Darlington Kids Care by Darlington Review

Darlington Kids Care In Celebration of the UN International Day for Peace 2020

DARLINGTON KIDS CARE 2020

PREFACE

This booklet has been developed to help children think about peaceful ways of living and to share their ideas. Hopefully this will help in the development of a harmonious future in the home, school, community and the world. Most schools seem to now have programs that also assist with this. I was with a Year 6 class at Helena College this week when they were doing one of a series on Mental Health. Thankyou to all the children, teachers and youth group organisers who have contributed towards this production and I hope the values expressed herein will help and interest young and old alike. Maybe we can make this an annual project to fit in with The International Day of Peace on the 21st September each year. Sally Herzfeld

Our School Song The Yr 5s of 1981 at Helena College won a United Nations award for this song which is sung to the tune of Waltzing Matilda. They still sing it at assemblies. Once a jolly group of kids sat down in the hills near Perth They wanted to settle all their fights So they thought and talked and they wrote about their squabables And how they could have put them right Think about each other, Understand each other, See the otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view and try to compromise This solution they tried and it worked amongst that group of kids Couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the world try it too and unite?

MONTESSORI AND PEACE EDUCATION The Montessori Peace table provides a space for students to come together and describe what they were doing and why they were doing it, in order to try to understand each others’ point of view and create agreements and possible solutions. The Community Circle does this at a wider group level. In Secondary often in the moment, or later sitting at an outside table, students may be brought together to explain, for example, what it was about that remark that hurt and what could be said or done next time. The adults are facilitators, helping with language, helping if necessary with turn taking, but allowing students the space and time to resolve their problems themselves. In these ways children are being given the tools with which to resolve conflict.

A fundamental principle in a Montessori Education is the belief that Peace can only be achieved through education. Maria Montessori stated that “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” Montessori schools teach peace both directly and indirectly. A goal is for children to have a wide view of the world, to appreciate diversity and to understand how they might be peace keepers in the outside world. Indirectly the skills of peace are taught through adult role modelling, through an organised environment where everything has its place, and through achieving inner peace. It is believed that a child first needs to be focused, calm and understand their own emotions and that from this inner peace will come peace with others. Students in a Montessori school are directly taught to consider the needs of others, for example by putting resources back in the right place and in the right order, by pushing their chairs in so that others do not need to walk around and do not trip.

Not letting children have problems is an obstacle to the development of peace. Jayne Simpson Treetops Montessori School

Conflict in a Montessori school is seen as an opportunity. At the earliest age children are helped with the language that they need to describe how they are feeling. They are helped to let others know how they are feeling. Then, as they become older it is not enough to just state “I feel angry” and move on; they need to be empowered to problem solve and make peace in a collaborative way.

Our Year 1 and 2 students are about to visit the Carrolup Aboriginal Art exhibition at Curtin University. Below are some of their written responses to hearing about the story of how the mediums of the natural environment and art helped these children to feel more peaceful and happy in upsetting circumstances. The Carrolup Story (Blake Year 1) At first the children were at home. Then they were stolen. They had only one set of clothes. Then Noel and Lily came. They got 2 or 3 sets of clothes. They got beds and quilts. They were famous because their art was amazing. The Carrolup children were happy because they were doing art. They had a sense of peace. They went for a bush walk. They had to remember things from the bush walk for art. A woman named Florence Rutter came to the mission. She took the paintings from the Carrolup Mission all around the world. She made the children famous. Florence Rutter died and passed the paintings to someone else. The paintings were gone. In 2004 the paintings were rediscovered. The paintings were returned to Noongar land. The Noongar people had a sense of peace when the paintings were returned to the Noongar people. The Carrolup Story (Alice Year 1) The Carrolup children used to live with their families, but then the government said to take the children from their families. The children were very sad. The government did not understand the Aboriginal life. Then Noel and Lily White came. Lily White taught the children how to wash and cook. She also made them clothes. When Noel and Lily White came, the children were a little bit happier. Noel saw a boy drawing in the bush. Noel decided to take all the children out for a bush walk. Then all the children did some art. The art was very good. Noel took the art to exhibitions in Katanning, Albany and Perth. The art became famous. Florence Rutter took the art all over the world. When the children were doing art they had a sense of peace. When people looked at the art they had a sense of peace. When Florence Rutter took the art to England she took it to the Queen. The children were famous because of their art. The Carrolup School was closed. The art stopped. The children were sent out to find their families. Some found their families, some didn’t. Some went to prison. Florence Rutter lost her money and had to sell the art to Herbert Mayer. When he died he donated it to a museum and it got forgotten. But then some people from Australia went to the museum and looked at the art. They knew it was the Carrolup children’s art. The museum donated the art back to the John Curtin Gallery on Noongar land. You can see the art in the gallery at the Curtin University. The children’s story is still famous today. Kevin Rudd apologised to The Stolen Generation in 2008. The Carrolup Art (Lucia Year 1) Once the Carrolup children used to live with their parents until a man or a woman took them away. It was very mean to do that. They arrived at the Carrolup Mission. They went to bed at 5 o’clock. The supervisors were not kind until Noel and Lily White arrived. Noel and Lily White were kind. Lily made clothes for the children.

