PEACeXCELS

MODULE 1

Cultivate Peace in Oneself

and Champion the Cause
of Peace in Schools

Second Edition

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization

Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology
Second Edition

SEAMEO INNOTECH
Copyright © by SEAMEO INNOTECH
All rights reserved. Published 2011
Printed in the Philippines

ISBN 978-971-0487-49-3

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed

in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without prior written permission of
SEAMEO INNOTECH.

www.seameo-innotech.org
www.innotech.org

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this document are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views or policies of SEAMEO INNOTECH. The Center does not guarantee the source, originality,
accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation,
advice, opinion, or view presented, nor does it make any representation concerning the same. Use of
this material is limited to PEACeXCELS Flexible Learning Course.
Contents
What Is This Module About? ............................................................................... 1
What Will You Learn? ........................................................................................... 3
Flow of Instruction ................................................................................................ 5
What Do You Already Know? ............................................................................. 7
Feedback ................................................................................................................. 9
How Do You Rate Yourself? ................................................................................ 10

Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict ....................................... 13

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 13

What Will You Learn? ...................................................................................... 14
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.1) ............................................................................. 15
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 18
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 19
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 21
Let’s Read: A Conflict of Interests ................................................................... 22
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.2) .............................................................................. 24
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 25
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 25
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 26
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict ................................................................... 29
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict through Avoidance ............................... 30
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 31
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict through Aggression .............................. 32
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 33
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict through Problem-Solving .................... 34
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 35
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.3) .............................................................................. 36
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 36
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 37
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 38
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 39
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 40
Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 41
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.4) .............................................................................. 42
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 44
 Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 44
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.5) .............................................................................. 45
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 46
Let’s Read: Structural Violence ....................................................................... 48
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 49
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.6) .............................................................................. 50
Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 51
How Much Have You Learned? ...................................................................... 51
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 54

Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace ......................................... 55

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 55

What Will You Learn? ...................................................................................... 56
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.1) ............................................................................. 56
Let’s Read: Stereotypes ..................................................................................... 58
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 59
Let’s Study: The Schoolyard Brawl ................................................................. 62
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.2) .............................................................................. 64
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 66
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 66
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.3) .............................................................................. 67
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 68
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 68
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.4) .............................................................................. 69
Let’s Read: The Effects of Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice ................. 71
Let’s Study: Critical Incident ........................................................................... 73
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 75
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 76
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 77
Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 78
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 83
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 84
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 85
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.5) .............................................................................. 86
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.6) .............................................................................. 88
Let’s Read: Criteria of Teaching-Learning Environments that Promote
Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity ............................................. 89
 Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 91
How Much Have You Learned? ...................................................................... 92
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 93

Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and

Respect for Cultural Diversity ......................................................... 94

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 94

What Will You Learn? ...................................................................................... 95
Let’s Try This (Activity 3.1) ............................................................................ 95
Let’s Read: Conditions that Prevent the Building of
a Culture of Peace ..................................................................................... 97
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 99
Let’s Try This (Activity 3.2) .............................................................................. 100
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 102
Let’s Study: Global Festival Spawns New Hope for Peace
in Mindanao Region ................................................................................. 103
Let’s Try This (Activity 3.3) .............................................................................. 106
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 107
Let’s Read: Integrating Peace Education into the
Teaching-Learning Experience ............................................................... 109
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 110
Let’s Read: Building a Culture of Peace in School ........................................ 110
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 114
Let’s Read: Schema of Knowledge, Skills, Values/Attitudes
for Peace Education .................................................................................. 115
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 117
Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 118
How Much Have You Learned? ...................................................................... 119
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 120
Let’s Sum Up .................................................................................................... 120
How Much Have You Learned? .................................................................... 122
Feedback ............................................................................................................ 124
How Do You Rate Yourself Now? ................................................................ 125
Let’s Apply What You’ve Learned (Module 1 Assignment) .................... 126
Key to Correction ............................................................................................ 129
Suggested Readings and Websites ............................................................... 146
Glossary ........................................................................................................... 147
References ........................................................................................................ 148
Annex A ........................................................................................................... 150
What Is This Module About?
If you dream of living in a world where people of different cultural
backgrounds build a better future together, you are not alone. There are
many people around the world who are making an effort to create peaceful
environments in their homes, schools and communities. Many of these
agents of peace are also school heads like you. They have recognized that
they play an important role in building peace and respect for cultural
diversity. In fact, developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural
diversity is one of the critical and essential competencies that school heads
in Southeast Asia need to develop. It has been identified as a critical skill
for Southeast Asian school administrators comprising the 15th competency
strand of the Competency Framework for Southeast Asian School Heads
developed by SEAMEO INNOTECH and validated by the eleven member-
countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
(SEAMEO).

As a school head, you can play an important part in bringing peace to the
world through your school. The school is an effective place to introduce
the concept of working together to build a future of peace because peace
concepts can be integrated into many dimensions of the teaching-learning
process. Building peace and respect for cultural diversity also helps fulfill
one of the four pillars of education – Learning to Live Together – identified
by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization or
UNESCO. As a leader, you are in a unique position to provide guidance
and to be an example to both your teachers and your students, and help
them learn how to live together.

To this end, SEAMEO INNOTECH has developed the flexible learning

course PEACeXCELS – Peace Education Excellence in School Leadership for
Southeast Asia. This course is composed of two self-instructional modules:
Module 1 (this module you are now studying), Cultivate Peace in Oneself
and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools, and Module 2, Promote
Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity in Schools and Communities.
This first module aims to enable school heads like you to develop a sense of
peace and respect for cultural diversity within yourself, and to equip you
with competencies for championing peace in your school and community.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 1

 When we think of peace, we usually think of a situation where there is
fighting. While that may be part of what it means to have peace, there are
many dimensions to peace. In this module, you will examine the different
dimensions of peace and violence, and relate them to the situation in your
own school. You will learn about different forms of violence and conflict,
and how these can disrupt harmony in the school and community and even
lead to more serious forms of conflict. With the knowledge you have about
conflict and violence, you can assess your own school and determine what
needs to be done to build a good foundation for understanding among
individuals of different genders, cultural backgrounds, and perspectives.
This involves change, and you can lead that change more effectively when
you have a comprehensive definition of peace guiding your vision.

Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your

school is challenging because, to make it happen, you need not only the
support of your teachers and students but also the help of people in the
community. Parents, community leaders, and the local government unit in
your area comprise the other groups that you should connect with to help
you achieve this goal. This module will introduce techniques and strategies
to help you succeed in developing a culture of peace in your school. It will
help you become a more effective peace agent by helping you develop a
new perspective on peace and cultural diversity. With the right tools, you
can examine your own perceptions of others and learn how to build the
defenses of peace through the effective management of conflict.

You can take an active role in developing a culture of peace in your school
and sow the seeds of peace through your words, thoughts, and actions.
If we can all work together in peace and harmony, we can build a better
future through the elimination or reduction of poverty, discrimination,
and other causes of conflict and violence. As school head, you can make
a significant contribution to this goal. First, you must look at your own
values and beliefs and assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a
peace agent. Next, you must be conscious of your own perceptions of
others and how these can influence your words and actions when dealing
with people from different cultural groups. Finally, you must begin to
plant the seeds of peace and respect for cultural diversity in those around

2 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

you. By developing a culture of peace within yourself and sharing it with
others, you can create a foundation in which everyone works together to
achieve a vision of peace that is shared by all.

What Will You Learn?

At the end of this module, you should be able to develop a sense of peace
and respect for cultural diversity in yourself. By doing this, you should be
prepared to take the first steps in developing a culture of peace and respect
for cultural diversity in your school. Specifically, you should be able to:

• Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

• Describe the different forms of violence that are present in your
school or community.
• Describe an effective method for resolving conflict at both the
personal and structural level.
• Develop strategies for protecting and promoting human rights in
school.
• Describe what you can do to challenge and address poverty in your
school.
• Develop strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for
diversity within yourself and among the teachers and students in
your school.
• Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.
• Describe the schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are
integral to peace education.
• Identify your own strengths and areas for growth to become a
champion of peace in your school and in your community.

This module has three lessons that will help you prepare to lead in the
building of a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your
school. Each of the lessons will help you achieve the specific instructional
objectives above through a series of activities, reflections, and guided
instruction. The three lessons in this module are:

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 3

 Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict

In this lesson, you will examine how you perceive and manage conflict
in your life. You will learn about how conflict can exist in different forms
and how it can lead to serious situations like divisions between groups of
people, violence, and armed conflict. You will also learn why a respect for
others’ rights is an important aspect in building a culture of peace. Finally,
you will examine your own perceptions and attitudes towards the causes
and effects of poverty and describe what you can do to challenge economic
inequity as part of your efforts to build a culture of peace in yourself and
your school.

Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace

In this lesson, you will examine your own personal background and identify
the values and beliefs that guide you. You will also examine how your
stereotypes and prejudices can affect your thoughts, words, and actions
towards members of other cultural groups. You will learn about the effects
of prejudice and discrimination, and why school heads like you need to
challenge these if you want to be effective peace agents. Finally, you will
use these concepts to develop strategies to promote a culture of tolerance
and respect in the school setting and beyond.

Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity

In this lesson, you will use the insights gained from the first two lessons
in developing your own vision of peace and respect for cultural diversity
for your school. This lesson will also prepare you for the next module by
presenting models and frameworks for peace education, which you can
apply to your own school. Finally, you will be given the chance to assess
your own strengths and weaknesses as a champion of peace in your school
and identify the areas you need to focus on.

4 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Flow of Instruction
The flow of instruction for this module begins with a focus on your own
attitudes and perceptions towards conflict, prejudice, and discrimination.
The module will allow you the opportunity to become more conscious
about how your values and beliefs can affect how you relate to others. You
may discover that your thoughts, words or actions may either promote or
hinder the development of a culture of peace in yourself and your school.
After examining yourself, you will be introduced to concepts of peace
education and will be given the opportunity to apply these concepts in
sowing the seeds of peace in your school.

Lesson Focus Topic

1. Cultivating • Perceptions and • Examining conflict

Peace and attitudes towards and finding
Managing conflict, its causes, effective methods
Conflict and its effective to manage it
management • Constructing the
defenses of peace
by examining the
causes and effects
of war and armed
conflict
• Role the school head • Protecting and
plays in promoting promoting human
and protecting rights
human rights and in • Challenging
challenging economic economic inequity
inequity as part of the
effort to promote
peace

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 5

 Lesson Focus Topic

2. When I Respect • Respect for • Understanding

Others, I individuals from our attitudes
Promote Peace diverse cultural towards others
backgrounds by examining
our personal
background
• Stereotypes and • Biases, stereotypes,
prejudices that and their effect on
can result in our relations with
discrimination others
• Eliminating
• Need to challenge prejudice and
prejudice and dis- discrimination
crimination in order
to effectively build
peace and under-
standing in the school

3. Sowing the • Overview of the com- • The different

Seeds of Peace prehensive meaning forms of violence
and Respect of peace and violence
for Cultural • Introduction to • Developing a
Diversity peace education- one comprehensive
pathway to sowing definition of peace
the seeds of peace and
respect for cultural
diversity
• Role the school head • Peace education
plays in encouraging as a pathway to
the adoption of peace
knowledge, skills,
and values integral to
peace education
• Approaches that • Examining your
the school heads strengths and
can apply to their weaknesses as a
particular school champion of peace
setting

6 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

What Do You Already Know?
To find out how much you already know about the subject matter discussed
in this module, try to answer the following questions. Write your answers
on the spaces provided below.

1. Describe three approaches in dealing with conflict.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Which of these three approaches is considered the most effective method?

Why is it an effective method for resolving conflicts?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. As school head, how can you promote and protect others’ rights in
school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 7

 4. What are some ways you can address poverty in your school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

5. Why is it important for you to develop a mindset of peace and respect

for cultural diversity in your own life before you help others achieve
this mindset?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

7. Describe the schema of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that are

integral to peace education.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

8 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by
identifying your own strengths and areas for growth.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
You can check your answers with those found in the Key to Correction on
page 129-132.

How did you fare? Your answers may not be exactly worded as those in
the Key to Correction, but as long as the ideas are similar, give yourself a
point for each. If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s excellent!
It means you already know the subject matter very well. You may continue
to study this module to review familiar concepts and gain new insights
as well. If you missed some of the items, the more you need to study the
module to enhance your competencies as a leader in promoting peace
within yourself and in your school.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 9

 How Do You Rate Yourself?
Self-Rating Competency Checklist

Directions: The checklist below contains a list of competencies covered in

this module. For each competency, there are four possible levels of mastery
(Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, Expert). You will use this matrix to rate your
level of mastery of each competency prior to studying the module (PRE), and
after you complete the module (POST). For each competency, place a check
mark (p) under the appropriate “PRE” column which best describes your level
of mastery prior to studying the lessons of the module. You will place a check
mark (p) under the appropriate “POST” column when you have completed
the module. Comparing your two self-ratings on the PRE and POST columns
will later tell you whether you have improved your competency level.

I cannot I am I can do this I can

do this learning how but I need to do this
yet to do this learn more very well
COMPETENCY (Novice) (Apprentice) and improve (Expert)
(Practitioner)

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

1. Give a
comprehensive
definition of
peace.

2. Describe the
different forms
of violence that
are present in
my school and
community.
3. Describe an
effective method
for resolving
conflict at both
the personal and
structural level.

10 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 I cannot I am I can do this I can
do this learning how but I need to do this
yet to do this learn more very well
COMPETENCY (Novice) (Apprentice) and improve (Expert)
(Practitioner)

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

4. Develop
strategies for
protecting and
promoting
human rights in
school.
5. Describe what
can be done to
challenge and
address poverty
in school.
6. Develop
strategies to
build a culture
of peace and
respect for
diversity within
myself and
among the
teachers and
students in
school.
7. Explain
how peace
education can
be a pathway to
peace.
8. Describe the
schema of
knowledge, skills,
and attitudes that
are integral to
peace education.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 11

 I cannot I am I can do this I can
do this learning how but I need to do this
yet to do this learn more very well
COMPETENCY (Novice) (Apprentice) and improve (Expert)
(Practitioner)

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

9. Identify my
own strengths
and areas for
growth to become
a champion of
peace in my
school and
community.

How did you fare? Which competencies do you need to develop further?
Keep them in mind as you study the module.

Are you ready to begin your journey towards championing the cause of
peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school? The road ahead is
full of challenges, but this module will help you overcome those challenges
by providing you with concepts and tools to guide you in this new role.

The first lesson will focus on your own attitudes and perceptions of conflict,
violence, and their causes and effects. In this lesson, you should be prepared
to take an honest look at your own beliefs and opinions. As you study this
lesson, you may discover that some of your opinions and beliefs might
actually hinder you from living the values of peace. You are not alone.
Everyone needs to examine himself or herself and be open to change. As
long as you are open to new perspectives and are willing to make changes
in your perceptions and values, then you are ready to become a peace agent.

Before you begin this module, close your eyes and think about what it
would be like if you could make your school a center of peace in your
community. Then, think about the powerful role you can play as school
head in making this dream a reality. Finally, take a deep breath and open
your eyes.

Now, let’s begin!

12 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 LESSON

1
Cultivating Peace and
Managing Conflict

What Is This Lesson About?

“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the
universe.”
- Marcus Aurelius

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to
remake the world- that is the myth of the ‘atomic age’ - as in being able
to remake ourselves.
- Mahatma Gandhi

The two quotations above were made by men who lived two thousand
years apart. Marcus Aurelius lived in the first century, while Mahatma
Gandhi lived in the twentieth century. However, you might have noticed
that there is a common theme in both sayings. Both sayings relate to the
importance of remaking one’s self before you can begin remaking others
and the world. As school head, you are in a position to touch many lives.
In your leadership role you provide guidance to your school as you set
an example in your words and actions. Think about what Gandhi says
concerning the potential to remake ourselves. Revolutionary changes in the
world are not solely made by technology – they are also made by people
who have discovered that they can be the change they wish to see in the
world and that they can make a difference.

This lesson will focus on your own preparations towards becoming an agent
of peace. Before you lead efforts to create a culture of peace in your school,
you will have to think about your own actions, perceptions, thoughts,
and feelings about peace and conflict. You must learn how to deal with
conflict effectively and be conscious of the roots and effects of conflict in
both your school and the community. With this understanding, you can
become a more effective agent of peace. You can also lead your school more

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 13

 effectively towards the achievement of a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity.

In this lesson, you will examine your attitudes and perceptions towards
conflict and how you manage conflict in your daily life. You will also learn
about the different ways you can manage conflict and determine which
one is the most effective. You will also learn how the concepts of violence,
human rights violations, and poverty are connected, and how they hinder
efforts to create peace. You will examine your own perceptions of war
and armed conflict, and learn how these can have roots in poverty or the
violation of human rights. This lesson also gives you the opportunity to
think about how you can build peace by protecting and promoting human
rights and by challenging and addressing economic inequity in your school
and community.

Before you begin, think about the vision of peace that you thought of before
you started this lesson. With that vision in mind and an openness to new
ideas and insights, you will surely gain much from this lesson.

What Will You Learn?

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Assess your own perceptions and attitudes towards interpersonal

conflict.
• Identify your current interpersonal conflict resolution style.
• Explain why dialogue should be the preferred method in resolving
conflicts in both the personal and structural levels.
• Assess your perceptions and attitudes toward war and armed
conflict.
• Identify how you might violate the rights of others in your words,
thoughts, and actions.
• Recommend strategies for protecting and promoting human rights
in school.
• Assess your own perceptions and attitudes toward poverty.
• Describe the role you can play in challenging economic inequity
within the context of the school and its environment.

14 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.1)
For this activity, you will need a pen or pencil, paper, and your learning
journal. You will be asked to answer a few questions and write down your
insights from the activity in your journal.

As school head, you have most likely encountered many situations of

conflict. Conflict is described as the hostility or antagonism towards another
due to a difference in ideas, interests, desires, or needs. The situations of
conflict you have experienced may have involved teachers, students, or
even parents and members of the community. In many of these situations,
it is likely that you had to mediate between two parties in conflict. You
may have also been directly involved in other conflicts. In each situation,
you made a choice to handle the conflict in a particular manner.

For this activity, think about several instances of conflict you have
experienced in your life as school head, and list them down on a sheet of
paper. Include the situations in which you were directly involved in the
conflict and situations where you had to mediate between two parties. For
each situation, answer the following questions:

(a) How would you describe the conflict?

(b) How serious was the conflict?
(c) What was the cause of the conflict?
(d) What were the effects?
(e) Who was involved?
(f ) Was it resolved? If so, how was it resolved?

