Lessons We Can Learn from Peacemakers in the 5th Grade

I am serving as a volunteer mentor this winter in a special program called SPAVA that allows me to share non-violent conflict resolution skills with 5th graders at Bates elementary school in Louisville. You can find details about SPAVA (and volunteer for the program) at http://www.spava.us/.

One young student in my class shared an idea with me last week that I found deeply moving and full of creativity well beyond the years of this young person.

I had given my 29 students a take home assignment. I asked them to think of a major problem in the world that they would like to solve and then describe a machine that they would create to address that problem.

Wonderful ideas were shared by these 5th graders about how to eliminate hunger, cure diseases, and provide housing for everyone in the world, but one idea in particular grabbed my attention. It related to anger.

Anger is one of the major problems for students in our public schools. Probably all students feel anger. In fact we tell them it's ok to feel angry. But these fifth graders (like the rest of us) get into trouble when they respond to their anger by acting impulsively, without thinking.

So we teach them how to use a method pioneered by SPAVA called STAR.

In the STAR method students take 4 key steps to solving their problems non-violently these are:

S STOP! Cool down so you don’t do something impulsive that you
may regret later. Take a deep breath and count to 5 or do something else that works for you.
T THINK! What is the real problem? What are your choices? Ask about each choice: Does it respect everyone? Will it work? Pick your best choice.
A ACT! Carry out your best choice.
R REVIEW! Ask yourself, “Did it work? If it did, great! If it didn't, try another choice.

The students hadn't yet learned the STAR method when I gave them the assignment to address a major problem in the world. In spite of that, one young woman came up with an idea that was a perfect reflection of what we hope for through STAR.

She shared with me and members of her class that destructive anger was the problem she wanted to eliminate. She "invented" a machine that would sense your anger and turn it into beautiful music that would soothe you and calm you down. I love that idea. And I wish we had more inventors like my young friend.

And again, here is a link to information about SPAVA. I hope you will become a mentor in this brilliant program.

http://www.spava.us/

Let's Observe Gandhi's 140th Birthday in a Special Way

My group, Interfaith Paths to Peace is doing an event on Friday at noon in downtown Louisville asking people to stop using words as 'weapons of mass destruction."

We will mark the occasion from 12:10 p.m. o 1 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral (in Bishops Hall) 425 South Second Street in Louisville, by lighting candles and reflecting on non-violence and especially the need to stop using words as "weapons of mass destruction" as we have seen in the media so much lately. The event is free and open to the public.

Here are the details:

On Friday, October 2, 2009 (Mohandas Gandhi's birthday), Interfaith Paths to Peace in cooperation with a number of other local organizations will host a special noontime observance of International Day of Non-violence. This special ceremony will be held from 12:10 p.m. until 1 p.m. in Bishops Hall at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral at 425 South Second Street in Louisville.

The observance will consist of a lighting of candles and a silent reflection on the urgent need for each of us to disarm ourselves from the violent and hurtful language we often use in dealing with each other, especially in light of recent news about hate language and personally abusive words being used in the public arena.

Those present for the observance will be invited to take an annually renewable vow of non-violence that includes a pledge to disarm from the use of violent language in dealing with others. The event will conclude with a special Tibetan Chant for Non-Violence vocalized by the Venerable Geshe Sangay Gyatso, Louisville's resident Tibetan monk.

Event organizer Terry Taylor, Executive Director of Louisville-based Interfaith Paths to Peace, says, "

At a time when civility has seemingly disappeared from our public discourse on important issues, the need for a declaration of a verbal "cease fire" is imperative. And I can think of no better time to focus on that urgent need than Gandhi's birthday, the day that is observed around the world as the International Day of Non-Violence."

About the International Day of Non-Violence.

The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness." The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence."

Introducing the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Anand Sharma, said that the wide and diverse sponsorship of the resolution was a reflection of the universal respect for Mohandas Gandhi and of the enduring relevance of his philosophy. Quoting the late Mohandas Gandhi.

Let's stop using words as weapons of mass destruction.

Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can and do hurt us.

So, let's stop using words as weapons of mass destruction.

On October 2, (International Day of Non-Violence) IPP and a number of local groups will call upon people to stop over the noon hour and reflect on the way we use our voices and our words to hurt other people. We will ask everyone to take a vow of non-violence that includes refraining from the violent use of language. (See description at the end of this document).

If you can't join us on October 2, I urge you to join me in taking time to confront the verbal violence in our own lives. Take an hour at noon to do this. If you can't reflect on this at noon, choose another time. But do take the time. It's very important.

The need for such reflection and such a vow is becoming clearer every day as our public discussions about important issues becomes more and more heated, filled with vitriol, hate speech and sadly even racism. This must stop on all sides. Whether hateful, violent speech is used against President Obama or former President George W. Bush, we urgently need to declare a ceasefire, and return our discussions to ideas rather than hatred.

The same is true in our personal lives. Many people who espouse non-violence and would never think of shooting or stabbing someone, let alone bombing them, won't hestitate to drop "the F bomb" in shouting matches with others, inclding people who are supposed to be our loved ones.

The Urgent Need for Verbal Non-Violence
Will be the Focus of an Oct 2 Noon-time Observance of
International Day of Non-Violence

On Friday, October 2, 2009 (Mahatma Gandhi's birthday), Interfaith Paths to Peace in cooperation with a number of other local organizations will host a special noontime observance of International Day of Non-violence. This special ceremony will be held from 12:10 p.m. until 1 p.m. in Bishops Hall at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral at 425 South Second Street in Louisville.

The observance will consist of a lighting of candles and a silent reflection on the urgent need for each of us to disarm ourselves from the violent and hurtful language we often use in dealing with each other, especially in light of recent news about hate language and personally abusive words being used in the public arena. Those present for the observance will be invited to take an annually renewable vow of non-violence that includes a pledge to disarm from the use of violent language in dealing with others. The event will conclude with a special Tibetan Chant for Non-Violence vocalized by the Venerable Geshe Sangay Gyatso, Louisville's resident Tibetan monk.

Co-sponsors for the event include the United Nations Association of Louisville, St. William and St. Agnes Catholic Churches, Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, Louisville's Drepung Gomang (Tibetan Buddhist) Institute, the Peace and Justice Division of the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky, Iranians for Peace, Our1Planet, and the Louisville Chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation..

Event organizer Terry Taylor, Executive Director of Louisville-based Interfaith Paths to Peace, says, "At a time when civility has seemingly disappeared from our public discourse on important issues, the need for a declaration of a verbal "cease fire" is imperative. And I can think of no better time to focus on that urgent need than Gandhi's birthday, the day that is observed around the world as the International Day of Non-Violence."

About the International Day of Non-Violence.

The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness." The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence."

Introducing the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Anand Sharma, said that the wide and diverse sponsorship of the resolution was a reflection of the universal respect for Mahatma Gandhi and of the enduring relevance of his philosophy. Quoting the late leader’s own words, he said: "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man."