When the children sung to Noel he stepped onto the verandah and cried because they were so good. At AFL they were famous because they were so good at art. Their parents would have been proud of them. Their art was so amazing. People thought that it wasn’t even done by the children. It was amazing because they did it as if is was real. Everything in the front was big and the trees at the back were small. I think they could be really good artists when they were older. Unfortunately, the school was shut down. The art was tucked away in an attic of a museum in New York. Then it was rediscovered and sent back to Noongar land in 2013. The Carrolup Story (Makayla Year 2) The Carrolup children were living with their mum and dad. The government didn’t understand the Aboriginal culture. The government took the children to the Carrolup Mission away from their mum and dad. The children were sad. Then Noel and Lily White came to the Carrolup Mission. The children were still sad. The children didn’t look at Noel and Lily White. Then Noel and Lily White saw one of the children drawing. Noel and Lily White took the children to look at the place and other living things in the bush. The children drew what they saw. The children became famous. Florence Rutter took the art around the world. The children became more famous. Unfortunately, Florence Rutter died. Florence gave the art to Herbert Mayer. But then he died and the art went to a New York Museum. It was forgotten. The children’s art work disappeared. Some people visited New York and found the art again in 2004. It gave the Aboriginal people some peace when the art came back to Noongar land in 2013. You can see the art at Curtin University now. The Carrolup Story (Ryder Year 2) The government decided to take all the children to the Carrolup Mission. The government didn’t understand the Aboriginal Culture. The government didn’t know it wasn’t nice to take the children. The children were crying and scared when they first got to the Carrolup Mission. The children felt happier when Noel and Lily White came. They liked Noel and Lily White. The children’s art was AMAZING. They had exhibitions of their art. Florence Rutter held exhibitions all around the world with the children’s art. Florence Rutter died and the art disappeared. It went into a New York art gallery. The art was forgotten. In 2004, someone from Perth visited the art gallery and the art was found. In 2013, the Noongar people had peace because the art returned to Noongar land.

The Peace Table The peace table is a table for resolving conflict at. It has a golden dove on it for turn taking and also ours has a Feng Shui garden that has a sand pit with a rake used for self‐calming. When someone feels overwhelmed, they are free to go to the peace table and use the rake on the sand until they feel peaceful. The golden dove symbolises peace and when there is an argument we hold it and take turns talking about our points of view and then we reach a compromise. Finally, we hold the dove together and say we declare peace. The table is located outside of our classroom on the balcony overlooking the playground. We use this table to resolve conflict amongst our peers. I have personally used the peace table to settle arguments about the fairness of our games that we play at lunch time. My best friend and I occasionally bicker and have used the peace table to solve our conflict and it allows us to get back to our games faster. I find the peace table works to solve our problems with everyone involved feeling good about the outcome. When I do not get along with my friends, we go to the peace table because when we both do not get our way we can argue. Sometimes when we argue we can say rude things to each other. When we go to the peace table and talk about the issues, we tend to understand what the other person is thinking, and we calm down and go back to playing. ‐ By C, C and A (Year 3/4)

Community Circle at Treetops In Karri, every Monday morning we sit down and do something we call Community Circle. In Community Circle we come together as a class where Katie tells us if there are any upcoming activities or events. We also have afternoon jobs so we find Community Circle a good time to sort out those as a class. For afternoon jobs we have a special chart to put our names on and that would be our job for the week. Sometimes it is at random but we mostly are able to pick our job. Part of why we call it Community Circle is so we can learn about every one as a class. How this works is two people get chosen to go in the middle of the Circle one person at a time so that we can ask questions about them. If that person feels uncomfortable or doesn't know the answer they do not have to answer. Everyone enjoys Community Circle because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fun way to learn about each other as a class and if there is a warning about something upcoming or a problem that we would need people to resolve it's also a perfect time to do that. By Elora (Year 5 Student) and Monique (Year 4 Student)