An example of what you might write down is given below:

Description of the conflict

About a year a go I experienced conflict with the parent of a student

who wanted the school to hold a graduation party even if this meant
that each student would have to contribute a certain amount. Although
I agreed that the idea was a good one, that particular parent was asking
me to hold the party in a restaurant that she owned, and that she would

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 15

 give a packaged price. I agreed to the party, but I wanted to hold it in
the school to save on costs. However, the parent was very persistent
about holding the party in the restaurant.

Gravity of the conflict

The conflict was quite serious because when I did not immediately
agree to having the party in the restaurant, the parent began saying
negative things about the school and my leadership style to her friends
in the community. She also threatened not to contribute anything to the
party if it was not held in her restaurant.

Cause of the conflict

The conflict was because one parent wanted the party to be held in one
venue, but I was interested in finding a venue that would have the least
financial burden on the students.

Effects of the conflict

The conflict threatened the holding of the party because one parent
may have caused others to withdraw support and resources from the
party. The goal was to hold an activity for all the students, and if some
parents did not want to participate, the students would not have been
able to celebrate together.

Who were involved?

The parties involved in the conflict were myself and the parent.

Resolution of the conflict

The conflict was resolved when I asked the parents of all the students
to come to school to discuss the party. I told them that one parent had
suggested this good idea, and that there were a number of venues to
choose from. First, we discussed the alternatives, and then we looked
at how much each alternative would cost. After some discussion, the
parent who owned the restaurant offered the venue at a much lower
cost, and the parents offered to contribute some food and drinks. By
discussing the issue, we were able to find the best solution for everyone.

16 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

In the example above, we examined a conflict situation and how one might
have dealt with that conflict. We described the conflict and determined
its causes and effects. We also examined how we might have dealt with
the conflict and what the results of our actions might have been. In the
example above, the approach to the conflict was constructive, and finding
the solution involved each of the concerned parties. There may have been
other options in dealing with this conflict. These options may have also
resolved the conflict, or they may have deepened the conflict. Can you
think of other courses of action that may have resulted in a deepening of
the conflict? Can you think of the different ways in which you have dealt
with conflict in your own life? In which cases did your course of action
resolve the conflict and in which cases did it deepen the conflict?

Think about past conflicts that you have experienced. What was the cause
and effect of the conflict, and how did you deal with it? What can you say
about the effect of the different approaches to conflict that you have tried
in your life? Write down the insights you have gained in your learning
journal.

As you were thinking about the conflict situations in your life, you probably
realized that conflicts can come in many forms. They can also vary in terms
of their effects on people. By thinking about the conflicts in your life, you
can think about the choices that you make in dealing with them. We will
discuss the different ways you can manage conflict later in the lesson.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 17

 Let’s Think About This
Reflect on the stories that you wrote down in the previous activity. To guide
your reflection, answer the following questions below. You can write your
answers on the spaces provided after each question.

(a) Do you see any general pattern in the cause of each conflict?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(b) Can you determine how you usually deal with conflicts based on the
ones that you identified?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

(c) If some of the conflicts you identified have not yet been resolved, why
do you think do they remain unresolved?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

18 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

(d) If you were given a second chance, is there anything that you would do
differently in the way you managed each of the conflict situations you
identified?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Feedback
Were you able to reflect on each of the questions? Did you gain any
new insights into the roots of conflict and how you personally manage
conflict?

Compare your answers with those written below. Your answers may
differ from these, or you may have other ideas that are not reflected here.
Discuss your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor and co-learners
for additional feedback.

(a) Do you see any general pattern in the cause of each conflict?

Conflicts usually arise when two parties have different in ideas, needs,
or interests that they cannot reconcile. Many times, conflicts begin when
parties cannot agree on something, or hold strong, divergent opinions on
an issue. In the school setting, disagreements over policies and school
management may often result in conflict, especially when one or both
parties have difficulty communicating with one another. For example,
teachers may refuse to accept the adoption of peace education strategies in
the classroom for fear that this will require additional work. If this remains
unresolved, the division between the teachers and the school head may
worsen, leading to a failure of the peace education program.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 19

 (b) Can you determine how you usually deal with conflicts based on the ones that
you identified?

Looking at the conflicts that you identified, you must have noted that you
can deal with conflicts in many ways. Was there an instance, for example,
when students were sent to your office because they were caught copying
from one another during an exam? What did you tell the students? How
did you handle the teacher who might have harshly scolded the students
before the whole class, and threatened to give failing marks in that subject?
Some of the approaches you used in these situations may have effectively
resolved the conflict. On the other hand, some methods of dealing with
conflicts may result in a worsening of relations between the parties, and the
conflicts remained unresolved.

You can choose to avoid conflict, to become aggressive and antagonistic

towards the other party, or to seek dialogue and find a solution that will
benefit all. Each method of dealing with conflict has certain implications
that could help or hinder the resolution of the conflict in a constructive way.
As school head, you must determine the best approach to dealing with
conflict, since you are seen as a leader and an example by both teachers and
students alike. If a heated debate between two parents or between a parent
and a teacher occurs during the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting,
you should be able to effectively manage that conflict. Determining the
most appropriate way to resolve a conflict in a manner that creates trust
and understanding between two parties is a critical skill all school heads
must possess.

(c) If some of the conflicts you identified have not yet been resolved, why do you
think do they remain unresolved?

There are many reasons why conflicts remain unresolved even if one or
both parties make an effort to end the conflict. Many times, conflicts can
persist because the methods used by each party are not considerate of the
needs and concerns of the other party. Fear, anger, and pride are some of
the strong emotions that can affect the willingness of each party to dialogue.
When conflicts go unresolved for long periods of time, deep divisions
between the parties may develop, and this may make it more difficult to
resolve the conflict. At school, a conflict between groups of students or
between two teachers may remain unresolved and affect the performance
of both parties. Students in conflict may not be willing to work together or

20 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

two teachers in conflict, despite trying to resolve the problem, may make
matters worse if one party forces its position on another. Conflict can affect
a school deeply and will hinder efforts to create an environment of peace
and understanding. With knowledge of appropriate conflict resolution
techniques, individuals will be more confident about dealing with conflicts
and resolving them in ways that build trust and understanding between
two parties.

(d) If you were given a second chance, is there anything that you would do differently
in the way you managed each of the conflict situations you identified?

You may have realized that over the years, you have gone through
experiences that changed the way you view certain situations. As such,
you may deal with conflict differently today than the way you did when
you were much younger. Over time, you meet different types of people
and grow in knowledge about different issues and social concerns. This
knowledge will have an impact on your perception of conflict and how
you handle it. As you were reflecting on the conflict that you experienced
in the past, you might have thought about the things you would have done
differently in handling the conflict. This realization is due to the fact that
you have learned more about people and have had new experiences that
changed how you view the conflict now.

Let’s Study
As you were thinking about the conflict situations that you identified, you
might have realized that it is difficult to go through life without experiencing
conflict. Even as a child, you experienced conflict when you had to share
things with your siblings, or when you were forbidden from doing things
by your elders. Throughout your life, you encounter situations that put
you in conflict with others. For example, you may have experienced having
a different opinion with the regional/national office on certain policies.
You may have expressed your opinions to your Superintendent or District
Supervisor, who might have disagreed with your views. As school head,
you might have often been asked to mediate between two parties who are
in conflict with each other, like a teacher and some parents. Conflict is a
part of life and we are sure to experience it in many different forms.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 21

 One other thing you might have realized is that you have a tendency to
deal with conflict in a certain way. As you were reflecting on the conflict
situations in your life, did you see a pattern of how you usually deal
with conflict? Do you tend to avoid the conflict, confront the other party
aggressively, or seek dialogue with the other party?

There are many ways of dealing with conflict. If you noticed, the last
question asks you to consider if you might handle any one of the situations
differently if you had another chance to do so. This reflects the belief that
we can change the way we handle conflicts if we choose to. The way that
you handle conflicts now may be quite different from the way you handled
them when you were much younger. Your experience and understanding
of people may have broadened and deepened over the years. This will
have an influence on how you manage conflicts in your life.

Managing conflict is a part of the job of a school head. In the next few
sections, you will learn about the effects of conflict and how you can
manage it effectively.

Let’s Read
Read the following case about a school head who is in conflict with a group
of teachers in the school. For this case, you will be given the first part of
the story, and then you must choose how the school head will handle the
conflict. When you have finished reading the first part of the story, you
will be prompted to choose one of three different ways of dealing with the
conflict. Each of the choices will correspond to a specific outcome that you
will find in the answer key.

A Conflict of Interests, Part I

Letty Aurelio, a school head, was speaking to her friend, Halim, social worker
in Letty’s community. He told her about a shelter he and others were running
for street children who could not go to school because they worked odd jobs
during the day to support their families. The shelter was built to house the
children and to provide them with some form of instruction on basic subjects

22 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 like mathematics, science, and reading. Halim invited Letty to visit the center,
observe, and suggest how to improve the teaching and learning methods being
used.

When Letty paid a visit to the center one day, she felt sad because the learning
environment was not conducive and the instructors had little or no teaching
experience. As such, children were not receiving quality instruction and did
not have enough opportunity to practice their lessons. Letty also noticed that
the instructors had difficulty handling disruptions during the classes and
would sometimes lose their patience with the children. After seeing this, Letty
had an idea. She wanted the children in the center to attend classes in her
school and be part of the regular classes. She discussed this with Halim, who
said it was a good idea. His only concern was if the teachers and students
would accept the children from the shelter. He was afraid that they might
be treated unfairly or be alienated. Letty told Halim that this was also her
concern, but that she would think of a way to integrate the children into the
classes.

How do you find the first part of the story? As school head, Letty has
an opportunity to provide the street children in the shelter with better
instruction, in pursuit of the goal of Education for All. However, her
concern was whether the teachers, students, and parents would accept the
idea. The street children were from a very different background as the
students in Letty’s school. The street children lived in poverty, while most
of the students in the school did not need to work to survive. Reflect on
the situation that Letty is faced with and continue reading the story below.

A Conflict of Interests, Part II

After thinking about how to integrate the children of the shelter into the
classroom, Letty called a meeting of the teachers and told them of her plans.
Some teachers were open to the idea and expressed their support for the plan,
but most were hesitant to accept it. Many mumbled in their seats and gave
disapproving looks to each other. When Letty asked for opinions, many of
them remained silent. The silence was broken when Dianne, the most senior
teacher, stood up and told Letty about her concerns regarding the plan. She
said that it would be very difficult for the teachers to handle the street children.
She also expressed her concern about how the other children would accept the

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 23

 new students. She ended by saying that she didn’t think it was a good idea and
that the teachers should not be forced to accept the plan. Many of the teachers
nodded their heads as Dianne spoke. Letty saw that many teachers agreed
with Dianne, but she was still determined to give the children in the center the
opportunity to study in the school. She felt that the teachers were unreasonable
in their opinions, and that they were not sensitive to the hardships of the less
fortunate.

The next day, Letty thought about how she would handle the problem.
Already, she had heard some teachers complaining about the plan. They were
considering writing the District Superintendent if the plan was implemented.
Letty also felt resistance from the students and parents she spoke to. They were
worried that the children from the shelter would be unruly and cause trouble
– even hurt some of the students. Letty felt that these perceptions were unfair,
and this feeling made her even more determined to make her plan a reality.

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.2)

Reflect on the above story and answer the following questions. After you
have finished answering the questions, you will be asked to choose one of
three possible ways that Letty can deal with the conflict.

1) What is the source of conflict regarding Letty’s idea?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2) Is it possible for Letty to resolve this conflict? How might she solve the
conflict?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

24 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Feedback
You can compare your answers with the ones in the Key to Correction on
page 132. Your responses may not be worded in exactly the same way, but
as long as the thoughts expressed agree with those given, you are doing
great!

How do your answers compare to the ones in the Key to Correction? If your
answers are similar, that’s very good. You might have ideas that were not
mentioned in the answer key. You are encouraged to discuss your answers
with your colleagues and Flexible Learning Tutor for additional feedback.
Feel free to review the first two parts of the case before we continue.

Let’s Think About This

At this point in the story, Letty is facing a conflict regarding her plan to
integrate the street children of the shelter into the classes at her school.
Despite the resistance from both teachers and the parents, Letty is
determined to provide the street children better instruction.

You will now be presented with three different ways by which Letty can
handle the situation. Choose the letter of the method you think will be
most effective in terms of including the street children in the classroom
and providing them with a better education. Put a check mark (p) on the
space before the letter of your choice.

____ (a) Letty can choose not to push the idea further. However, she will
speak to the teachers who are supportive of the plan and ask them if they
are willing to go to the shelter to teach when they have the time. She will
not mention the plan to the other teachers but will still try to think of other
ways to integrate the street children into the classroom without creating
more conflict with the teachers.

____ (b) Letty can secure support from the District Superintendent/
Division Supervisor and write a policy that will require the teachers to
accept the street children into their classroom. Letty will also encourage
the dissenting teachers to attend a workshop on social work to open their
minds to the idea. If none of these works, she plans to give the teachers a

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 25

 lecture on being sensitive to other people’s hardships and may even invite
some of the street children to be present.

____ (c) Letty can meet with the teachers, students, and parents to discuss
their concerns, and tell them more about the situation of the children in
the shelter. She will determine what the concerns of each group are, and
together they will think of possible ways to address those concerns. Letty
also plans to bring the children to the school to meet some of the teachers and
spend a day with them. Once Letty has identified the different issues and
concerns regarding the plan, she will work with all the groups concerned
to make sure that the school is a welcoming place for the children from the
shelter.

How would your choice affect the outcome? Would your choice be an
effective way to deal with and resolve the conflict? Write down your
thoughts on the space provided below.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Feedback
Below are the outcomes of each of the choices in the case.

(a) Letty chose not to push the idea further, and decided to just work with
the street children by asking the supportive teachers to teach at the shelter.
Some teachers volunteered and began to teach in the shelter regularly.
Letty would go with them often, and she became very close to these
teachers. One day she opened up to them, telling them how disappointed
she was with the teachers who had resisted her idea. She also expressed
her opinion that those teachers were not open-minded and insensitive to
the needs of the less fortunate.

26 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Result of course of action:

Over time, the group that would volunteer to teach in the center grew into
a tight-knit group. Because of Letty’s feelings towards those who opposed
the plans, there soon grew a division between the groups of teachers.
One group of teachers began to talk badly about Letty and the volunteer
teachers. This group perceived favoritism by Letty, while the volunteer
teachers perceived the other teachers as self-centered and insensitive to the
problems of society. Very soon, it became difficult for teachers to work
together, and many became unhappy with teaching in the school. As
such, the policies and programs that were being implemented were not as
effective because of the deep division between the teachers and the school
head.

Was this course of action effective in resolving the conflict? No. This course
of action did not effectively resolve the conflict. It even created a division
between Letty and the teachers and among the teachers.

Let’s look at the next option in dealing with the conflict:

(b) Letty decided that she would implement her plan no matter what.
She was not too concerned about the teachers because she could count
on the support of the district superintendent. She drafted a plan for the
integration of the children from the shelter and presented it to the district
superintendent, who said that it was a good plan. She then called a meeting
with all the teachers and announced that the plan would be implemented
in the coming weeks. The teachers then became very restless. Letty noticed
this and started lecturing them about becoming more sensitive to the plight
of the less fortunate.

Result of course of action:

In the coming weeks, Letty decided to assign teams to handle some of the
work that needed to be done before the children arrived. When many of
the teachers did not show enthusiasm, Letty scolded them. This caused
a division between Letty and many of the teachers. Soon, it became very
difficult to implement the program because Letty did not have the teachers’
support.

Was this course of action effective in resolving the conflict? Again, no. It
was not an effective means of solving the conflict because Letty did not

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 27

 try to understand the issues and concerns of the teachers. This led to the
teachers feeling that their own concerns did not matter, and they gradually
lost trust in their school head.

Now let’s look at the last option we have for dealing with the conflict:

(c) Letty realized that she needed to understand the issues of the teachers
and the parents so she could secure their support for the program. She
sat down with the different teachers and asked them what their concerns
were about integrating the children from the shelter into the classes. She
also spoke with the parents and asked them if they would be open to this
program. After the dialogue with the different groups, Letty asked each
group to help her think of ways for the program to be successful. They did
brainstorming sessions and then she encouraged them to find a solution
that was good for everyone.

Result of course of action:

After several weeks of planning, the whole school was ready for the
integration project. The teachers had expressed their support by coming
up with lesson plans that would allow the children from the shelter to
work and study with their new classmates. The parents offered to give
some money and food to supplement the school’s resources for classroom
feeding. Overall, the project was a success. The children from the shelter
were warmly welcomed by everyone. The children also learned so much
from their new classmates, who were very thankful to have the opportunity
to go to school.

Was this an effective way to solve the conflict?

Yes, this approach was an effective way to solve the conflict. By

understanding the issues and concerns of the teachers, Letty was able
to think of ways to address their concerns. She also involved all the
stakeholders in the development of a solution, so the teachers, students,
and even the parents, supported the initiative, making it a success.

How did you fare? If you chose C, congratulations! You already have a
good idea about how to resolve conflicts peacefully and effectively. If you
choose A or B, consider that there are more effective ways to deal with
conflicts. As you read this module, you will learn about more effective
ways of dealing with conflict.

28 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

In the next section you will learn more about conflicts and how they are
a normal part of life. You will also learn how to deal with conflicts in a
way that will promote peaceful solutions and strengthen the relationships
between parties.

Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict
In our everyday dealings with people­– even our closest of friends –
we encounter conflict. Everyone has opinions, wants, and needs, and
sometimes these clash with our own opinions, wants, and needs. The case
you just read is one example of a situation where the opinions of two parties
differ on an issue. Think of a similar situation in your school where you
had to deal with someone who opposed your ideas. In the past, you might
have experienced a situation where you and a colleague were competing
for limited resources or opportunities, and this could have caused conflict
between you and another colleague. It might also have caused conflict
between the staff of two different schools.

Conflicts emerge because of tension that two people feel due to certain
differences. Some examples of this are the following:

• Differences in ideas, opinions, values, and beliefs

• Non-alignment of wants and needs of both parties
• Differences in the goals and interests of each party
• Misunderstanding or miscommunication
• Competition over resources or opportunities

Now that we know that conflict is a part of everyday life, how do we manage
it? In the previous exercises, you thought about how you personally handle
conflict in your life. You may have dealt with many of these conflicts
effectively. In other cases, you probably wished that you had handled certain
situations differently. In all cases, you decided to deal with the conflicts in
a certain way, and the results were either favorable or not.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 29

 Nario-Galace (2006) describes three ways you can deal with conflict:
i) avoidance, ii) aggression, and iii) problem-solving or negotiation. Each
of these methods carries certain implications in terms of their effects on
people and how effective they are in resolving conflicts.

Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict through Avoidance
One way of dealing with conflict is through avoidance. Moving away from
conflict is a very popular option for people facing conflict. We can choose
to walk away if we feel that the issue is not that important to us, or if we
feel helpless and do not believe that we can improve the situation. You
can also choose to avoid conflict if you feel that by doing so, you can gain
composure and self-control when the situation is tense or full of emotion.

Momentary avoidance can help us regain our objectivity so we can deal

with the conflict in a more positive manner. If we avoid conflict for too
long, however, it can also become a refuge where we escape facing the
problem. The implications of using avoidance to deal with problems are
the following:

• There is a tendency for the more combative party to rule over others.
• Pretending that the conflict is not there while secretly nursing a
grudge can damage relationships over the long term.
• A lack of trust can emerge when there are doubts about the other
person’s ability to bridge differences or even the sincerity of the
efforts, and if these doubts exist in the mind, it means closed doors
for dialogue and resolution of the conflict.

Avoiding the conflict often does not solve the problem. In fact, there is a
good chance that whatever ill-feelings and anger that both parties have may
worsen because the conflict is not managed and issues are not clarified.

30 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Think About This
Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below. You can
write your answers on the spaces provided after each question.

1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to avoid
conflict? Was the conflict resolved by doing this?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Can you think of examples in your school where one or both parties
avoided the conflict? What were the effects?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Were you able to properly reflect on avoidance as a way to deal with conflicts?
After learning about the implications of avoidance, you might have realized
that while avoidance can sometimes help in conflict resolution, it can also
hinder it. You can avoid conflict for a moment in order to gain objectivity
and reduce tension, but if you avoid it for too long, it may cause strains in
your relationships with others.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 31

 Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict through Aggression

Another way of dealing with conflict is through aggression. When emotions

are high and there is a lot of anger and frustration, we may choose to react
to the situation in an aggressive manner. This becomes an option when
the importance of the issue is high, and we care more about it than we do
the relationship with the person at the other end of the conflict. Aggression
can be manifested in conflicts when parties become physically or verbally
hurtful, loud, sarcastic, directive, and domineering. Other aggressive
methods include demanding concessions and using any power to achieve
them.

Aggression is seldom an effective way to solve conflicts. Dealing with

conflict in an aggressive manner can even hurt any efforts to resolve it.
Some effects of dealing with conflict through aggression are the following:

• It introduces power as a factor in resolving conflicts, and it turns the

dialogue into a power struggle that can alienate and increase the
frustration of those who have little control in the interaction.
• Verbal and physical assaults can hurt and dehumanize the other
party, put people on the defensive, and reduce trust and confidence
in the other.
• Finally, acting aggressively does not solve the conflict. It can lead to
broken relationships or physical and psychological harm. It might
lead to a situation where both adversaries lose.

32 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Think About This
Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below. You can
write your answers on the spaces provided after each question.

1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to react to
conflict through aggression? Was the conflict resolved by doing this?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Can you think of examples in your school where one or both parties
became aggressive during a conflict? What were the effects?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Were you able to properly reflect on aggression as a way to deal with

conflicts? After learning about the effects of aggression on conflicts, do you
feel that this is an effective way to solve differences? Usually, when parties
are aggressive, they communicate to the other that they are unwilling to
consider other points of view. When people are not open, this destroys
the trust needed to resolve the conflict. While sometimes it may help to be
aggressive in order to bring other people to negotiate, most of the time it
can be damaging to relationships or be a threat to other people’s safety.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 33

 Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict through Problem-Solving
The third way and often the most effective way of dealing with conflict
is through problem-solving or negotiation. Negotiation involves taking
positive and constructive steps to solve a dispute. In negotiation, we
approach the other party with the sincere desire to find a mutually
acceptable and beneficial solution to the conflict. Through problem-
solving and negotiation, we take steps to make sure that not only are we
satisfied with the resolution, but the other party is as well. Some ways that
a negotiation approach is manifested in conflicts are through the following:

• Discussing the problem with the other party

• Honestly stating our interests, feelings, and opinions
• Listening to what the other party has to say
• Working towards a solution to the problem

The problem-solving or negotiation approach is a constructive method of

solving conflicts. The benefits of using negotiation and problem-solving to
deal with conflicts are the following:

• It does not result in hurt feelings because its objective is to explore

options and not secure one’s position. There is an openness to the
ideas and opinions by others, and the goal is to listen and understand
the feelings and needs of the other party.
• It increases trust between the two parties. When one party feels that
the other is considering their feelings and needs, it will help open
the doors to increased understanding. It builds the relationship
rather than strain it.

Although the problem-solving approach is almost always the better option

for dealing with and managing conflict, there are times when, in spite of
your efforts, you will not be able to find a mutually beneficial solution. If
you encounter this, don’t lose hope in the negotiation process. You may
need to find a compromise until a more acceptable solution can be found.

34 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Think About This
Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below:

1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to address
a conflict through negotiation or problem-solving? Was the conflict
resolved by doing this?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Can you think of examples in your school where one or both parties
became aggressive during a conflict? What were the effects?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. Which of the three styles of conflict management would have the most
rewarding results?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Were you able to reflect on using problem-solving or negotiation as a

method of dealing with conflict? Among the three methods presented
here, negotiation is usually the most effective in resolving differences.
When you seek dialogue with others, you build trust and show that you
are open to finding a solution that is best for both parties. As school head,
you often encounter conflicts or mediate between two parties in conflict.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 35

 If you use the negotiation or problem-solving approach, you can become
more effective at developing harmony and building a culture of peace in
your school.

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.3)

Identify a current conflict that you are involved in, or have been asked
to mediate. Plan how you would use the dialogue or problem-solving
approach to resolve this conflict. Before you attempt to resolve conflicts
through problem-solving, make sure that you are ready to do the following:

• You are honestly ready to listen to the other party’s concerns, issues,
and fears.
• You can talk to the other party about your concerns, issues, and
fears in a non-threatening manner.
• You are open to finding a solution that would mutually benefit both
parties in conflict.

As you prepare, take note of your concerns about using this approach.
Write these concerns or fears in your learning journal.

Let’s Study
In the previous sections, you learned about how conflict is a part of life.
You also learned that there are different ways to deal with conflict and that
the problem-solving or negotiation approach is usually the most effective
way to manage conflict.

What happens when conflict is not managed well? Often, conflict that is
not resolved can lead to violence, alienation, hostility, and even violence
between or among parties in conflict. The conflict can also spread and
involve more and more people. Conflict at the personal level can escalate
into larger confrontations between groups of people and may trigger wars
or armed conflict. For example, a conflict between two people may broaden
to include their families or clans and may lead to aggression and violence.
If one member of the family has been wronged, other members might want
to take revenge on the other party, which in turn will escalate the aggression
and lead to a cycle of violence. Often, the cycle of violence can begin when

36 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

violence is committed against one group of people. An example of this
took place in 2004, when 78 protesters from a minority group in a certain
Southeast Asian country died as a result of being squeezed into military
trucks when they were arrested. In response to this, a religious leader from
the majority group was beheaded as an act of vengeance against the killing
of the protesters.

Let’s Think About This

Below are some questions that will help you think about the relationship
between conflict, aggression, and war. Think about each of the questions
and write your answers on the spaces provided after each question.

1. Can you think of some examples of schools in your region or country

where conflict between groups of people escalated into violence and
even armed struggle?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. How can a conflict between two people escalate into a wider conflict?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. How can conflict affect student and teacher relations in a school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 37

 Let’s Study
Conflicts between two groups of people that escalate into violence and
armed struggle may affect student relations in school. Students from two
opposing cultural groups may feel strong negative emotions towards each
other. This may affect either group’s ability to solve problems constructively,
and may even manifest itself in aggressive or violent behavior. Students
of one culture may keep together and protect each other when one is
wronged.

A conflict between two parties can escalate into a wider, more serious
conflict when aggression is used to deal with the conflict. It can also
happen when one party feels threatened or oppressed, and feels that the
only way to resolve the conflict is through violence. In school, sometimes
a student will start a fight because he/she might feel there are no other
options available to him/her. In cases where a student gets back because of
teasing, for example, the conflict may escalate into violence. Making fun of
students from cultural groups outside your own may plant seeds of hatred
in the hearts of members of these cultural groups. The student may, then,
carry these feelings into adulthood.

War and armed conflict may begin with individuals who cannot work
through their differences and find a solution that is best for all. It begins
when individuals choose to resolve conflicts through aggression and
violence. As school head, it is critical that you develop the foundations of
peace in the minds of your students, so that they may learn how to manage
conflicts in a constructive manner. By doing so, violent conflicts can be
avoided.

38 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Think About This
Reflect on the previous learnings on war and armed conflict. While we
cannot avoid conflict, how we deal with it can have a big impact on our
family, our community and our society. When political leaders make
decisions to wage war, it is because they believe they are doing the right
thing in solving a problem. But think about this: our political leaders were
once young children as well – they were students just like the students in
your school. If their perceptions of how to manage conflict are influenced
by their experience as children, think about how much you can do to help
bring about a more peaceful society.

Think about how war and armed conflict affect you and your students. Also
think about the role you play in creating a more peaceful society starting
with your school. You may not realize it yet, but you can make a difference
in how our future leaders manage conflict and create a just and peaceful
society. Now, answer the questions below. You can write your answers on
the spaces provided after each question.

1. How are we affected by war and armed conflict?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Are war and violence a natural part of human nature?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 39

 3. What can you do as school head to challenge war and armed conflict?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
How well did you answer the questions? Compare your answers with mine
below.

1. How are we affected by war and armed conflict?

War and armed conflict affect us in many ways. For those who live close to
the fighting, some of the serious effects are death, injury, and displacement
from homes or communities. Schools may be closed or become evacuation
centers for persons displaced by war and conflict, disrupting their normal
operations. Even if you don’t live in a war zone, however, you can still
be affected by this. Many times, violent conflict can hinder national
development and progress. Resources that might otherwise go to building
basic infrastructure and livelihood are diverted towards the acquisition of
weapons and the maintenance of a large armed forces. At school, war and
armed conflict is often played out in the schoolyard, when children play
games that mimic or glorify war, and often reflect actual sides in a conflict.
These effects create the perception that war is part of human nature, and it is
a normal occurrence. Stories of war and valor may even create perceptions
that war and armed conflict are glorious and exciting.

2. Are war and violence a natural part of human nature?

In 1986, a group of scientists came together and drafted the Seville

Statement on Violence. The scientists came from different fields such as
psychology, anthropology, genetics, and biology. In the statement, the
scientists declared that war and violence is not inherent in human nature,
and challenged the use of scientific theories and data to justify war and
violence. They declared that war, armed conflict and the different forms

40 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

of violence are not biological, but are the result of different factors like the
culture and environment one grows up in. Furthermore, they point out
that while some cultures have engaged in war at one time or another, there
are other cultures who have not engaged in war for centuries.

3. As school head, what can you do to challenge war, armed conflict, and
violence?

As school head, you can challenge war and armed conflict by providing
your students with choices on how to manage conflict. By providing them
with skills to solve problems constructively and conduct effective dialogue,
they can find a more constructive solution to any conflict. You can also
help your students challenge conflict by introducing ideas such as those
defined in the Seville Statement on Violence. These ideas can become a
framework for the creation of a culture of peace and respect for diversity
in your school.

Let’s Read
In the preamble of the UNESCO constitution (UNESCO, 2009), you can
find the following statement:

“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses
of peace must be constructed.”

This statement is a powerful reminder that all wars have their roots in the
individual and in how she or he chooses to react to a particular situation.
It tells us that wars come from the way we think about other people and
how we think about conflict and violence. More important, it is a powerful
reminder that we have the ability to choose how we manage conflict – we
can take the path of violence or the path of peace. As school head, you may
guide your school in accepting and living this powerful message.

If you noticed, the cause of many wars in this world is rooted in the inability
of people or groups of people to constructively manage their relations
with other people. Conflict erupts because there is a lack of concern by
an individual for another individual. Usually, people who are not open to
new ideas or who are not willing to accept differences have a difficult time
managing conflict with others. This can result in serious divisions between

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 41

 groups of different cultures and can be counterproductive to peace efforts.
In fact, if conflict is not managed in a constructive manner, it can lead to
more serious forms of conflict. Navarro-Castro & Galace (2008) explain
that conflicts may have undesirable results and can have negative effects
on both the personal and global level. On the personal level, conflicts can
cause breakdown of relationships between people. On the global level,
they can cause suffering and deaths for millions.

The Seville Statement on Violence further supports the statement in the

UNESCO preamble mentioned earlier. The Seville statement, drafted
in 1986 by scientists from different fields, declares that war is not an
inherent part of human nature. It declares that it is unscientific to state
that war is a biological and an inevitable part of human existence. One of
the propositions of the Seville Statement on Violence is that humans do
not have a violent brain. We choose to act based on how we have been
conditioned and socialized. In other words, we choose our actions, they
are not chosen for us. And if this is the case, then we can choose a path
of peace just as easily as we can choose a path of war (Navarro-Castro &
Galace, 2008).

Don’t think that it is impossible for you to challenge wars, armed conflict,
and violence. Take inspiration and courage from the UNESCO preamble.
As school head, you play a very important role in making sure that the
cycle of violence is challenged through understanding, acceptance,
consciousness-raising, and role modeling; therefore, it is critical that you
are able to manage conflict well. If wars begin in the minds of men, you, as
head of your school, are in the perfect position to create minds devoted to
peace in your students, teachers, and community.

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.4)

Do a quick survey of your teachers and ask them if they feel that war and
violence is an inevitable part of human existence. Ask them the following
questions at your next faculty meeting:

1. Do you feel that war and violence are a natural part of human nature?

2. Do you feel you can create a culture of peace in your school? If so, how
would you do that?

42 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

3. How might we hinder the development of a culture of peace and respect
for diversity?

You can ask the teachers to think about this and write down their answers
so you can review them later on. Tally the answers and write down the
results below.

What percentage of teachers feel that war and violence is a natural part of
human nature?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

What percentage of teachers feel that they can create a culture of peace in
the school?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

What conclusions can you make from reading your teachers’ answers? You
can write down your insights in your learning journal and you can discuss
this with your Flexible Learning Tutor, co-learners, and colleagues.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 43

 Feedback
Many of your teachers may feel that war and violence is inevitable simply
because it is all around us. They see it in the media or hear about it from
other people. Some of them might have even experienced war or violent
conflict themselves. Because it is all around us, it is understandable that
there may be a feeling of helplessness. However, there are concrete steps
that we can take to create a culture of peace and respect for diversity in
our schools. We can learn to manage conflict better, understand different
forms of violence and ways to prevent them, and create an environment of
tolerance and concern for others.

Let’s Read
Many times, conflicts arise when people’s rights are violated. There are
instances when we may feel that we are being denied our rights, or when
we deny others their rights when we are in a position of authority. Human
rights are basic rights and freedoms a person is entitled to, regardless of
nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, language, or other
status.

In 1948, the United Nations drafted the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights (UDHR) (United Nations, 2009). In it, they declared that all human
beings are born with equal and inalienable human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and they encouraged all nations to uphold these rights. As Article
2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be
made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status
of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation
of sovereignty.”

The Declaration, which appears in Annex A of this module, outlines all

of these rights, which celebrate human dignity and the worth of every
individual on earth.

44 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

After the ratification of the Declaration, the UN called upon all nations to
publicize the text and disseminate it principally in schools and educational
institutions, where it should be read and expounded.

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.5)

Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Annex A and answer
the questions below. You can write your answers on the spaces provided
after each question.

1. Why do you think did the UN identify schools and educational

institutions as an important venue for disseminating and discussing the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. How might I violate the rights of others with my own thoughts, words,
or actions?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. What effect does this have on the persons whose rights I have violated?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 45

 4. What can I do to promote and protect, instead of violate other people’s
rights?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
You can compare your answers with those given below.

1. Why do you think did the UN identify schools and educational institutions as an
important venue for disseminating and discussing the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR)?

The United Nations identified schools and educational institutions as

a critical venue for the dissemination of the declaration of human rights
because it is important to instill the concept of human rights in the future
leaders of every nation. The school as a place of learning is the most effective
place where awareness of the rights of others is instilled in individuals
(as mentioned in the previous section where you learned about how the
defenses of peace need to be constructed in the minds of individuals). This
awareness, in turn, becomes one of the foundations of the defenses of peace.

The school is one of the most important venues for learning and living
values. Students have the opportunity not only to learn and discuss
respecting and promoting human rights, but to live these values as well.
By providing students with guides and models of behavior, you will enable
them to determine courses of action for each situation that considers the
rights of others.

46 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

2. How might I violate the rights of others with my own thoughts, words, or
actions?

We can violate the rights of others with our own thoughts, words, and
actions in many ways. In our thoughts, we can violate the rights of others
by perceiving them as different and undeserving of the rights as defined
in the UDHR. We can also violate the rights of others through our words
or actions. One example is when we show intolerance for the culture or
opinions of students and teachers from different cultural groups, or when
we express our prejudice of another’s religion, values or beliefs. This
may actually happen in school when a student is denied the opportunity
to participate in leadership or academic activities simply because his/her
values and beliefs are not respected by the majority.

3. What effect does this have on the persons whose rights I have violated?

When we violate the rights of others, this causes alienation and frustration
in those whose rights we have violated. When we ourselves experience
violation of our rights, we get hurt or we get angry. When we hear stories
in the news or media of prejudice against our beliefs and religion, we might
feel anger towards those who express this prejudice. We may also think
that those around us do not care to know us, so this creates deep divisions
between us and others. Students in particular may develop self-esteem
issues and form negative perceptions of themselves and their culture
instead of celebrating it and feeling proud to be a member of that cultural
group.

4. What can I do to promote and protect, instead of violate, other people’s rights?

As school head, you can promote and protect human rights by dissemi-
nating and encouraging the discussion of the Declaration of Human Rights
and other important human rights documents. You can instill respect for
the rights of others through school programs and activities that help stu-
dents understand human rights and commit to upholding these rights. As
an individual, you can adopt the principles of the declaration of human
rights and integrate them into your life. You can examine your thoughts,
perceptions and actions, and determine if you need to change things within
yourself so that you can uphold human rights and be an example to your
teachers and students.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 47

 Let’s Read
Structural Violence
We can never have a real culture of peace and respect for diversity in our
school if we do not teach our students respect for human rights. One
of the foundations of peace is upholding the rights of every person and
making sure that these rights exist and are not taken away. The school is
a critical venue for developing the awareness of human rights in society
because the children are open to ideas that can change the world. The
school environment is also a model for interaction between different
groups of people. When children live in an environment that is peaceful
and respectful of different cultures, they learn that they can work together
with different kinds of people, respect the opinions and beliefs of others,
and appreciate diversity.

