and breathe out slowly. 3 Slow breathing helps your body slow down. 4 Your body can feel like the stillness of a mountain.

peace work

LESSON 1

A Peaceful Hand Teacher: Wiggle fingers on one hand.

and moving. My hand is not still. It is not peaceful.

what is peace?

1 Look at my hand. My fingers are busy

Teacher: Let the hand become still.

2 Now, my fingers are still. Notice how my hand is quiet.

3 It is calm and soft. It is peaceful. 4 Your eyes are focused on my hand. Your mind is paying attention.

5 Notice how you can pay attention to something peaceful.

Repeat wiggly hand.

6 Allow your body to be like my handâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; peaceful, calm, and still.

7 For a few breaths, notice a peaceful feeling in your body.

peace work

what is peace?

LESSON 1

breath practice Belly Breath – One Hand Come to Seated Mountain

Paying attention is a skill. We all need skills. Building important skills of PEACE WORK takes practice. Let’s practice noticing peace and calm inside ourselves as we breathe together.

1 Rest one hand on your belly. 2 Breathe in and out through your nose. 3 Close your eyes and allow your belly to move when you breathe.

4 Nod if you feel a little movement in your belly. It is okay if you don’t.

5 Repeat at least two times and maybe switch hands.

peace work

discussion LESSON 1

Teacher: Students may relax in their chairs or on the floor. Pose the Question and ask students to complete the Open Sentence.

what is peace?

Question:

“What is peace?” Open Sentence:

“To me peace is: ____________________________.”

Possible Answers: • Being still • No worries • Calm • No fear • My mom

• A sleeping baby • Quiet • Not moving • A smile • Getting along with others

We can learn to feel peaceful as we practice PEACE WORK.

peace work

Lifting Breath â&#x20AC;&#x201C; One Hand Come to Seated Mountain

what is peace?

LESSON 1

seated practice

1 Turn your hands (palms) up and rest 2 Lift your right hand slowly as you them on your legs.

breathe in (maybe to shoulder height).

PEACE WORK shares practices that can help us slow down and feel peace inside ourselves. We will use our bodies, our breath, and our minds to find peace inside and in our classroom. 38

peace work

LESSON 1

what is peace?

3 Turn your hand over when you feel full of your breath.

5 Repeat with your left hand.

4 Float your hand down to your leg as you breathe out.

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Teacher: Repeat with alternating hands a few more times.

what is peace?

LESSON 1

standing practice

Standing Mountain 1 Stand tall. 2 Move your toes. Now let them be still. 3 Lift your shoulders up. Drop them down.

4 Stand tall and still. 5 Be strong and peaceful like a mountain.

peace work

LESSON 1

Sun Breath

Mountain. Be still and strong.

4 Spread your fingers and point them toward the floor.

5 Breathe in and raise your arms wide and then high.

what is peace?

1 Silently wiggle your whole body. 2 Breathe in. Keep wiggling. 3 Breathe out to return to Standing

6 As you breathe out, slowly float your arms down to your sides.

7 Repeat at least two times.

peace work

what is peace?

LESSON 1

balance Sun Breath Balance Come to Standing Mountain

1 Pick a spot on the wall. Look at that spot to help your mind be still and focused.

2 Do a Sun Breath to raise your arms high. Keep your arms lifted and breathe out.

3 Breathe gently in and raise your heels off the floor. Breathe out.

4 Stay steady, keep breathing, and focus as you balance.

5 Return your heels to the floor and your arms to your sides.

6 Repeat at least two times. 42

peace work

resting Teacher: Students may sit back in their chairs or lie down on the floor.

LESSON 1

Hands on Belly

what is peace?

1 Place your hands on your belly. Hands and belly can be soft. 2 Close your eyes (or look at a spot in front of you). 3 Focus on your belly. It may move in and out with your breath. 4 Notice how your breath can feel peaceful as it moves slowly. Your peaceful breath can help your body become still.

5 Breathe quietly for a few more moments. 6 Open your eyes and stretch your arms up. Yawn.

peace work

EDUCATION $24.95 U.S.

“PEACE WORK is the most concise, compassionate, accessible book yet written for parents and teachers looking to bring peace and clarity to their young children’s lives through the practice of mindfulness.” – Mark Bertin, M.D.

Developing resilience and clarity through the practice of mindfulness. Designed in 2005 and used in countless classrooms since, PEACE WORK is a groundbreaking mindfulness curriculum designed to fortify and enhance self-regulation in young children. Now evolved into an easy-to-follow program of six sequenced lessons for teachers and parents, PEACE WORK offers children the opportunity to create, recognize, experience, and reinforce the calming presence of peace within themselves to better manage their thoughts and emotions. With the helpful lessons of PEACE WORK, young children can learn to positively influence their impulses and behaviors and build the skills that lead to a peaceful, productive, and happy life.

ISBN 978-1-940611-07-5