HELP INCREASE THE PEACE PROGRAM (HIPP) in schools The HIPP program in primary schools runs over two school days with the teacher present. Facilitators trained by the Alternatives to Violence Project are volunteers who hold a Working With Children card. The agenda for the two days of the Basic course includes discussions, small group exercises, role plays, games and other activities to encourage positive development in; Self Esteem Communication and Listening Co-operation and Team Building Conflict Resolution These themes are treated as building blocks in that order and most children find it a lot of fun. Early on the first day they give themselves a positive name which starts with the same sound as their first name e.g. Dynamic David, Kind Karen etc. Later on that day, a set of keys is introduced and each student gets a set for him or herself. There are five coloured keys each with a short message on it. Respect for self, Care for others, Expect the best, Working together for a non violent solution and Think before reacting. At the end of the workshop the students fill in an evaluation and receive a certificate. A large set of keys is presented to the class to stay on the wall as a constant reminder. Later in the year there is an Advanced course during which students learn to make decisions by consensus and using this strategy, they choose the theme that will be treated for the rest of the course. From the large group, 6 students are chosen to be trained as facilitators so that they can join the adult team the following year to present the workshop to the next class. ENDORSED SUBJECT for the WACE. A similar, but more adult program is run for students in years 10 and 11 at high school. By participating in the three levels and keeping a diary about conflict resolution, they gain one point for the WA Certificate of Education. Alternatives to Violence Project WA (inc)

Helena College Year 4 Assembly INTRODUCTION Lois:

Welcome to the Year 4 assembly item

Rosie: We completed a two day workshop on how to Help Increase the Peace. Lois: At the HIP workshop we learned some strategies that we can use to resolve conflicts without using violence. Rosie: We have been given five keys which we can use to Help Increase the Peace instead of making a problem worse. Lois: school.

We have prepared short skits to show how we can use the keys to solve arguments at 54

Blue Key : Respect yourself Scenario 1 – Child being bullied Reece: Respect yourself – Scenario 1 Violet (Imrie) and Louise (Matilda) are standing being mean about Lotti (Sian). Louise: Hey Violet. Did you see what Lotti was wearing to the dance last Friday? Violet: I know! Her dress was so babyish! Girls laugh. Lotti comes skipping along. Louise: Shhh! Here she comes now! Watch this! Louise trips Lotti over. She falls and cries out. Louise: I bet you’re gonna cry now aren’t you? Violet: Yeah she’s such a cry baby! Lotti looks sad, and runs off. She sits down alone and cries. Lotti: Why are they always picking on me? Is there something wrong with me? Reece: I can help you. You need to respect yourself. Keep me with you and I’ll help you. Let’s try that again. Play repeats from beginning but this time Lotti is followed by the key. Louise: I bet you’re gonna cry now aren’t you? Violet: Yeah she’s such a cry baby! Reece: Remember to respect yourself! Lotti: Hey girls. You need to stop that. I don’t like it. Imagine what you would feel like if you were being bullied. Louise and Violet look shocked because Lotti stood up for herself. Violet: Come on Louise, let’s go. Violet and Louise slink off in shame. Lotti: Respecting yourself means being assertive and standing up for yourself. Blue Key: Respect yourself Scenario 2 – Child having a negative mindset Reece: Respect yourself - Scenario 2 Jason (Brodee) is sitting in maths class struggling with angles. He has given up because he can’t remember which is which. Miss Abacus: Right class I’m going to hand back your test on angles. Miss Abacus (Danielle) mimes giving tests out. Miss Abacus: John, 7 out of 10. Susan, 9 out of 10. Bob, 10 out of 10, Jason 1 out of 10. Jason put his head in his hands and looks sad. Jason: I’ll never remember my angles. I’m hopeless. I give up. Reece: I can help you. You need to respect yourself by having a growth mindset. This time I’ll stay with you. Play repeats from here… Miss Abacus: John, 7 out of 10. Susan, 9 out of 10. Bob, 10 out of 10, Jason 1 out of 10. Reece: This time have a growth mindset. Think what you could try differently. Is there another way you could remember which angle is which? Jason pauses and thinks. Jason: I know! Acute angles are the small ones. I’m small and cute. So I can remember that small angles must be acute. Reece: There you go! Instead of being negative, you showed respect for yourself and tried another way!