Aside from violating the rights of others by what we say or do, we

inadvertently encourage violation of human rights by not upholding the
rights of others when we see them violated. Part of upholding human
rights is not just watching our own actions. It includes being vigilant about
human rights and advocating these rights in your community and society.
Part of the role you play as school head is to instill in your students a sense
of responsibility for upholding human rights. You can help them become
aware of the importance of human rights for each individual. You can also
make them more aware of situations in their community and society where
the rights of others are violated.

Human rights violations are not just confined to the actions of one person
against another. The rights of others can be violated by a system or structures
in society that may be accepted as natural. A condition such as this is
referred to as structural violence. For instance, the existence of poverty
can be regarded by many as a reality of life, and indifference to this fact
may help perpetuate this kind of structural violence. If you look at poverty
from a human rights perspective, you will realize that it denies individuals
the right to education and a standard of living necessary for them to live
in dignity. Some of the causes of poverty due to structural violence may
also be viewed as a violation of human rights. Corruption in government
can deny resources to projects that might be used to develop infrastructure

48 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

or livelihood that will raise income levels in communities. The exclusion
of certain cultural groups from opportunities and involvement is also a
violation of human rights.

Students must learn to be aware of these forms of human rights violations

to become effective advocates of the rights of each individual. They
should also be able to see that human rights are upheld in their own school
environment.

Can you think of ways in which structural violence manifests itself in your
community? You can write your ideas on the space provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Let’s Think About This

In the previous section, you read a story about street children who attended
classes in a shelter. Read the story again, but this time think about the
effects of poverty on the children in the story. Then, think about the cases
of poverty in your own community. How does poverty affect the poor?
What rights are they denied? Write your answers on the spaces provided
below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

In situations where people live in poverty, there is often a lot of conflict

and violence. This can happen when people are desperate and feel they
have no options. When there is inequity in society, this leads to conflict.
When many people live a hand-to-mouth existence while others have

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 49

 more than enough opportunities, it is possible that it will cause deep
divisions in society, like divisions of “rich” and “poor,” or “educated” and
“uneducated.” These divisions can become a deep source of conflict in
many societies.

Now think about how poverty is linked to conflict and violence. How can
the presence of poverty prevent the emergence of peace and respect for
diversity? Think about this and write your answers on the space provided
below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.6)

Identify groups in your community whose rights are often violated. You
can look at the situation of the poor, women, and members of minority
religious and ethnic groups, and think of other groups not mentioned
here. Think about how the rights of these groups are violated, and what
structures exist in the community that result in the continuous violation of
their human rights. On a sheet of paper, list down the groups and identify
how their rights are violated. When you are done, answer the following
questions:

1. As school head, what you can do to help challenge the violation of

human rights at your school and community?

2. What can you do to help alleviate economic inequity?

3. How can you involve your school and your community?

Think about this and write down your ideas on another sheet of paper.
You can discuss your ideas with your teachers, fellow school heads, and
Flexible Learning Tutor to get additional feedback.

50 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Remember
In this lesson, you learned about how conflict is a normal part of life
and how it can escalate into aggression and violence when not properly
resolved or managed. You also learned about the three ways by which
a person might deal with conflict: i) avoidance, ii) aggression, and
iii) negotiation. Of the three, negotiation is the most effective way of
dealing with conflict because it allows both parties to discuss their
issues in a non-threatening manner. It also helps build trust between
the two parties in conflict. If you want to build a culture of peace and
respect for diversity in your school, you must apply and teach the skill
of negotiation and problem-solving.

Conflicts are part of everyday life and they surface when the rights
of another are violated or denied. Awareness of human rights and
upholding these rights are a key component in creating a culture of
peace in your school. Without respect for human rights, it will be
impossible to create an environment of peace.

How Much Have You Learned From This

Lesson?
Let’s review what you have learned in this lesson. Answer the questions
below as best as you can. You can write your answers on the spaces
provided after each question.

1. Porntip and Areva were discussing which school programs to prioritize.

Areva wanted one program to be top priority, while Porntip felt that
one of the other programs would be more relevant and critical at this
particular time. As they discussed which program to implement first,
their debate got quite heated. As a result, Porntip said some things that
offended Areva and started a conflict between them. Because of their
conflict, no program could be started. If you were Areva, what are the
three ways by which you can deal with the conflict?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 51

 2. If Areva wants her anger to cool down before she resolves the conflict,
which of the three approaches might be the best?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3. In general, what is the most constructive way of resolving conflicts?

Why is this considered the preferred method for resolving different
types of conflicts?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

4. Jati is a school head who wants to ensure that his school promotes and
protects human rights. What are some ways by which he can achieve
this?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

5. Should we accept that war is part of human nature? Why or why not?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

52 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

6. What are some of the conditions that may threaten peace and respect for
cultural diversity in one’s community?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

7. Elma is a school head who is trying to make her teachers aware that we
can violate the rights of others through our words, thoughts and actions.
What examples can she give to her teachers that illustrate how we might
violate the rights of others in this manner?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

You may compare your answers with the ones in the Key to Correction on
pages 132-135.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 53

 Feedback
How did you fare? If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s
excellent! You have learned many new concepts in this lesson and you are
ready to move on to the next lesson.

If you missed the answer to some of the questions, you are encouraged to
review that part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge. This quick review
will help you prepare for the concepts to be discussed in Lesson 2: When I
Respect Others, I Promote Peace.

In the next lesson, the focus will be on the cultures and beliefs of different
groups of people and how people with different values and beliefs can live
and work together in harmony.

You are welcome to review any part of this lesson. If you are ready to
move to the next lesson, you may do so now.

54 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 LESSON

2
When I Respect Others,
I Promote Peace

What Is this Lesson About?

In the previous lesson you learned about conflict and the role it plays in your
life and your work as school head. You also learned that conflict can be
limited to two people or may involve larger groups of people. Sometimes
the conflict is easy to resolve, but other times, conflicts may escalate into
more serious confrontations between two parties. Conflicts can also lead
to war and armed aggression if parties in conflict feel that there is no other
option for them. This can be due to a violation of their rights or because of
prejudice which results in the oppression of a group of people.

In this lesson, you will learn about how you can create a culture of peace
and respect for cultural diversity in your school through respect for others’
differences. You will learn more about your own values and beliefs and
how they affect how you view and relate to others. You will also learn
about being conscious of the cultural differences that exist in your school
and identifying stereotypes and discrimination. You will identify your own
stereotypes and think about how they affect how you relate to different
groups of people.

Stereotypes and discrimination have very real effects in your school. It is

important to describe how stereotypes can affect your attitudes and actions
towards others. It is also important for you to challenge discrimination
and develop strategies that promote tolerance and working together in the
school setting.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 55

 What Will You Learn?
In this lesson you will learn how tolerance and acceptance of other cultures
will allow you to build a strong foundation of peace in your school. After
studying this lesson, you should be able to:

• Explain the meaning of stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination

• Describe the different types of prejudice that threaten the building
of a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in schools.
• Identify your own stereotypes and prejudices
• Identify the roots of your stereotypes and prejudices
• Describe how your stereotypes and prejudices can affect your words
and actions towards different cultural groups
• Explain why prejudice and discrimination need to be challenged
• Develop strategies to promote the culture of tolerance and respect
for diversity within yourself and among those you interact within
the school setting

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.1)

For this activity you will need a paper and a pencil. Think about the values
and beliefs that you adhere to. For now, you may define values and beliefs
as something that guides you in how you think, act, or respond to certain
situations. One example of a value or belief is “value the time of others.”
If you are guided by this value, you might try to be on time or punctual
for all your appointments. Similarly, you may get irritated or frustrated
if someone is late for his or her appointment with you. An example of a
belief is “there is only one true religion.” If this is your belief, it will guide
how you view people who practice a religion different from your own.
Another example of a belief is “people from a certain cultural group cannot
be trusted.” If this is your belief, then you will certainly be hesitant in
dealing with people from a specific culture.

56 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

For this activity, list down all your values and beliefs on a sheet of paper.
Think deeply about this and write down as many values and beliefs as
you can. When you are done, answer the reflective questions that follow.
Where applicable, you can write your answers on the space provided after
each question.

1. What are three of your strongest held values and beliefs? List these three
values or beliefs and try to identify which one you feel most strongly
about.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. How do these values and beliefs guide you in dealing with others?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. What happens when you encounter people who do not share the same
conviction as yours?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 57

 4. How do these values and beliefs affect your perception of and attitudes
toward others?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

5. How do these values and beliefs guide you in resolving conflicts?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

How did you do on this activity? Were you able to discover new things
about yourself, or were you made more aware of how your values and
beliefs can affect your perception of and relationships with different
people? In the next section, you will learn more about how your values
and beliefs play an important role in developing a culture of peace in your
school.

Let’s Read
Stereotypes
We deal with many different kinds of people based on the set of values
and beliefs that we have. How we deal with conflict is also guided by our
values and beliefs. These values and beliefs have been taught to us since
we were children, and we have a tendency to look at the world and react to
other people on the basis of our own set of beliefs.

For example, if you have been taught that time is valuable, and you value
the punctuality of others, how would you react if a colleague was twenty

58 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

minutes late for a meeting? Even more, how would you feel if the person
acted as if that was normal? Would you agree that in that instance, there
would be potential for conflict between you and your colleague? At the
very least, you would probably feel some tension due to the seeming
insensitivity of your colleague to one of your values.

The values and beliefs that we have are our filter through which we see
the world. Within our values and beliefs, we create certain models – often
referred to as stereotypes – that help us interact with our environment.
Stereotypes are models, or schema, that provide us with guidelines on
how to approach or react to familiar situations and groups of people. An
example of this would be when we interact with someone for the first time.
If you were introduced to a student and the teacher described the child as
her top student in class, you might have some models or ideas of how a
top student may act or how they would speak and what they would say.
You might also expect that they are highly disciplined and diligent in their
studies. So you would interact with that student in a certain way based on
certain “stereotypes” you may have about students who perform well.

Let’s Study
The situation below is an example of how our stereotypes affect how we
react to people. Read through the scenario below based on the idea of the
honor student discussed in the previous section. When you are finished
reading the scenario, answer the reflective questions at the end.

You are new to the school and you asked the teachers to submit a list of
honor students. The next few days you observed one of the top students in
your school. You saw that she was hardly taking down notes in class and
spending a lot of time with her other classmates laughing, joking around,
and playing games or reading comic books during breaks. She would also
doodle on her notebooks while the teacher was lecturing. Although she
did not break any school rules, she was rarely seen studying her lessons in
school, and preferred to play with her friends during breaks.

Given this student’s behavior, would you agree that she was indeed the top
student in the class as her teacher described? Think about this for a while.
You may use the guide questions below to help you reflect. You can use a
blank sheet of paper for this short exercise.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 59

 1. How would you describe a student who is at the top of her class? List
down all the characteristics that you think this type of individual might
have.

2. Do you agree with the way the student is behaving? What type of
behavior would you expect from this student?

3. How would you deal with this type of student based on your observations
of her behavior?

Discuss this with your Flexible Learning Tutor and co-learners, if you wish.
Take note of their responses and gather as many insights as you can on this
topic. You can summarize the insights you gained in your learning journal.

Below are some stereotypes that might describe the expected behavior of a
student at the top of his or her class:

• Is often seen studying or reading a book

• Takes down notes in class and is always ready to answer the
teacher’s questions
• Has many extracurricular activities
• Is shy and reserved
• Has a small group of friends
• Is ready to perform a leadership role when asked to do so
• Takes initiative
• Spends more time studying than playing with classmates

You may have identified some or all of these characteristics when you
thought about your ideal student. You may also have identified other
characteristics not listed here.

Stereotypes in themselves are not bad. Often, stereotypes help guide you
in how to react in specific situations, through what psychologists call
“scripts.” Based on your values, beliefs, and previous experience, you
already know how to deal with familiar situations. If the student had all the

60 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

characteristics listed above, then it may have been much easier to interact
with that student, because you have a good idea how the interaction will
go.

When you encounter individuals or situations that do not fit into familiar
stereotypes, you might feel anxious simply because you are not sure how
the situation will turn out. This can happen often when members of
one cultural group interact with those of another cultural group. If the
stereotypes or schema that we use do not apply to the new group, we risk
creating conflict by reacting in a way that may be offensive to other groups.

You may also shape your interaction with members of another cultural
group based on your perceptions of that group. These perceptions are
built from insights that you have gained over the course of your life. They
include what you have been told by those who took care of you, what you
have heard in the news and from other people’s stories, and from your own
interaction with members of that cultural group. Many times, we rely on
these perceptions to guide us in how we interact with others. In the case of
the student at the top of her class, if she does not “act” according to the way
we think she should act, we might not accept that the girl is truly at the top
of her class. We might think that there may be some mistake on how she
was introduced, or else we may even counsel her to act in a manner that is
more “becoming” of an honor student.

When we allow our stereotypes to rule our thinking and our actions and
we do not open our minds to new ways of thinking or doing things, there is
a chance that we may develop a prejudice against certain groups of people.
In school, there are different groups of students. You can think of these
groups as sub-cultures with certain “tags”: honor students, athletes, or
troublemakers. If we allow our stereotypes of certain students to control
how we react to them or how we perceive them, we may form prejudices
that will affect our objectivity. If we allow prejudice to dictate our actions
and decisions to include particular groups of people in, or exclude them
from, activities or privileges, then we are manifesting discrimination. If
a student who is part of a group of troublesome and noisy students is
prevented from running for class president because of his affiliation, that
is an example of how stereotypes can lead to prejudice and discrimination.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 61

 Think about this situation, and think about how this occurs in your school.
It may not necessarily be a situation like this, but it may involve students or
teachers who come from different cultural groups. They may act differently
or have different beliefs. How are they viewed by the other members of
the school? In the next section we will examine how stereotypes can affect
the way we perceive others and may help determine our actions. As you
will see, sometimes stereotypes can become obstacles for understanding
and may even reinforce negative perceptions without basis. Negative
stereotypes may hinder us from being objective and may even result in
our favoring one group of people over another. The principle of fairness
in justice is a key principle in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(See Annex A). If we allow our stereotypes to hinder our objectivity and
fairness, we cannot effectively create a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity in our school.

Let’s Study
The following story illustrates an example of how stereotypes and prejudice,
when not challenged, can escalate into violence. The story is fictitious, but
the theme is very real. It is about prejudice and discrimination, which
many students in Southeast Asia experience. Prejudice is a negative feeling
towards an individual or a group of people even if it lacks basis. Prejudice
is borne out of stereotypes. A stereotype may be a negative opinion or
perception of a person or a group that is based on incomplete knowledge.
Discrimination refers to the negative actions done towards members of a
particular social group. Discrimination may come in the form of avoidance
or aggression.

As you read the story, think about the following:

1. What stereotypes are apparent?

2. What form does discrimination take?

62 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 The Schoolyard Brawl
Ludinio was a member of the Lumin tribe, a small tribal group in the province
of Sumier. The dominant tribe in Sumier was the Mulanos, many of whom
studied at the Sumier Provincial Elementary School. The Mulanos and
Lumins had their own set of beliefs and practices; their cultures were also very
different, and there was little contact between either tribes. Most Mulanos
would hear about the Lumins through stories told by relatives or friends.

Ludinio was the only one in his class who was a member of the Lumin tribe.
Sometimes, he would get teased by his classmates about the bracelets he wore
or the lunch that he brought to school. Often he would get excluded from some
games because his classmates were afraid he would start a fight. They had
heard stories and comments from their parents that the Lumins tribe love to
fight and hurt people.

One day Ludinio was sitting by the big mango tree in the school yard when one
of his classmates, Berto, began teasing him.

“Ludinio is a cow!” Berto shouted, referring to the Lumin legend of creation

where all people emerged from the head of a powerful bull. Ludinio did not pay
Berto any attention and kept about his business.

“Ludinio, the raging cow! Ludinio, the raging cow!” Berto continued.

Ludinio asked him to stop and said that it was not funny. “I’m not a raging
cow. Please stop making jokes about that.” he said. He stood up and he was now
looking Berto in the eye.

Berto kept taunting him, shouting, “Ludinio, the raging cow! Ludinio, the raging
cow! He loves to fight and hurt people!” He then mimicked the movement of a
cow with horns. The children who were watching began to giggle and laugh at
Ludinio.

“Please, stop it,” begged Ludinio. “What have I done to you? Why do you do
this?”

Berto paid Ludinio no heed and kept at it, poking Ludinio with his fingers as if
they were bull’s horns. Ludinio became very angry recalling how Berto would

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 63

 single him out and tease him around. For the longest time, Ludinio tried to be
patient and ignored Berto. Finally, Ludinio could not control himself anymore,
and he punched Berto in the face. Berto reeled backwards and fell to the ground.
Ludinio kicked him, then Berto began to cry. One of the students saw what
happened and ran to get one of the teachers, Ms. Analiz, who stopped the fight
and immediately reprimanded Ludinio.

“Ludinio, why did you punch Berto?” Ms. Analiz shouted

“I’m sorry, Ms. Analiz, Berto was teasing me and he would not stop. He was
making fun of my tribe,” explained Ludinio.

“Nonsense!” cried Ms. Analiz. “I’m sure Berto did not mean anything by it.
Besides, when someone teases you, you should not get violent immediately. We,
Mulanos, are a very peaceful people, while you, Ludinio are very quick to anger!
That’s why your people are now in conflict with the government!”

Ludinio remained quiet. He felt sad that Ms. Analiz did not want to hear his side
of the story. He then followed the teacher to the Principal’s office, where he knew
he was sure to get punished. Back in the schoolyard, the students began talking
about what had just happened, and when they went home that night, they told
their parents the story about the boy from the Lumin tribe who punched one of
their classmates in the face.

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.2)

Answer the following questions about the story of Ludinio and Berto. If
you would like to read the story again, you may do so. You can write your
answers on the spaces provided after each question.

1. Can you identify some stereotypes that Ludinio’s classmates might have
had about him?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

64 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

2. What was the cause of conflict between Ludinio and Berto?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. How did it escalate and what was the result?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

4. Which of the stereotypes do you think was reinforced by the incident?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

5. Do you think that Ms. Analiz handled the situation with fairness and
objectivity? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 65

 6. As school head, mention some ways that you can do to prevent an
incident like this from occurring in your school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
You can compare your answers with those in the Key to Correction on pages
136-137. If your answers are similar to those given, that’s great. You may
have had other ideas or answers as well. You are encouraged to discuss
your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor, your colleagues, and your
co-learners.

Let’s Study
As school head, you can prevent incidents like this from occurring in your
school by making sure that the students are aware that what they do now
can cause resentment and conflict later on. You can also make sure that the
teachers in your school are objective and fair in the way they handle con-
flicts. Teachers themselves should show tolerance and open-mindedness.
Tolerance, as defined by UNESCO (1995), is “the respect, acceptance and
appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures and various forms of human
expression.” Teachers may be given training on challenging stereotypes,
prejudice, and discrimination.

Finally, as a school head, it is important that you, yourself, understand and

recognize your own perceptions of others, and learn to manage conflicts
constructively. As the leader of your school, your example will be one of the
most powerful ones, and by recognizing how your biases and perceptions
can affect your management of conflict, you can be more objective and
sensitive when dealing with cultural diversity in your school.

66 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.3)
For this activity, you will need a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. You may
use colored pencils if you have any. You will need about 30-40 minutes to
complete this activity.

This activity has 3 steps:

STEP 1: Identify all the different groups that live in and around your
community, using the following criteria: by age, ethnic affiliation, religious
beliefs, cultural practices, sex, gender, and socio-economic status. Identify
as many groups as you can and draw a symbol to represent each group.
You can draw each image on any part of the paper, but make sure to leave
spaces in between each image for some text.

STEP 2: For each image that you have drawn on the paper, write down
your impressions of each group. Write down what you feel are the good
and bad characteristics of the members of each group. Finally, draw a star
next to the symbol of the group that you identify with the most. Put an “X”
beside the symbol of three groups that you identify with the least.

STEP 3: For the last step in the activity, put a check mark (p) beside the
symbol of the group that you feel you know the most about, and put a
question mark (?) beside the symbol of the group you feel you know the
least about.

When you are done, reflect on your output. You may refer to the following
questions to guide your reflection.

• For which of the groups did you list more bad characteristics than
good ones?

• Which group has the longest list of good characteristics?

• Which group do you know the most about (practices, customs,

belief systems, values) among all the groups?

• Which group do you know the least about?

• Which group do you identify with the most?

• Which group do you identify with the least? Is this one of the
groups that you know the least about?

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 67

 Let’s Think About This
While doing the activity, you probably noticed a pattern emerging. You
probably knew more about the groups that you identified with the most,
and knew very little about the group you identified with the least. This is
because, being a member of a certain group, we are exposed to all aspects
of the group’s culture. Because we know so much about the group, we
can easily interact with other members with minimal conflict. We know
that the group has good and bad characteristics, but we are comfortable
with looking past the bad characteristics because we understand that not
all the members of the group exhibit those bad behaviors. However, for
the groups we know little about, we often use what little information we
have as a basis for our interactions with members of that group. If we don’t
know enough about the culture of the other group, we tend to depend on
what we gather from stories, the media, and our own values and beliefs of
what is right and wrong to guide us in how we react to people who have
different cultures.

What insights did you gain from the activity? Write these insights down
in your learning journal. You are also strongly encouraged to discuss your
insights with your Flexible Learning Tutor and your co-learners. When
you are done sharing what you learned with your peers, you can move on
to the next section.

Let’s Study
In the previous activity, you were given the opportunity to look at how
your own perception of another person or group of people can affect how
you relate to that person or group in specific situations. As school head
working to achieve a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your
school, you must look at how you relate to the different groups, cultural
groups in particular, in your school and in your community. How much
do you know about each of these cultural groups? Are you aware of their
common desires, needs, and wants? Do you consider their beliefs and
practices when you formulate policies or initiate activities in the school? In
cases like the one described in the story of Ludinio and Berto, how do your
perceptions and beliefs affect how you treat similar incidents?

68 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

If you noticed from the reflections in the last activity, the best way you can
combat your biases about other groups is to learn more about that group.
The more we know about other people, the more we can understand their
values, beliefs, and behavior. If we interact with members of a different
cultural group and learn their culture, we often find that our perceptions
of them were inaccurate or incomplete. Just as we are ready to overlook
and tolerate members of our cultural group that exhibit bad characteristics,
so, too, will we be able to find ourselves open to the members of different
cultural groups. Knowledge is one of the keys to managing conflict
constructively. The more you understand others, the more you can open
yourself up to dialogue and accept differences.

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.4)

The story of Berto and Ludinio is an example of how stereotypes and
prejudice can affect how we relate to others. Many times, people allow
these stereotypes and prejudices to guide their actions such as in the case
of Berto and Ludinio. Think about the effects of negative stereotypes
and prejudice in your school. Think also about your own actions that
may promote negative stereotypes towards certain students. Answer
the following questions below. You can write your answer in the space
provided after each question.

1. What are the effects of negative stereotypes and prejudices on students,

most especially students who are considered “different” from the
others?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. As school head, how might you be inadvertently promoting negative

stereotypes among the students and faculty?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 69

 3. What are your roles as school head, in promoting respect, acceptance
and appreciation for diversity?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

4. What changes do you need to make in yourself to more effectively fulfill

these roles?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Were you able to think deeply about the different effects of prejudice and
what you can do as school head to challenge prejudice? If you were able
to look within yourself and identify areas that you can improve, that’s
excellent! You can compare your answers with those in the following
section.

70 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Read
The Effects of Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice

In the school setting, negative stereotypes and prejudices have very real
effects on the students who are its victims. Nario-Galace and Navarro-
Castro (2008) cite the following as some of the effects of prejudices at
schools:

• Negative effects on academic achievement and self-esteem

• Feelings of isolation or alienation
• Emotional or physical harm from teasing or bullying

These negative effects can also have an impact on the child’s future. In some
cases, the children who experience prejudice may leave the school system
altogether, which denies them opportunities to fulfill their potential.

As school head, you ought to realize the effect you can have on the
promotion of prejudice and negative stereotypes in your school. As a role
model, your words and actions become an important example to both
students and teachers. If you follow the principles of peace and respect
for cultural diversity, your students and teachers will have a powerful
example to follow.

Challenging Your Own Prejudice as a School Head

Challenging negative stereotypes and prejudice is a critical part of building

a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school.
Developing an appreciation for differences, and even celebrating them,
will help reduce conflicts that may arise from lack of understanding or
sensitivity to the values and beliefs of other people.

You can promote an appreciation for differences in your school with a set
of useful guidelines. Nario-Galace and Navarro-Castro (2008) suggest the
following ways to teach and introduce the concept of tolerance in your
school. You can use these guidelines to examine your own thoughts and
actions, and you can also encourage your teachers to do the same.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 71

 Do you . . .

• Give more favorable attention to those who are physically or socio-

economically advantaged?
• Use inclusive and/or non-discriminating language in your meetings
and in the classroom? Remember, language shapes consciousness.
• Treat each person fairly regardless of sex or socio-economic status?
Do you tend to give more compliments to those who are more
physically attractive or who fit in your stereotypes of behavior,
personality, and so on?
• Celebrate differences in the school and highlight the concept that
diversity is enriching? Do you encourage everyone in the school to
learn new things from one another?
• Use teaching aids that show a variety of racial and physical features,
as well as religious and cultural contexts?
• Check textbooks, references, instructional materials and curriculum/
course outlines for biased messages about sex, race, ethnicity, and
religion?
• Use stories of racial and cultural prejudice and ask the students to
take the perspective of the victims of prejudice?

These are just some of the things you can do to promote tolerance and
respect for diversity in your school. These guidelines will help you
challenge prejudice and help you build a strong foundation for a culture of
peace in the school. If you make students aware that diversity should be
an opportunity to learn more about the world and about other people, then
you open their minds and hearts to others.

As school head, you can help promote understanding and appreciation

of differences through initiatives like twinning programs, where students
from different schools in different geographic regions trade places for
a certain period of time. Twinning programs allow students to interact
with and experience new cultures and provide opportunities for students
to work together. All in all, keep in mind that one of the most powerful
ways of introducing change is through your own example as school head.
When you are a model and champion of peace and have the commitment
to live the values of peace it is easy to earn the respect and support of your
students and teachers.

72 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Study
Study the following critical incident about two school heads, Armin and Jan.
They are both in charge of schools with a diverse multicultural population
(the names of the cultural groups in this story are fictional). Both Armin
and Jan are experiencing problems with conflict among different cultural
groups within the school. This conflict is actually an extension of conflict
among these groups in the surrounding community. In recent months,
the two school heads have grown concerned about the increasing division
that is occurring among the different cultural groups in the surrounding
provinces. They are afraid that this division may spark violence and that it
may spread to their community. Both of them are worried that the students
in their schools may be adversely affected by this conflict.

Critical Incident
Armin and Jan were together in a workshop for school heads. One day they were
discussing the growing problem of cultural division in their communities.

Jan: I’m worried, Armin. I hear that in the neighboring province,

different cultural groups are clashing. Some of the children from
my school have relatives in that province and they sometimes
ask their teachers if that will happen in our community, too.

Armin: I understand your problem, Jan. We have a culturally diverse

student population as well, and the tension in the other
provinces is already showing in my school. Just the other week
we had several fights between students because of tensions
between cultural groups. One of my students threw a broom
at a classmate after being teased that he and his clan should be
contented with cleaning classrooms.

Jan: I also had to stop a similar conflict in my school, where some

students would refuse to mingle or accept other students from
a different cultural group. Even when they are assigned to
do groupwork, some students are left out of the discussions
because they are considered “different.” I can see an increasing
divisiveness in our school and community.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 73

 Armin and Jan then agreed to meet again after one month to talk about what
initiatives they were doing in their schools and if they were effective. Then they
would share them with the school district superintendent to get her advice.

After a month, Armin and Jan met at the quarterly school heads’ meeting for
the school division. They had a lot of time to discuss the steps they had taken
to alleviate the problems they were observing.

Armin: What is new with you, Jan? Have you solved the problems in
your school yet?

Jan: I wish it were that easy, Armin. I haven’t had any luck creating
a more tolerant atmosphere in my school. The fighting and
conflict continue due to cultural differences.

Armin: Well, Jan, don’t expect that change will happen overnight. Have
you discovered the root causes of the conflicts in your school?
Were you able to get a better understanding of the problems the
students are facing?

Jan: What do you mean? I spoke to the teachers and students about
respecting each other. I wrote policies to promote peace and I
expected everyone to follow them. I think we knew the problem
from the last time we spoke.

Armin: Did you conduct any research into the root of the conflict between
the different cultural groups in your school? What did you talk
about when you spoke of respecting each other?

Jan: I just told them what I thought was right. Both of us follow the
Nanawat religion, don’t we? Our religion has certain teachings
on peace and on how people should live. I just used that as my
guide when I spoke to the students and the teachers. Also, these
beliefs guided the programs that I implemented and the policies
that I wrote. What I told them applies to everyone in the school
and each one should follow what I said.

74 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 Armin: Can you tell me the population breakdown of your school? How
many percent are from each of the different cultural groups?

Jan: I’m not sure. We have a mix of Nanawat and Mhumads, but
we have also students from smaller tribes and cultural groups
in the area.

Armin: I see. Jan, I think I have an idea why you are having a hard time
implementing policies in your school.

Let’s Think About This

What do you think of the story you just read? Do you also have an idea
why Jan is having a problem implementing policies that support peace and
respect for cultural diversity in his school? The questions below will help
you reflect on the story. Answer each of the questions below. Write your
answers on the spaces provided below.

1. Why do you think is Jan having a problem encouraging understanding

and respect for cultural diversity in his school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. What do you think did Armin mean when he asked Jan about doing
research on the conflicts in the school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 75

 3. What do you think are the ways that Jan can learn more about the causes
of division among the cultural groups in his school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
Compare your answers with the ones below:

1. Jan had a very hard time encouraging tolerance and understanding

in his school because he did not have a good grasp of the problems
experienced by his students and teachers. He thought of solutions
based on his own understanding of the problem and he did not have
any input from anyone else. Furthermore, he used guidelines based on
his own religion. Although it is possible that the tenets of his faith are
indeed geared towards peace, there are other cultural perspectives and
practices that are also geared towards achieving peace.

2. When Armin asked Jan about doing research on the conflicts in his
school, he meant that Jan should get a better understanding of the
cultural tensions that exist inside the school and even in the community.
Armin thought this was important because in order to truly create
an environment of respect for cultural differences, one needs to first
understand the causes of the problems. By talking to students, teachers,
and members of the community, Jan can think of more effective
programs and policies that will be more acceptable to the members of
the school. Also, Jan can be sure that he is addressing the cause of the
problem and not just the symptoms.

3. Jan can learn more about the cultural issues affecting his school by
initially talking to students, teachers, and members of the community.
He can seek the viewpoint of the members of each cultural group what
their concerns and issues are. Jan should seek as many viewpoints

76 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 as possible to understand how each side views the issues. This will
help him determine if he is drafting policies that are objective and
representative of the sentiments of each cultural group.

If you put thought into answering the reflective questions above, then you
should have a good idea of what Jan needs to do in order to draft more
effective policies in his school. It is important for you to understand the
nature of the problem that you are dealing with before you create any
policies as an answer to those problems. If you formulate policies based
on your own understanding of the problem, there is a good chance that the
policies will be one-sided and will not address the multi-faceted nature of
problems concerning tensions between different cultural groups.

Let’s Study
It is not easy to create an environment in your school that promotes respect
for cultural diversity. As you learned in Lesson One, your challenge as
a leader is to do what you can to help alleviate the causes of conflict and
you have to do this in a way that allows all affected groups to feel that
they are being involved in the development of a solution. Remember also
the problem-solving approach to managing conflicts which we discussed
in Lesson One. It is important to listen to what other parties have to say
and to find solutions to problems that are mutually agreeable to everyone.
Listening will breed trust and help others become more open to discussing
their problems and working together to find solutions.

When you look into the issues at your school, you should talk to as many
people as you can from different sides of the issue so you will create a more
accurate picture of the problems and concerns of each group. You should
talk to students, teachers, members of the community, and other groups
whom you think can help you put together a clearer picture of the issues
and problems.

For example, if Jan spoke to some of the students and families of the
minority groups in his school, he might find that they feel their voice and
perspectives are unheard in the school. Jan might discover that because
his programs and policies are based on well-known Nanawat religious
teachings, members of some smaller minority groups may feel they are
being forced to accept the religious beliefs of the school head. Furthermore,

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 77

 Jan may unknowingly be encouraging stereotypes and discrimination of
certain students who have different values and beliefs. This might result
in discomfort for some students who may feel they must go against some
of their values and practices in order to comply.

Jan might also find that the cause of some conflicts may be due to reasons
he did not even consider. Some of the reasons for cultural tensions may
be rooted in poverty or deprivation of rights. One example of this would
be teachers complaining of slow learners from a certain minority group.
The teachers, being from a Nanawat or Mhumad culture, may form such
stereotypes of these students. This may be also reinforced in the classroom
among the students. If Jan did some more research and discovered that
many of the students from that minority group lived in extreme poverty and
often went to school without eating, how might this affect the perception
teachers and students have of these students?

Let’s Read
Let’s continue reading the story of Armin and Jan. As you read through the
story, you may take notes and think about the following:

• What sources of information can you use to understand the

problem?
• How would you gather the data?
• How does this data help you evaluate present policies and modify
them or draft new ones that will help build a culture of peace in
your school?

78 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Critical Incident (continued)

Jan and Armin met again to discuss what they could do to bring peace to their
community. After the first meeting, Jan realized that he had a lot of work to do
in understanding the problems and issues that threatened the peace both in his
school and community. The next time he met with Jan, he had some additional
information gathered through statistics, dialogues with students and teachers,
and from talks with different members of the community.

Jan: Armin, thank you for suggesting that I do further research and
understand the issues on the cultural tensions in my school.
After I spoke to several people from different cultural groups,
I realized that some of the policies I drafted may have even
hampered my goal of building a culture of peace.

Armin: That’s great, Jan! Why don’t we discuss the issues that you
uncovered. Maybe they are similar to what I’m experiencing in
my school.

Jan: Well, first of all, I asked all the teachers to take a survey of their
classes and I found that my school has a very diverse population.
Here is the breakdown of the school’s population...

Jan hands a sheet of paper to Armin with the following figures:

Class
Cultural Cultural Cultural
Performance
Groups Distribution Distribution
Indicators
of Students of Teachers
(Average Grade)
Nanawat 57% 74% 85.4%
Mhumad 22% 4% 89.1%
Kawan 3% ---- 67.4 %
Lumin 7% ---- 92.6 %
Mulano 11% 22% 84.9 %

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 79

 Jan: I used this as my starting point in analyzing the issues in the
school. I know that the statistics only tell part of the story, so I
started formulating my research plan and questions based on the
data that I had.

Armin: I noticed that one cultural group performs very well and another
performs very poorly. If you are not careful you might make the
conclusion that one group does perform poorly.

Jan: That’s right. This was also manifesting itself in the classroom,
where Kawan students were being alienated because of the
perceptions that they were slow learners. The other students did
not like having them as groupmates. There were even instances
when they would tease the Kawan students.

Armin: I see. Your data is really good, Jan! It uncovered some issues
that you didn’t know about before. What did you do next?

Jan: I spoke to the teachers about students’ performance and they said
that the Kawan students often came to class with incomplete
assignments, or would not be paying attention in class. Some of
the teachers even caught them sleeping. However, because there
are only a few Kawan students and there is only approximately
one student in every other class, the teachers did not see a
pattern. This only came out when I got the class data.

Armin: I have a similar situation in my school. Our student population

is almost the same as yours, so we are experiencing almost the
same thing. Tell me more about the problem - maybe I can get
some insights from your research.

Jan: Well, after I got the data I spoke to as many students as I could
about their culture, their problems and desires, and what they
thought of students from other cultural groups. I got surprised
that at such a young age, the children had many stereotypes
of students from other cultures. When I asked them why they
thought about those students, their answers told me even more.
Often, they form their opinion based on what they see in the
media and what they hear at home. But in some cases, they said

80 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 they believed in some of the stereotypes because they would see
their teacher often scolding these students for being slow, lazy,
and uninterested.

Armin: That’s interesting. When I spoke to one student in my school,

she said that she felt she should not even be attending this school
because she felt alone - most of her classmates and teachers were
Nanawat and the discussions and examples in class were always
taken from the Nanawat culture. The textbooks were also full
of discussions and examples taken from the Nanawat culture.
She could not identify with the class and even had some doubts
about her own culture.

Jan: I never realized that we also need to assess the things we depend
on for teaching. From your discussions with the students it
seems that the textbooks themselves and the examples that we
use may promote stereotypes and alienate the students from
different cultures.

Armin: I agree. We have to examine our learning materials as well.

Did you make any progress in your investigation on the poor
performance of the Kawan students in your school?

Jan: Well, I discovered the reason for the poor performance of the
Kawan students. I spoke to some of the parents of the children
and found out that because of the conflict in the other provinces,
many Kawans have come here to stay with relatives while they
look for some way to make a living. They had to leave their
homes out of fear, so they came here and they have been taken
in by their relatives. Because of this, the families of the Kawan
students have to make room for them in their small homes and
since many Kawan families are not very well off, the resources
are now shared across more people.