Green Key: Think Before Reacting Scenario 1 – Running Race Gloating Harry: Think before reacting – Scenario 1 Rosie: Ready. Set. Go! Wow! Look at them fly. Mackenzie is about to win. But wait, here comes Charlotte… It’s Charlotte for the win! Mackenzie (Luna) and Charlotte (Summer) are running in a race. Mackenzie is about to win but then Charlotte overtakes her at the last second. Charlotte wins and puts her arms up in joy. Mackenzie looks upset and bends over hanging her head out of breath. Summer: Hey Luna. I won! How good was I? I’m so much faster than you hey?! Man it feels so good to be a winner. I guess you’ll never know what that feels like! Luna gets angry immediately. Luna: Yeah! Well you’re ugly and your breath stinks! Don’t talk to me again! Summer: Fine. I won’t. See if I care! Harry: Stop! If you react angrily you’ll never make peace! Take me with you this time. Play repeats. This time just as Mackenzie is about to get angry Harrison says… Harry: Wait. Take a breath and think before reacting. What could you do differently? Luna: I know. I’ll say something nice to her. You sure did run fast. You are such a good runner. Perhaps you could give me some tips sometime? Summer is shocked. She wasn’t expecting Luna to be kind. Summer: Oh. Yes. I suppose I could give you a hand. Hey you are a pretty good runner too. Let’s practise next recess? Luna: Sure! That’d be great. Harry: That’s better! By stopping and thinking before you reacted you were able to come up with a peaceful solution! Green Key : Think Before Reacting Scenario 2 – Accident knocking books over Harry: Think before reacting – Scenario 2 Ray is playing dodge ball with Macky. Mime the game. Ray: Dodge ball is awesome! Macky: It sure is. You can’t get me! Ray throws dodge ball and it hits Finlay, who drops her books. Fin gets angry immediately. Fin: Hey! Ray. You just ruined my library books. You’re so mean. I hate you. Ray: Yeah, well I’m glad because I hate you too! I’m never speaking to you again. Harry: Stop, stop, stop! If you get angry straight away you have no hope of making peace. I’ll stay with you this time. Play repeats but this time Harry stays with Fin. When Fin gets hit Harry says… Harry: Stop! Think! Take a deep breath. Do you think Ray threw the ball on purpose? Fin: Oh yeah! I should check. Goes to Ray to ask. Fin: Ray, the ball hit me and you knocked my books on the floor! Ray: I’m so sorry Fin. It was an accident. Let me help you pick them up! Harry: See! To help increase the peace you should always stop and think before reacting!

Yellow Key: Care for others Scenario 1 – Apologising when you’ve done the wrong thing. Anna: Care for others – Scenario 1 Isaac has hidden Cruz’ pencil case as a joke. He tells Ashton, Ehtan and Ryan to watch. Zac: Hey guys! I’m playing a trick on Craig. I’ve hidden his pencil case. Let’s watch him it’ll be funny. Craig hunts for his pencil case. Zac and the boys point and laugh and whisper to each other. Craig notices the boys sniggering at him and begins to get sad. Craig: Where is it? I don’t remember losing it. Craig bursts into tears. Zac: Grow up Cruz. It’s here! Anna: Stop Zac! That’s not peaceful. Try again and this time keep me with you. Play repeats but when Cruz bursts into tears Sienna says… Anna: This time Isaac you need to Care for others. You can see he’s upset. What would be the caring thing to do? Zac: Hey Craig. I’m sorry it was me that hid your pencil case. I did it as a joke and thought it would be funny. I didn’t mean to upset you. Craig: That’s okay Isaac. Please don’t play tricks on me again. I don’t really like them. Zac: No problems! Friends? Craig: Yup! Anna: To help increase the peace you need to be caring to other people. Yellow Key: Care for others (Sienna, Ashton, Ethan, Ryan) Scenario 2 – Excluding people Anna: Care for others – Scenario 2 The bell goes for recess. Charles and Mitch are talking together. John asks two other children if he can play with them. They refuse. Charles: Do you wanna play handball? Mitch: Yeah that’d be great. John: Hey guys. Can I play? Charles and Mitch look at each other like they don’t really want John to play. Charles: Nah we’ve already decided we’re playing together. John: But you said that yesterday too. Mitch: Well we’ve got rules that you don’t know. So you couldn’t play anyway. John is sad. John: Okay. Anna: Hey that wasn’t very kind. Start over. Play repeats but when Charles says, “Nah we’ve already decided we’re playing together.” Anna says… Anna: Now Mitch, what could you do to be caring? Mitch: Hang on Charles. John is good fun. Let’s teach him the rules and take turns in the game. The more the merrier! Charles: Yeah that’s true. Okay then. They both beckon John over to join in to play their game. John looks happy. Anna: To help increase the peace you need to be caring. 57