Armin: And I guess that means even the meals they prepare need to
be shared by more people? I can imagine that many of your
Kawan students might go to school with little or no food in their
stomach.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 81

 Jan: That’s correct. Even more so, many of the Kawan students have
difficulty completing their assignments because when they get
home, they help with the housekeeping and in the preparation of
meals. Normally, they could do their assignments when they get
home, but because there are many people living with them, they
cannot find a quiet place to concentrate. Most of them end up
doing their assignments late at night when everyone is asleep,
but by that time they are too sleepy and often fall asleep without
completing them.

Armin: I see. So that explains the performance of the Kawan students

based on your data. What steps are you taking to help the
situation?

Jan: I was thinking to give the students - all the students, the
opportunity to do their schoolwork after class. I thought it
might be helpful to provide an area where they can study and do
their assignments before they go home. But when I spoke to the
teachers about this, they reminded me that there was an existing
policy that requires all classroom and lights to be turned off
after class as a cost-saving measure. I also realized that there
were no policies or programs that gave incentives to teachers
to help students in a constructive manner. In fact, there was
a school policy that actually rewarded teachers on the basis of
class performance alone. So the tendency of some teachers was
to scold students when they did not perform well and this helped
reinforce the stereotypes in the classroom.

Armin: That’s an important insight, Jan. I am getting some ideas from

your experience for my school. How about the problem of lack
of nutrition?

Jan: That’s another challenge. I would like to start a school feeding

program, but I need the resources to do so. When I spoke about
the problem with the local government officials, they said they
could help me if I could discuss the case with the mayor. I’m
working on that now.

82 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 Armin: Jan, I think you are on the right track. I learned a lot from you
today. I also have similar insights based on my research. The
problem of poverty is a critical factor that promotes conflict and
division between cultural groups. I also found that my students
and even the teachers are not that knowledgeable about the
practices and beliefs of other cultural groups. I say this because
we have no activities that allow students to share their culture
with other students. One of my initiatives then is to conduct
programs that will help the students and teachers understand
the practices and beliefs of other cultures.

Jan: I think that’s a good idea, Armin. In fact, that might also benefit
my school. If you look at my data, most of the school’s teachers
are Nanawat, so many of the values and beliefs that are being
taught in the classroom may be from the Nanawat culture.

Armin: This is great, Jan. We were able to uncover some of the roots
of the problems. We also have identified some issues that might
hinder our plans to build a culture of peace in our schools!

Let’s Think About This

Based on what you read in the story, answer the following reflection
questions. Write your answers on the spaces provided.

1. What sources of information did Jan use to gain a better understanding

of the problems in his school concerning cultural divisions and
stereotypes?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 83

 2. How did Jan use these data to determine the causes of the problem?
How would these help in building a culture of peace in his school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. What do you think helped Jan and Armin effectively assess the problem
of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination in their schools?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Read on to validate your answers.

Let’s Study
In order to gain a better understanding of the problems of cultural division
and stereotypes in his school, Jan looked at several sources of information.
He used statistics or quantitative information to get a broad picture of
the cultural composition of the school. He also used qualitative data - his
conversations with students, teachers, and community members. Jan also
discussed the issues and problems with his colleague, Armin, and they both
gained many insights from analyzing the problems and finding similarities
in their experiences.

Using the statistics as a starting point, Jan looked for possible clues that
could tell him that there was a deeper problem he should examine more
closely. He saw the performance of the Kawan students as an indicator of
such a deeper problem. To get a better understanding of what the data was
showing, Jan decided to talk to the students and teachers, and even met

84 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

with the Kawan students’ parents to discuss with them the issue and find
out the cause of the students’ poor performance. Because Jan was able to
talk with the people who were directly affected by the issue, he was able to
understand that the students perform poorly due to many factors, and not
simply because they were from the Kawan cultural group. With this new
understanding, Jan could now get everyone involved in understanding the
problem and thinking of solutions.

By understanding the nature of the problem, Jan became more effective

at evaluating the stereotypes and prejudice that existed in his school. It
also helped him determine the root of the problem he needed to address to
allow all students to do well in class and master their lessons regardless of
cultural or socio-economic situation. Jan also created a good set of criteria
with which to evaluate whether school policies were hindering or helping
the development of a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in
his school.

Your answers may be similar to the ones written here. You may also have
other ideas or answers which differ from the ones given here. You can
discuss your answers with your colleagues, or with your Flexible Learning
Tutor to get additional feedback.

Let’s Think About This

In the story you just read, you discovered that understanding the
cultural issues is one critical step in creating an environment of tolerance,
appreciation of differences, and acceptance. Like Jan, you can start by
looking at different sources of information. You can develop quantitative
statistical data to analyze and find starting points for your research. You
can also gather qualitative data by talking to students, teachers, parents,
and members of the community to find out the challenges, fears, and
aspirations of the members of each cultural group in your school. Often,
you will find that their desire for children to be educated is a common
aspiration among members of the community, regardless of cultural group.
The challenges they face, including poverty, disease, discrimination, and
denial of their basic rights may keep them from experiencing the fullness of
their education. These challenges may also affect how they see themselves
and how other people see them. We also read about how the learning
materials we use, or the examples we use in class, may not contain examples

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 85

 or discussions about other cultural groups. We must examine the teaching
and learning materials that we use and determine if they adequately discuss
or provide examples from other groups. If the materials do not adequately
discuss this, we must find ways to give attention to the cultural practices
and beliefs of other groups.

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.5)

Review some of the teaching and learning materials that you use in your
school. As you review them, assess whether they adequately discuss or
provide examples from the different cultural groups represented by your
school’s student population. You may use the following guide questions to
assess the materials:

• Are the discussions and examples taken from only one cultural
group?
• Can other cultural groups relate to the examples and discussions?

• How can you supplement the materials so that you can touch on
discussions and examples from different cultural groups?

Fill out the table below. Under column “Materials,” identify the materials
that you reviewed. Under column “Gaps in Cultural Discussions,” describe
what is lacking in the material in terms of discussions and examples taken
from the different cultural groups in your school. Under column “Strategies
to Supplement Materials,” list down ways by which you can supplement
these materials with examples and discussions taken from other cultural
groups.

On the next page is an example of what the table should look like. You
can use this as a guide in assessing the materials and finding strategies to
supplement the gaps in discussions about other cultural groups.

86 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

 Gaps in Strategies to
Materials
Cultural Discussion Supplement Materials
Mathematics All the characters When formulating
Textbook in problem-solving word problems, use
questions have Christian names from different
names cultural groups

Visual Aids on The situations depicted Create new materials

Health only show one type that depict other
of cultural group; the cultures
examples used by the
teachers are taken from
only one cultural group

Examples in The examples used Examine stereotypes

Language contain certain and ask students to
stereotypes about confirm if these are
students and people valid; ask students
from other cultures from different cultures
to create their own
examples based on their
own experience and
culture

Using the table below, you may now begin your assessment of the materials
used in your school. You may enhance the table as you wish.

Gaps in Strategies to
Materials
Cultural Discussion Supplement Materials

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 87

 Were you able to determine what gaps exist in the materials that you use?
Were you able to think of ways to supplement the materials so that they
adequately discuss the experiences of people from different cultures? You
might have ideas that were not mentioned above. You are encouraged to
discuss your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor and your colleagues
for additional feedback.

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.6)

In Lesson One, we talked about how the ideal style of conflict resolution is
one where the parties listen to each other and are open to understanding
the fears, aspirations, desires, and troubles of the other. We also talked
about how this helps create trust and confidence, which in turn motivates
people to be more open to discussing differences and achieving peace. In
the same way, school policies must be formulated so that they promote
respect for cultural diversity and cooperative peace-building.

As school head, you lead the efforts to develop a culture of peace and
respect for diversity in your school. One of the strategies you can use to
do this is through the creation of policies and initiatives that will promote
peace and understanding, and celebrate the differences between groups of
people in the school. In the next PEACeXCELS module entitled, Promote
Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity in Schools and Communities,
you will learn more about developing programs, policies, and initiatives
that will help build a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity at
your school.

Review the story of Jan and Armin. From the statistics, they were able
to form a picture of what was happening in their schools. They used
these statistics as a starting point to investigate further and as a basis for
assessing if there were aspects of the teaching-learning environment that
discriminated against students from different cultural groups.

Like Jan and Armin, you may conduct research at your school to find out
if your school promotes peace and respect for cultural diversity. One of
the ways you can do this is by reflecting on your own practices and by
interviewing students and teachers on their experiences at your school.

88 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

When you conduct research in your school, you will need to prepare
questions that will draw out information on whether your school promotes
peace and respect for cultural diversity. On the spaces provided below,
write down the questions related to peace and respect for cultural diversity
that you can ask your respondents - the teachers, school staff, and students.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Let’s Read

Criteria of Teaching-Learning Environments that

Promote Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity

Were you able to come up with questions you can ask your respondents?
If you were able to, that’s great! It means that you actually have in mind a
set of criteria of a teaching-learning environment that promotes peace and
respect for cultural diversity.

Criteria are standards or measures used for evaluating something, like

in this case, the school in terms of promoting peace. Below are criteria in
question form frequently used by peace practitioners.

• Is there sensitivity to the financial burdens imposed on students

from lower-income households?
• Are students and teachers from different cultural groups discouraged
or prevented from practicing their cultural beliefs?
• Are the beliefs and practices of dominant cultural groups given
more emphasis or attention inside and outside the classroom?
• Are all cultural groups allowed equal access to school resources?

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 89

 • Are there situations where more attention or appreciation may be
given to a specific cultural group?
• Are there situations where minority groups might be denied proper
attention, credit, and appreciation because of criteria or standards
based on the values and beliefs of the dominant cultural group?
• Do the criteria for performance and evaluation of excellence include
the different practices, beliefs, and values of the students in the
school?
• Are all cultural groups given equal access to school resources?

These are just some of the criteria you can use to determine if your school
promotes peace and respect for cultural diversity. Are they also the
questions you asked in the previous activity? If you wrote questions not
mentioned here, you may discuss them with your Flexible Learning Tutor
and co-learners.

You are also encouraged to discuss your answers with any peace practitioner
you know for additional feedback and insights.

90 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Remember
In this lesson, you learned about the values and beliefs that serve as a
guide in how you deal with different situations and people. You also
learned how stereotypes influence how you perceive and act towards
others.

Stereotypes in themselves are not bad. They actually help us deal

with different situations in a similar manner, so we can choose an
appropriate action while reducing the risk of offending or creating
conflict with the other party. However, stereotypes can also become an
obstacle to developing respect for cultural diversity, especially when
we allow our stereotypes to dictate our actions and to remain closed
to different points of view. When our stereotypes are mixed with fear
or uncertainty towards individuals from different cultural groups, we
may become prejudiced against that group of people. Once we exclude
others simply because of our prejudice against them, we are committing
discrimination.

We need to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination

to ensure that all students and teachers in our school are given the same
opportunities and encouragement to realize their potentials. We can do
that by examining ourselves and assessing the different aspects of the
teaching-learning experience to determine if there are areas that may
reinforce stereotypes and prejudice, and work to eliminate these from
the teaching learning process. This includes reviewing the teaching and
learning materials used in school to assess their cultural relevance and
if there are gaps, supplement them.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 91

 How Much Have You Learned From This
Lesson?
Let’s review what you have learned in this lesson. Answer the questions
below as best as you can. You may write your answers on the spaces
provided after each question.

1. What role do stereotypes play in how we deal with others?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. What are the negative effects of stereotypes?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. Why is it important to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice, and

discrimination?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

92 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

4. As school head, what can you do to promote respect for cultural diversity
and challenge prejudice and discrimination?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Compare your answers with the ones in the Key to Correction on pages 138-
140.

Feedback
How did you fare? If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s
excellent! You have learned many new concepts in this lesson and you are
ready to move on to the next lesson.

If you missed the answer to some of the questions, you are encouraged to
review the part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge.

This lesson focused on respecting others as a critical part of building peace

and respect for cultural diversity in your school. In the next lesson, Sowing
the Seeds of Peace and Respect for Diversity, you will learn different ways
you can sow the seeds of peace in your school through programs and
learning activities that can be implemented in the classroom and at the
school policy level.

When you are ready, you may begin with Lesson 3.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 93

 LESSON

3
Sowing the Seeds of Peace and
Respect for Cultural Diversity

What Is This Lesson About?

The first two lessons examined how managing conflict constructively
and challenging stereotypes and prejudice are key ingredients in the
development of a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school.
Building peace means learning how to deal with conflict in a constructive
manner and challenging stereotypes and prejudice in your school. Learning
how to live together and appreciate the culture, values, and beliefs of others
is an important step towards building a culture of peace.

As you have learned in the first two lessons, we must be conscious of

our own perceptions, thoughts, and actions regarding people who have
values and beliefs that are different from ours. When we ourselves live the
principles of peace, understanding, and appreciation of other cultures, we
are doing our own part in building peace in our school.

Once we are committed to living peace, we now have the chance to share
this commitment with others. Just as the title suggests, this lesson is about
sowing the seeds of peace in our own families, schools, and communities.
This lesson is about expanding our understanding about peace and
examining ways we can integrate peace and understanding into the
different aspects of the teaching-learning process. The goal of this lesson
is to help you develop a comprehensive understanding of peace and find
different ways to integrate peace education into the school.

94 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

What Will You Learn?
In this lesson you will learn a comprehensive definition of peace, and
examine the different forms of violence that prevent peace. You will also
learn about different frameworks for integrating peace education into your
school. After studying this lesson, you should be able to:

• Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

• Describe the different forms of violence which threaten the
attainment of a culture of peace.
• Describe the dimensions and operative values necessary to the
building of a culture of peace in schools.
• Explain the rationale for peace education in schools.
• Describe the schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values
that are integral to peace education.
• Determine your own strengths and areas for growth to become a
champion of peace in your school and community.

Let’s Try This (Activity 3.1)

Read through the list below of conditions that prevent the building of a
culture of peace. For each of the conditions, explain why it might be an
obstacle to peace, and explain what you can do as school head to challenge
these conditions. You can write your thoughts on the spaces below each
condition.

a. Extreme poverty

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 95

 b. Hunger

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

c. Avoidable diseases

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

d. Discrimination against minority groups

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

e. Denial of human rights

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Did you gain any new insight from this activity? Read on to know how
well you performed in the activity.

96 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Let’s Read
Conditions that Prevent the Building
of a Culture of Peace

Peace can often be threatened by indirect harm caused by human beings

towards other human beings. This is seen in conditions that many people
live under, such as oppression, prejudice, and poverty. These conditions
are considered a specific form of violence called structural violence. We
first defined structural violence in Lesson One. Remember that structural
violence refers to the systems, institutions, and policies that meet some
people’s human needs, rights, or wants at the expense of others (Cawagas,
Toh and Garrone, 2006). Structural violence can ignite conflict and
physical violence. As school head, you should be aware of some of the
manifestations of structural violence, so you can identify them in your
school and community, and challenge them.

Some of the conditions that may be considered forms of structural violence

are the following:

Extreme poverty

Extreme poverty is a barrier to peace due to disparities that exist between

those who have and control resources and those who do not. People who
live in extreme poverty may resort to violence or unlawful behavior in
order to correct what they know as injustice. It has also been observed
that people living in extreme poverty are more likely to join armed
movements (Justino, 2008). As school head you can help alleviate poverty
in many ways. Two possible initiatives include: bring education to those
in need through non-formal education programs or identify programs for
livelihood that can be delivered through the school in cooperation with the
community and the local government.

Starvation

Starvation is a desperate situation that prevents the achievement of peace

because peace does not only mean the absence of war but the presence of
conditions of well-being. In 2008, many developing nations around the
world experienced rioting due to the rising cost of grain and other food
commodities. As the price of bread, rice, and other basic food products
nearly doubled, many of those who were earning very little suddenly faced

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 97

 a desperate situation which caused some to take extreme measures so they
could be heard. As school head, you can alleviate this situation by helping
make food security in your community a reality. The school can offer
agricultural productivity training and programs for community members
and students. You can invite resource persons to pass on their knowledge
about increasing crop yields or maximizing land use. Another more
immediate problem related to starvation is students who come to school
hungry or with poor nutrition, which affects their concentration and brain
development. If you can address hunger in your school through feeding
programs, you are helping alleviate the negative effects of starvation.

Avoidable diseases

Health care is everyone’s concern. Article 25 of the UDHR stipulates that

“everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing
and medical care.” As school head you can help promote this human right
by providing basic health care classes or organizing dental and medical
missions. You can also make sure that each student receives health
education as early as possible.

Discrimination against minority groups

As you learned in Lesson 2, discrimination against minority groups is one

major obstacle to peace. Many of the conflicts raging around the world
today are rooted in discrimination, or the lack of tolerance of minorities by
the majority group in power. When there is a lack of understanding of or
refusal to accept others who are culturally different, this may lead to conflict
as one group tries to exclude or even eliminate the other group. As school
head, you can help increase understanding between different groups. That
is one of the main focuses of this module. You can help promote cultural
understanding and tolerance through curricular integration, school
exchange programs, multi-cultural presentations, and dialogue between
culturally different groups in your school.

Denial of human rights

When human rights are violated or not respected, there is a strong tendency
to resist those who violate your rights. Violating peoples’ rights prevents
them from living in dignity and realizing their potential. Many conflicts
in the world right now are due to deprivation of rights such as the right

98 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

to land, development, equality, or participation. This is a barrier to peace
because people whose rights are denied come into conflict with those who
violate their rights. Betty Reardon (1995) wrote that fulfillment of human
rights provides the foundation of a nonviolent social order and greatly
reduces, the causes of armed conflict and war. As school head, you can
help alleviate this by making sure that respect for human rights is not only
taught in the classroom, but also lived by each student inside and outside
the school. You can also use the school as a venue for discussing human
rights issues in order to help people understand what their rights are and
how to protect them.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss these issues with your co-learners,
other principals and teachers as well. Discuss these with them and try to
get an idea of how they perceive conflict and war, and what they feel they
can do in their role as individuals, teachers, school heads or community
members to promote peace and respect for human rights.

Let’s Think About This

Peace is defined not only as the absence of war or the absence of violence,
but it is also includes the eradication of all kinds of injustice. In the previous
activity, you learned how unjust situations like poverty, human rights
violations and prejudice can hamper the achievement of a culture of peace.
The situations described in the previous activity are manifestations of
structural violence, which is an indirect form of violence. Structural violence
occurs when there are inequalities manifested in poverty, unemployment,
and even a sense of powerlessness or low self-esteem. Recall from our
earlier discussion that structural violence is a condition where people suffer
from violence built into society through its social, political, and economic
systems (Hicks 1987, in Navarro-Castro & Nario Galace, 2008). Other forms
of violence such as socio-cultural or psychological violence are rooted in
cultural domination, racism, sexism, and discrimination or intolerance of
the beliefs of others. There are also other forms of violence such as ecological
violence wherein overconsumption, pollution, and overexploitation of
the world’s resources create conflict over these resources. These forms of
violence are all obstacles to peace.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 99

 These different forms of violence lead to conflict because of the conditions
that result from it. In extreme cases, poverty, starvation, avoidable diseases,
discrimination against minority groups, and denial of human rights can
lead to violent conflict. A world wherein these conditions exist is a world
without peace and human security. These conditions breed anger and
generate tension leading to armed conflict and war (Navarro-Castro &
Nario Galace, 2008). As school head, you can challenge the existence of
these forms of violence in your school and your community. Creating a
culture of peace will help your students – the future leaders of the nation
– understand that the achievement of peace involves recognizing the
different forms of violence around them and challenging them.

How will you teach your students to recognize the different forms of
violence in such a way that they will not be encouraged to be violent as
well? How will you model the way to challenge violence and ensure respect
for human rights and cultural diversity? Write your thoughts on the space
provided below and share your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor
and co-learners.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Let’s Try This (Activity 3.2)

For this activity you will need a pen and blank sheet of paper. Find a quiet
spot where you can think without being disturbed. Spend around 30-40
minutes on this activity.

Identify which of the obstacles to peace and respect for cultural diversity
are present in your school or community and how they are manifested at
present. These causes may be present in many forms and may be taken
as “normal” or “the way things are” by your community. One method
to identify these causes is to think about situations in your community
that cause conflict such as lack of basic services, denial of human rights,
or discrimination either due to cultural or religious differences. Finally,

100 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
think of ways you, as school head, can help alleviate this condition in your
community. Summarize this in the table below. The first row has been
done for you as an example. If you identify other causes of conflict, add
them to the table.

Obstacles to peace In what form is this

How can I help
and respect for present in my school
alleviate this?
cultural diversity or community?

Mistrust for Members of this Organize activities

people of “different” group (e.g., letter-writing,
a different are feared thus they training) that will
religious or are avoided and allow students to
ethnic affiliation. marginalized by interact with and
others. appreciate members
of this “different”
religious or ethnic
group.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 101
 Let’s Think About This
Think about the situation in your school today. Can you say that a culture
of peace and respect for diversity exists? Review what you have learned
so far in this module about managing conflict, challenging stereotypes
and prejudice, and about the different forms of violence that prevent
the achievement of peace. From what you have learned, identify the
improvements that you feel need to be made in your school for you to
achieve a culture of peace and respect for diversity. Write your answers on
the space provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

What are the areas in your school that you need to focus on to create a
more peaceful environment? Are the skills, values, and attitudes critical
to the development of peace integrated into the classroom or the school’s
programs? If not, then you have an excellent opportunity to introduce lasting
changes in your school by integrating peace into your school’s programs,
policies, and classrooms. In the second module of the PEACeXCELS
course, you will learn more about how to integrate the values of peace in
school policies and programs.

There are many methods for integrating peace values into the different
aspects of the teaching and learning process. Peace education is a pathway
you can use to integrate the values, knowledge, and skills critical to the
building of a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school. It
is a powerful tool that will help your students and teachers become more
aware of their role in achieving a vision of peace. Peace education seeks
to transform peoples’ mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors that have either
created or exacerbated conflicts (Castro & Galace, 2008). You can think of it
as a vehicle that will help you get to where you want to go. However, even
with a vehicle, it will be quite impossible for you to reach your destination

102 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
if you don’t know where you want to go in the first place. Before you
begin your journey, you must have a destination in mind. In this case, your
destination is a vision of peace that you can work to achieve.

Can you think of your own “peace destination” for your school? The
story in the next section might give you some ideas for your own vision of
peace.

Let’s Study
Read the article below about the Global Peace Festival that was held in
the Southern Philippine island of Mindanao in September of 2008. The
article talks about children from different cultural groups getting together
to learn about each other’s beliefs and practices and to develop a common
understanding of what kind of future they want to build together.

Global Festival Spawns New Hope

for Peace in Mindanao Region
Amidst the ceaseless struggle between the Philippine government and armed
groups in Mindanao, a new hope for peace is dawning in this “Promised
Land,” as Cagayan de Oro City is often called.

This developed after the Global Peace Festival (GPF) was successfully held
in Cagayan de Oro City despite postponements following the advice given by
top government officials and members of the academe in connection with the
peace and order situation in the island. The GPF is a venue for youth to come
together and learn about each other.

Organizers said that their GPF partners – governors and mayors, heads of
different government organizations (GOs) and non-government organizations
(NGOs), youth sector and particularly the Philippine Department of Education
(DepEd) in Mindanao – had prepared for months for this and were determined
to hold the festival no matter what; for them, they saw this peace festival was
one of the last remaining rays of hope.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 103
 From September 19 to 21, 2008, the GPF in Mindanao was finally held; a
series of leadership conferences, community service projects, and other peace
initiatives were organized for this event.

Organizers said tens of thousands of people celebrated, rather than fought over,
their religious and ethnic diversity.

The festival gathered indigenous tribal chieftains from 55 different tribes,

making it the most diverse representation of indigenous peoples ever assembled
on the island.

The GPF vision was “One Family Under God.” The event was co-chaired by
Dr. Haja Esnaira Estrella Abid-Babano, Department of Education Region X
Director, and Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula.

The GPF was jointly sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Office of
the Mayor, Department of Education, the Fourth Infantry Division of the
Philippine Army, and the Universal Peace Federation.

“The Peace Village is a novel idea,” Babano said. “It brings Christians,
Muslims and Indigenous People together in a living/learning environment.
Three times a year, 2,000 people come to the Peace Village, live together in this
community for four days, and immerse themselves in each other’s cultures, to
learn the traditions and religious values of the others.”

Tubod City, where the Peace Village is located, is 250 kilometers from Cagayan
de Oro City and Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo came to lend his full support for
the event.

This event also launched what is now called the Mindanao Peace Initiative
(MinPI). MinPI is a civil-society peacebuilder and is involved in a partici-
patory and inclusive approach to peace anchored on respect for cultural and
religious differences.

Dr. Robert Kittel, Director of Peace Education for GPF, summed up what the
festival achieved, saying, “Without a doubt, this initiative will create a strong
social impact to revive the peace process in Mindanao.”

104 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
The article shows it is possible to bring people together to discuss peace
and to work together to create a better future for everyone. But think
about this: how is it possible that people from different cultures will work
together if they have diverse perspectives?

What do you think do you need for all stakeholders to work together? You
can write your answers on the space provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

If you answered that all stakeholders need to have a shared vision of peace,
that’s exactly right! The Global Peace Festival was a venue for youth to
come together and learn about each other. At the end of the festival, they
have met new friends and have committed themselves to peace building.
More important, they have worked together to develop a shared vision of
peace that all the cultural groups could commit and give importance to.
This shared vision of peace incorporates the aspirations and ideals of all
the stakeholders, so everyone SHARES in it. All groups have a SHARED
responsibility to make it a reality, and if they do make it happen, then they
SHARE in its success.

In the previous section, we discussed about the importance of having a

“peace destination,” and how any map will not be effective if we don’t
know what we want to achieve. When we have a shared vision of peace,
everyone understands and travels towards the destination.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 105
 Let’s Try This (Activity 3.3)
Think of your own vision of peace for your school. Imagine what it would
be like if everyone in your school lived a culture of peace and respect for
diversity. Think about what your school would be like if everyone lived
the principles of peace.

In the spaces provided below, describe your own vision of peace for your
school. Think about what the school will be like and write down your
thoughts below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Were you able to think of a vision of peace for your school? When you
have a clear vision of peace that you can commit to, this will guide your
actions and plans for integrating peace education in your school. In the next
section we will discuss a framework you can use to integrate the values and
principles of peace and respect for diversity in your school.

106 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Let’s Study
The picture below is a depiction of the traditional method of moving a house
in the Philippines known as bayanihan. “Bayanihan” is from the Filipino root
word, “bayani,” or hero. In “bayanihan,” many people volunteer to lift a
house for free - a heroic deed - and carry it to its new location. You may
have experienced this or have seen this in your community.

When you think about the “bayanihan” method of moving a house, one
thing that will probably strike you is the fact that the house is literally
moved. The people moving the house support the different sections and
are able to move the entire house from one point to another. You cannot
just move one wall and expect the house to reach its destination. You
cannot just move one of the posts that supports the house and expect that
the house will be moved smoothly.

Similarly, the creation of a culture of peace in your school requires a holistic

approach. Once you know your destination, you have to make sure that
aspects of the teaching-learning experience are focused on teaching peace
values and principles.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 107
 Below are the different aspects of the teaching-learning experience. For
each of the aspects below, think of how you can integrate peace principles
and values in your own school. You can write your answers on the spaces
provided after each question:

How can you integrate peace education into the classroom?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

How can you integrate peace education into the materials used for
teaching?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

How can you integrate peace education into the support and counseling
programs for students?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

108 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Were you able to think of ways to integrate peace education into the
different aspects of the teaching-learning experience in your school? If
so, that’s excellent! Read on to learn more about the different ways of
integrating peace education in your school.

Let’s Read
Integrating Peace Education into the
Teaching-Learning Experience
Here are some ways you can integrate peace education into the different
aspects of the teaching-learning experience. Your answers may be similar
to the ones written below.

Integrating Peace Education into Classroom Dynamics

Some ways that you can integrate peace education into the classroom is by
modifying teaching-learning methods, using techniques that are cooperative,
participatory, dialogical, and experiential. You can use reflection and
sharing to help students take different roles in conflict situations. You can
also use different types of material like music and stories to illustrate the
different values and principles of peace.

Integrating Peace Education into Materials Used for Teaching

You can promote peace education by making available peace-related

materials in the classroom and in the school library. You can also use
existing materials and resources in new ways to encourage consciousness
about peace and respect for diversity. You can designate special areas or
zones in your school as peace zones where certain rules or principles of
peace are strictly followed.

Integrating Peace Education into Support and Counseling Programs for

Students

You can integrate peace education into the support and counseling programs
or structures for students. Out-of-classroom student activities can help in
the learning and appreciation of peace. You can create special programs or
events in your school to highlight peace and challenge the obstacles of peace
(such as denial of human rights, prejudice and discrimination, proliferation
of weapons) and other forms of violence (such as poverty and disease).

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 109
 Let’s Think About This
The ways of integrating peace education into the different aspects of the
teaching-learning experience may be completely new to you and the
teachers in your school. It is crucial, therefore, that you, yourself, are
convinced that these can be done. Which of the ways cited do you find
most challenging? How can you address these challenges?

The next section will provide you with a framework that you can use to
introduce peace education in your school. Read on to learn how to utilize
this framework effectively as you plan the integration of peace education
in the teaching-learning experience at your school.

Let’s Read
Building a Culture of Peace in School

Many scholars and peace practitioners agree that the most effective way to
create a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in the school is to
involve the entire school, engaging all the learning areas and stakeholders.
Navarro-Castro and Nario Galace (2008) identify the “whole school”
approach as important because a consistent message of peace and peace
values integrated into the different aspects of the school and the community
will help strengthen the learning for the students, as well as other important
stakeholders. In addition to this, the school may become a point of
leadership in promotion of peace when the social, political, and economic
environment that the school operates in is conducive or supportive of the
school’s initiatives (Navarro-Castro and Nario Galace, 2008). In cases like
this, all the more should the school play a leadership role in encouraging
peaceful practices and attitudes. The school can draw in stakeholders —
parents, families, the local government, and the community — so that they,
too, are made more aware of issues and possible courses of action through
increasing involvement in the school programs.

What does it mean to adopt a “whole school” method for developing peace
in your school? There are several perspectives that describe strategies for
teaching and learning that are compatible with peace education. Navarro-
Castro and Nario Galace (2008) identified five different approaches under
the whole school method of peace education:

110 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Holistic

The holistic approach is an inclusive strategy whose focus goes beyond

facts and concepts. This approach gives learners the opportunities to
examine their own attitudes and perceptions about peace, and to commit
themselves to becoming active instruments of peace. The three goals of
holistic peace education are the following:

• Building Awareness - focuses on creating awareness of the roots of

conflict and violence and of the things that promote peace and help
it grow
• Building Concern - focuses on developing the values of empathy,
compassion, hope, and social responsibility, which follow from an
awareness of the things that promote peace
• Call to Action - focuses on resolving to change personal mindsets
and attitudes and living out these changes through action, that is,
by doing something to resolve violent situations

These three goals of peacebuilding provide you with the basic framework
for developing effective programs and initiatives to create a culture of peace
in your school. As you can see, they deal with the cognitive, affective, and
behavioral dimensions of the teaching-learning process.

Can you think of specific activities for the holistic method that you can
introduce in your school? Write your answers on the space provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Participatory

Participatory education involves giving learners the chance to ask questions

and share and work with each other, which is important in developing
different perspectives. In participatory education, the teacher acts as a
facilitator, and should encourage learners to discuss their opinions and

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 111
 belief in an atmosphere of respect. The important factor in participatory
education is that even if the teacher holds strong views about an issue,
she or he should be able to respect the views of the learners. Furthermore,
the teacher should encourage the students to take an appropriate course of
action after expressing these views.

Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school
that follow the participatory method? Write your answers on the space
provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Cooperative

Cooperative education gives learners the chance to work together, which

can help improve relations among students. It can also help minimize
divisions between cultural groups and increase understanding and respect
for one another. Cooperative education also gives learners the opportunity
to practice problem-solving methods of conflict management. It facilitates
teamwork because each member of the group helps in achieving the group
output. Furthermore, it allows learners to develop openness to dialogue
when problems arise.

Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school that
follow the cooperative method? Write your answers on the space provided.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

112 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Experiential

Experiential education is structured in such a way that the learners learn

not from the traditional teaching and lectures, but through processing of
experiences. Learners are given activities in which they may be asked to
role-play or build things together, then are asked about their experiences.
It is learner-centered rather than teacher-centered. It allows learners to
generate concepts and ideas rather than simply take in information from
the teacher. This strategy helps facilitate the development of new ways
of thinking in learners who can develop new perspectives and ways of
doing things. New perspectives and ways of doing things are important
if we want to move away from the old systems that promote and create
violence and conflict. Discovery learning is important as it helps empower
the students – a skill necessary to help build a culture of participation and
peace.

Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school that
follow the experiential method? Write your answers on the space provided
below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Humanist

A humanist classroom allows learners to be accepted for what they are.

The focus is on the social, personal and affective development of the learner
by defining the self and self-esteem. In the humanist approach, the goal is
to develop within each learner that sense of being valuable and gifted. A
positive self-image is the basis for an individual’s willingness to take action
and work for change. Also, if a person feels that he or she has a lot to
give, that person will be willing to share this with others. In the humanist
approach, teachers usually encourage sensitivity, care, and respect for one
another, no matter how different each person is.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 113
 Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school that
follow the humanist method? Write your answers on the space provided
below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Let’s Think About This

Of the five approaches discussed in the previous section, which one do
you think would be the easiest to implement in your school? Which of the
approaches would require additional learning and practice on the part of
the faculty? Write your answers on the space provided below.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Were you able to identify the approaches that you can begin using to
integrate peace education in your school? Were you able to identify the
ones that you need to develop further?

The approaches discussed in the previous section are fundamental tools

you can use to build a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your
school. By utilizing these five approaches, you can help create a teaching
and learning environment that will transfer the skills, knowledge, and
values that are critical to reaching your shared vision of peace.

114 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Let’s Read
Schema of Knowledge, Skills, and
Attitudes/Values for Peace Education
What are the key knowledge areas, skills, and attitudes/values that need
to be integrated into the curriculum? Below is a schema that shows the
importance of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values in peace education.
Study the diagram and think about how you can integrate these three areas
into your school’s curriculum. You will learn more about how to integrate
this schema into your school’s programs, policies, and initiatives in the
second PEACeXCELS module, Promote Peace and Respect for Cultural
Diversity in Schools and Communities.

The schema shows you that developing a culture of peace and respect
for cultural diversity involves many aspects of the teaching-learning
experience. It includes key concepts, values, and skills essential to the
building of peace within and in the larger spheres of human interaction.
It is, all at once, skill-based, knowledge-based, and deeply-rooted in
the attitudes and values of the students. For the knowledge aspect, it is
important that the curriculum touches on concepts of peacebuilding, like
introducing students to the concept of holistic peace through cooperation,
well-being, and just relationships. It should also introduce the causes of
conflict and violence, and peaceful alternatives like disarmament, tolerance,
nonviolence, respect for human rights and sustainable development. It is
critical that these concepts are introduced and discussed in the classroom
so they can take root and grow into values and beliefs that students can act
on.

Attitudes or Values, another critical component of peacebuilding, should also

be integrated in the curriculum. Instilling a sense of self-respect and respect
for others as well as a greater concern for the world and the environment
are necessary for peacebuilding to become a way of life for everyone in
the school. Through a range of learning activities and programs, students,
teachers, and parents can learn the value of cooperation, openness,
tolerance, and the power of a positive vision.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 115
 Attitudes / Values
1. Self-Respect
2. Respect for Others
3. Gender Equality
4. Respect for Life / Nonviolence
5. Compassion
6. Global Concern
7. Ecological Concern
8. Cooperation
9. Openness & Tolerance
10. Justice
11. Social Responsibility
12. Positive Vision
Skills
1. Reflection
2. Critical Thinking & Analysis
3. Decision-Making
4. Imagination
Knowledge 5. Communication
1. Holistic Concept of Peace 6. Conflict-Resolution
2. Conflict & Violence - Causes 7. Empathy
3. Some Peaceful Alternatives: 8. Group-Building
Disarmament
Nonviolence - Philosophy & Practice
Conflict Resolution, Transformation and
Prevention
Human Rights
Human Solidarity
Democratization
Development Based on Justice
Sustainable Development

Figure 1: A Schema of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes/Values

(Castro and Galace, 2008)

Finally, for students to act on their peace-oriented values and beliefs, they
should have critical skills that will help them on this aspect. Some of these
critical skills are the following:

Reflection - Using reflective thinking to deepen the learners’ understanding

of themselves and their connection with other individuals

Imagination - Using imagination to develop new paradigms or models of

reality

Communication - Using effective communication skills to express ideas

clearly in a non-aggressive way and to listen attentively and with empathy,
especially to those who differ in terms of culture.

116 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Conflict resolution - Analyzing conflicts objectively to determine possible
nonviolent solutions to the problem

Group-building - Working with one another, despite differences, to achieve

common goals through the assumption that everyone has something to
contribute and everyone is part of the solution no matter how different one
might be.