Red Key: Work together for a non-violent way Scenario: Dodge Ball – someone gets hit but doesn’t think they are out Shirl: Work together for a non-violent way Students playing dodge ball. Dan throws the ball at Lana. Lana: Missed me! Dan: No! It hit your leg. Lana: Nope. I would have felt it! Aaron: No! I saw it brush your shorts. I say that still counts as a hit. Lana: No way it didn’t touch me at all. Dan: Lana it definitely hit you! Lana: I would know if it hit me. Simon: We all think it hit you. All: Yeah! Lana: Well I don’t. I’m not out. Dan: It’s no fun playing with you Lana. You never admit you’re out. Aaron: You’re out Lana! Simon ditches ball at Lana really hard from close up. Lana: Ouch! That hurt! Simon: Well you’re definitely out now! Lana goes over to Simon and pushes him over. Shirl jumps in to help Simon and pushes Lana over. Shirl: Stop! To help create peace you need to work together for a non-violent way. Let’s try that again! Play repeats but this time after everyone says, “Yeah!” Shirl says… Shirl: Right Lana. What is more important, winning or having fun? Try working with the group. Lana: Okay, I thought it missed me but I could have been wrong. I’ll sit out. Aaron: Good on you Lana! Simon: Perhaps we make the rules clear. If it touches your clothes you are still out. Dan: Or maybe we could have a referee to help with tricky decisions. Lana: Good idea guys. I’d like that. Aaron: Perfect. Let’s play! Shirl: Work together for a non-violent way is all about talking instead of fighting to solve our disagreements.

Black Key : Expect the best Scenario: Peer pressure to do the wrong thing Harris: Expect the best Year 4 kids are playing in their base. Kim: This is the best cubby we have ever made! Henry: Yeah, we worked so hard on it! Kim: We just need one more thing! Henry: What? Kim: Wouldn’t it be good if we built a Theatre Room too? Henry: But we don’t have any sticks left! Kim: We could take some from the Year 3 cubby! Henry: I’m not so sure. Kim Yeah come on. What are you a scaredy cat? Henry: Okay I’ll do it but only if you don’t call me names. Henry and Kim go off and steal sticks from Year 3 cubby. Year 3s come back to discover their broken cubby. Dolly: Oh no! Look at our cubby! Alia: Someone had stolen our sticks. Lois: Who would do such a thing? Dolly: The kitchen has been destroyed. Alia: Never mind the sticks! They’ve taken our Thermomix! Year 3 walk over to Year 4s to confront them. Dolly: You stole our sticks! Alia: Give them back! Lois: Now! Or else! Kim: Well you weren’t using your cubby. Henry: It was Kim’s idea! Lois: We don’t care. They are our sticks! Dolly / Alia / Lois: Give them back! The children have a fight over the sticks. Harris: Stop Fighting! Try that again but this time keep me with you. (He holds the black key) Play restarts but stops when Kim says, “We could take some from the Year 3 cubby.” Then Harris says… Harris: Okay Henry time to use the key. You need to expect the best from yourself and your friends. Henry: Hang on Kim. We are better than that. It wouldn’t be nice to just take them. The right thing to do is to ask first. Kim: Okay. Go over to Year 3s. Kim: Hey guys. We ran out of sticks. Would we be able to use some of yours? Alia: Sure we have a pile over here we haven’t used yet. Dolly: You can use those! Thanks for asking! Harris: See, much better. To help increase the peace you need to expect the best from yourselves and others. 59

Organisations Involved: UN Association of Australia (WA) Mayors for Peace Treetops Montessori School Helena College Darlington Primary School

Bahá’í Community of Mundaring Darlington Review Swan Harmony Singers St Cuthberts Anglican Church Quakers

Alternatives to Violence Project Universal Great Brotherhood Drone kindly supplied by Parky Pictures

Further information: Sally Herzfeld: sallyherzfeld@ozemail.com.au Manita Beskow: mani1@iinet.net.au Websites: Peace One Day: https://www.peaceday2020.com/events/peace-one-day/ International Day of Peace: https://internationaldayofpeace.org/

WHEN A THOUGHT OF WAR COMES, OPPOSE IT BY A STRONGER THOUGHT OF PEACE BAHA'U'LLAH

DARLINGON BAHA'I CHILDREN'S CLASS CARES ABOUT

PEACE! LOVE IS GREATER THAN PEACE, FOR PEACE IS FOUNDED UPON LOVE ABDU'L BAHA