The Schema of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes/Values can help you assess
the changes and modifications that need to be made to the curriculum. It
will also help you determine the roles teachers will play in this effort. By
involving them in the process and giving them the support they need to
follow through on these modifications, you are doing your part as school
head in the development of a culture of peace and respect for cultural
diversity in your school.

Let’s Think About This

If you review what you have learned in Lessons One and Two of this
module, you’ll see that the journey you have taken begun first in the self,
and then moved outwards to involve different stakeholders. In order to
encourage change on a larger scale, it was necessary for you to first reflect
on your own attitudes and beliefs and find out which areas you need
improvement on. You first needed to become open to new perspectives
before you encouraged others to be open to new ideas as well.

In the same manner, it would be helpful for each of your teachers to

go through the same journey that you went through. If you review the
schema we discussed in the previous section, you will notice that many
of the elements are individual values and skills. If you take the skill of
communication, for example, you will find that to be able to teach people
how to communicate properly, you should be able to do so yourself. The
same goes for the other skills, attitudes/values, and knowledge — it is
easier to impart these to others if you yourself practice them and make them
part of your life. So it is important that teachers receive enough guidance
and support in their own efforts to create a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity in your school. Also, being the primary contact of the

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 117
 students, if your teachers know the concepts, live the values, and practice
the skills needed to build peace, they can also impart this to their students
through their example.

Moreover, living the principles of peace involves continuous improvement.

You must constantly look at your own perceptions, attitudes/values, and
beliefs to check if they promote or hinder the building of a culture of peace
and respect for diversity.

Let’s Remember

In this lesson you learned about the role of peace education in building a
culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school. Peace
education is a powerful tool in promoting respect for others, fostering
human rights, and celebrating cultural differences. There are many
approaches you can use that are compatible with peace education. Each
one can be used effectively to provide students with opportunities to
discuss and internalize the concepts, values, and skills that will help
build a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school.

If you look back on your journey through this module, you will see
that you started the first step with examining yourself and making
a personal commitment to peace and a respect for cultural diversity.
The next step was to involve others and bring ideas of peace to your
teachers and students. Finally, you learned of a holistic approach to
peace education that you can use to build a culture of peace in your
own school.

118 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
How Much Have You Learned From This
Lesson?
Let’s review what you have learned in this lesson. Answer the following
questions. You may write your answers on the spaces provided after each
question.

1. Peter is a school head who is committed to developing a culture of peace

and respect for diversity in his school. He has prepared a plan for the
integration of peace education in his school and he would like to extend
his efforts to the community as well. What conditions in the community
that threaten peace should Peter address in his programs?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. What do peace practitioners consider as the most effective way to create

a culture of peace and respect for diversity in the school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. What different teaching/learning strategies are compatible with peace

education?
_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

You may compare your answers with those in the Key to Correction on pages
140-142.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 119
 Feedback
How did you fare? If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s
excellent! You have learned many new concepts in this lesson and you are
ready to move on to the next module.

If you missed the answer to some of the questions, you are encouraged to
review that part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge. This quick review
will help you prepare for the assessment at the end of the module.

Congratulations! You have almost completed Module 1 of PEACeXCELS!

In the following sections, you will be given a chance to assess what you
learned in this module. You will also have the opportunity to rate yourself
in the different areas discussed.

Let’s Sum Up
In this module, you began an exciting and meaningful journey towards
peacebuilding. You started by examining your attitudes towards
war and armed conflict and their causes. Lesson One emphasized
the importance of being aware of our own perceptions and attitudes
towards war, conflict, and members of cultural groups other than
our own. As school head and leader, you have to first reflect on your
own identity. You should examine and appreciate your own cultural
background, values, and beliefs. You should also be aware that your
values and beliefs can affect your perceptions of others from different
cultural groups. With that knowledge, you can become more conscious
of how you react to different people and you can develop openness and
understanding for people who share values and beliefs that may be
different from your own.

Aggression is not inherent in human nature. Remember the statement of

UNESCO that war is constructed in the minds of individuals, so it is in the
minds of individuals that the defenses of peace should be constructed.
As an individual, you can develop a new way of thinking about peace.
You can make it a part of your life, and live out its principles every
chance you get. As school head, you can inspire others through your
actions as a peace builder and bring different groups together in peace.

120 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Because peacebuilding is a very challenging initiative, you will need
the support of these different groups working together to fulfill a vision
of peace that you all share. The teachers in your school can provide
you with the support you need to implement changes and programs
that will develop a culture of peace in your school. You should think
about peacebuilding as a “whole school” approach. The whole school
approach involves integrating the knowledge, skills, and attitudes/
values related to peace into every dimension of the teaching-learning
experience. This includes integrating a peacebuilding framework into
the classroom, curriculum, school programs, and interaction with
parents and other groups outside the school.

Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in

your school can be challenging. It is not easy to evaluate policies and
programs on your own. It helps if you have a set of good criteria
and a good framework to guide you in assessing what changes need
to be made in your school. Teachers play a critical role in supporting
peacebuilding initiatives as well. They are the primary contact of the
students in the classroom and are role models that can encourage
peacebuilding through their own actions. They are the ones who will
directly integrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values into the
curriculum and in their teaching.

Building peace in your school is a worthwhile effort to undertake.

By now you may have realized that, as school head, you can make
a significant contribution to building peace in various spheres of
human interaction. Creating defenses of peace in your school and your
community is just the first step. If the community becomes a model
for peace, then other communities may follow. If you believe that one
person can bring change to the community, then you can definitely
make that change happen!

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 121
 How Much Have You Learned From This
Module?

Let’s find out how much you have learned from this module. Answer the
questions below.

1. Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. What are three ways of dealing with conflict and which of the three
ways is the most effective method of resolving it?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. As school head, what can you do to protect and promote human rights
in school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

122 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
4. What is structural violence, and how, as school head, can you help
address it in your school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

5. Identify possible strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for

diversity within you and among the teachers and students in your
school.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

7. What are the integral knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that will
guide you in the implementation of peace education in your school?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 123
 8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by
identifying your own strengths and areas for growth.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Feedback

Compare your answers with those on pages 142-145. Since the answers are
in essay form, they may not be exactly the same as yours. As long as the
thoughts expressed are similar, you may give yourself a point each.

If you have answered all the questions correctly, that’s great! That means
you have learned much from this module. You are now ready to proceed
to Module 2 to learn more about promoting peace and respect for cultural
diversity in your school and community. If you got some items wrong,
study this module carefully one more time. Focus on the topics you missed
and revise your wrong answers.

124 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
How Do You Rate Yourself Now?
Congratulations! You have done well in finishing this first module in the
PEACeXCELS flexible learning course. You have no doubt gained many
insights on how to cultivate peace and a respect for cultural diversity in
your own life and in the lives of the teachers and students at your school.

As a final check, return to the Self-Rating Competency Checklist on pages

9-10. Review the list of competencies and place a check mark (p) in the
appropriate “POST” column that best describes your level of mastery of
each competency now that you have completed the module. Compare
your competency level before and after studying the module and reflect on
how much you have learned. You can write down your reflections in your
learning journal, or take note of it on the spaces provided below.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Your role as school head is critical in building peace in your school.

Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity has and
will always be an important goal for every school head. Understanding
the challenges and how to address them within yourself is the first step
to becoming an agent of peace. When you, as school head, have made the
commitment to live the values of peace, you can begin to sow the seeds of
peace in your school and in your community as well.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 125
 Let’s Apply What You’ve Learned
(Module 1 Assignment)
Module 1 Assignment Guidelines

1. Take around 30-40 minutes to think about the areas you need to
improve within yourself in terms of living the principles of peace.
Think of what your strengths are and how you can use those strengths
in your leadership role as school head. Think also of improvements
that you feel you need to make in your perceptions and attitudes
towards people of different cultures, and what you can do to increase
your understanding and appreciation of people who have beliefs and
practices that are different from yours. Write your thoughts down on
the template provided below.

Self-Analysis Table on Living the Principles of Peace

My Strengths as How I Can Use My Strengths

a Peace Champion as a Peace Champion

126 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
 My Areas for Improvement How I Can Improve Myself
as a Peace Champion as a Peace Champion

2. What did you realize from this activity about your strengths and areas
for improvement as a Champion of Peace in your school? Write a short
reflection (approximately 300 to 500 words) legibly on another sheet of
paper. Make sure you append this to your complete Self-Analysis Table
on Living the Principles of Peace.

3. Design a workshop for the teachers in your school that will train them
on how to manage conflict and challenge stereotypes and begin their
journey as peace-builders. Your workshop design should include the
following components:

Teachers’ Workshop on Managing Conflict and

Beginning a Journey as Peace-Builders

Workshop Objectives:
1.
2.
3.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 127
 Workshop Programme:

Time Activity Person Involved

Topic Outline: Conflict Management and Peace-Building

1.
2.
3.

Expected workshop outputs

1.
2.
3.

Implementation strategy for workshop learnings and outputs

1.
2.
3.

(Reminder: You should remember to include the conduct of this workshop in your
End-of-Course Action Plan which you will prepare after completing Module 2 of
the PEACeXCELS course.)

4. Submit your consolidated module assignment consisting of i) your

Self-Analysis Table on Living the Principles of Peace, ii) your reflection
paper on this analysis, and iii) your workshop design, to your Flexible
Learning Tutor for review and evaluation.

128 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Key to Correction
What Do You Already Know?, pages 7-9

1. Describe three approaches in dealing with conflict.

The three approaches in dealing with conflict are:

Avoidance - One way of dealing with conflict is through avoidance. We can

choose to walk away if we feel that the issue is not that important to us, or if
we feel helpless and do not believe that we can improve the situation. You
can also choose to avoid conflict if you feel that by doing so, you can gain
composure and self-control when the situation is tense or full of emotion.

Momentary avoidance can help us regain our objectivity so we can deal

with the conflict in a more positive manner. If we avoid conflict too long,
however, it can also become a refuge where we go to escape facing the
problem. This prevents us from really solving the concern.

Aggression – Another way of dealing with conflict is aggression. Aggression

can be manifested in conflicts when parties become physically or verbally
hurtful, loud, sarcastic, directive, and domineering. Other aggressive
methods include demanding concessions and using any power to achieve
them.

Negotiation - Negotiation involves taking positive and constructive steps

to solve a dispute. In negotiation, we approach the other party with the
sincere desire to find a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution to the
conflict. Through problem-solving and negotiation, we take steps to make
sure that not only are we satisfied with the resolution, but the other party
is as well.

2. Which of these three approaches is considered the most effective? Why is it an

effective approach for resolving conflicts?

The problem-solving or negotiation approach is a constructive method of

solving conflicts. It is a constructive method of resolving conflicts because
its objective is to explore options and not to secure one’s position. There is

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 129
 openness to the ideas and opinions of others and the goal is to listen and
understand the feelings and needs of the other party. Using this approach
increases trust between the two parties.

3. As school head, how can you promote and protect others’ rights in school?

As school head, you can promote and protect others’ rights in school by
first making sure that the students and teachers are all aware of the concept
of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a good
starting point in the promotion of others’ rights in school. By creating
venues to discuss and practice the promotion and upholding of human
rights every day, you can help build a school where human rights are
respected and upheld by all members of the school.

4. What are some ways you can address poverty in your school?

You can address poverty in your school in many ways. One way is to help
the families of your students develop new skills and expand their present
skills. You can find resource persons to give seminars or workshops on
agriculture or other vocational skills that are in demand. By doing this,
you are helping others create more opportunities for livelihood. Another
way is to find ways to address the financial difficulties of some students
through school feeding programs, or even programs where students who
live in poverty have the chance to focus on their lessons with the assistance
of a teacher. If your school has access to resources or you work closely
with the local government and the community, you may be able to raise
funds to help defray the costs of schooling for students who live in poverty,
so they can stay in school and be given the opportunity to complete their
education.

5. Why is it important for you to develop a mindset of peace and respect for cultural
diversity in your own life before you help others achieve this mindset?

Before we can assist others in developing a culture of peace and respect for
diversity within themselves, it is important that we ourselves have gone
through the process so we can help others who are encountering difficulties.
It’s not easy to change oneself and it takes a lot of courage to accept one’s
shortcomings. Many people feel comforted and more confident about
changing themselves when they have a guide who has experienced what
they have experienced, and has gone through what they are going through.

130 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
You can look at the situation in this manner: if you have already made the
journey, you can better guide and encourage others doing the same to keep
on trying.

6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

Peace education is a powerful tool that can help you build a culture of peace
and respect for diversity in your school. A framework for peace education
will allow you to integrate the concepts of peace in different aspects of the
teaching-learning experience. With peace education, you can provide the
students and teachers in your school with opportunities to discuss peace
and celebrate diversity, and practice the values of peace in their daily
lives.

7. Describe the schema of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that is integral to

peace education.

The schema of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that is integral to peace

education involves many aspects of the teaching-learning experience. It is,
all at once, skill-based, knowledge-based and deeply rooted in the attitudes
and values of the students. For the knowledge and skills aspect, it is
important that the curriculum touches on concepts of peace-building, like
introducing students to the concept of holistic peace through cooperation,
well-being, and just relationships. Values are also a critical component of
peacebuilding and should be integrated in the curriculum as well. Instilling
a sense of self-respect and respect for others as well as a greater concern
for the world and the environment are necessary for peace building to
become a way of life for everyone in school. Through a range of learning
activities and programs, students, teachers, and parents can learn the value
of cooperation, openness, and tolerance, and the power of a positive vision.

8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by identifying your
own strengths and areas for growth.

Building peace is a continuing process. You will always encounter challenges

that you will have to overcome in your goal of building a school that is
committed to peace and respect for diversity. To meet those challenges,
you must also continually improve yourself and become a more effective
agent of peace. You should always look at your own strengths and areas
for improvement as school leader and agent of peace. Improving yourself

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 131
 may mean many things. It could mean making a renewed commitment to
your efforts in learning about other cultures, or it could mean looking for
materials and resources on Peace Education that you can use in crafting
programs and initiatives for your own school.

Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.2), page 24

1. What is the source of conflict regarding Letty’s idea?

There was conflict between Letty and some teachers because there was
resistance to the idea of integrating children from the shelter into the
classrooms. The teachers did not share Letty’s views on allowing the
children into the classroom. Many teachers were even resistant to the idea
because they were concerned that it would become a problem.

2. Is it possible for Letty to resolve this conflict? How might she solve the
conflict?

Yes, it is possible. Letty has several options for solving the conflict. She
can talk to the teachers and try to convince them to accept her plan, or
she can try and avoid the conflict by dropping the plan altogether. Each
option carries certain consequences. Letty must weigh the options before
she acts.

How Much Have You Learned From This Lesson?, pages 51-53

Compare your answers with the ones written below. Your answers may
not be exactly the same as the ones below, but the ideas may be expressed
in a similar manner.
1. If you were Areva, what are the three ways by which you can deal with the
conflict?

a. Avoidance – I can choose to avoid the conflict with Porntip by avoiding

the conflict. I can refuse to deal with Porntip, or discuss any resolution to
our disagreement. While this may help reduce tensions between Porntip
and me, the longer it takes for a resolution to be discussed, the more difficult
it may become to resolve the conflict.

132 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
b. Aggression – I can choose to deal with the conflict aggressively. I can
try to force Porntip to solve the conflict and accept my position. If I use
this method, I risk creating more tension between Porntip and me. Dealing
with conflicts aggressively can destroy trust between the conflicting parties.
In this case, Porntip may feel that she is being pressured, and may become
even more defensive – to the point that she will no longer trust me to act
fairly.

c. Negotiation – I can choose to deal with the conflict through problem-

solving and negotiation. When emotions are calm, I can sit down with
Porntip and work out a solution that is acceptable to both of us. I can
build trust by listening to Porntip’s side, and trying my best to understand
why that particular project is important to Porntip. Then I can explain to
Porntip what my reasons are for choosing that program. Together, we can
discuss different alternatives that will achieve our objectives and improve
the school.

2. If Areva wants her anger to cool down before she resolves the conflict, which of
the three approaches might be the best?

If emotions are running high and Areva wants to bring her anger down
first before trying to resolve it, she can choose to avoid the conflict for
a while. Avoiding the conflict will allow both parties to think through
their arguments and possibly determine how best to approach resolving
the conflict. However, there is a risk that if Areva continues to avoid the
conflict, it may become more difficult to resolve it. If one or both parties
avoid the conflict for a long time, the parties may feel that there is no
willingness on the part of the other to resolve the conflict. One party may
perceive the other as not caring about the tension between them, and this
may further break down trust and willingness to resolve the issue.

3. In general, what is the most constructive way of resolving conflicts? Why is

this considered the preferred method for resolving different types of conflicts?

In general, the most constructive way of dealing with conflicts is the

problem-solving or negotiation approach. This is an effective way to
resolve problems because it is founded on a sincere effort to find a solution
that is best for both parties. With the problem solving approach, you listen

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 133
 with the intent of finding out the fears and concerns of the other party, and
working to find a solution that addresses both your fears and concerns, as
well as those of the other party.

4. Jati is a school head who wants to ensure that his school promotes and protects
human rights. What are some ways by which he can achieve this?

Jati can make sure that human rights are discussed, promoted and respected
in the classroom and in different venues in the school. By integrating the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other important human rights
documents into classroom discussions, and by involving the school and the
community in programs that will promote human rights, Jati can help build
an awareness of human rights. Jati can also help build commitment from
the students, teachers, and community members through programs like
plays, cultural events, human rights conventions, or community forums
where the students take the lead.

5. Should we accept that war is part of human nature? Why or Why not?

We should not accept that war is a natural part of humanity. The Seville
Statement on Violence, drafted in 1986 by scientists from different fields,
declares that war is not an inherent part of human nature. One of the
propositions of the Seville Statement on Violence is that humans do not
have a violent brain. We are capable of choosing how to react to certain
situations. Most of the time, we act based on how we have been conditioned
and socialized. It is important to remember that we choose our actions.
They are not chosen for us. If this is the case, then, we can choose a path of
peace in the same way as we choose a path of war.

As school head, you play a very important role in making sure that the cycle
of violence is challenged through consciousness-raising and modeling, so
it is critical that you are able to manage conflict well. If wars begin in the
minds of men, you, the school head, are in the perfect position to create
minds devoted to peace in your students, the teachers, and the community.

134 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
6. What are some of the conditions that may threaten peace and respect for cultural
diversity in one’s community?

Peace and respect for cultural diversity may be threatened by systems

or structures in society which deny others their rights and which are
accepted as natural. This is referred to as structural violence. For example,
poverty can be regarded by many as a reality of life, and indifference to
this fact may help perpetuate this kind of structural violence. Poverty
denies individuals the right to education and a standard of living that are
necessary for them to live in dignity. Some of the causes of poverty due
to structural violence may also be viewed as a violation of human rights.
Corruption in government can deny resources to projects that might be
used to develop infrastructure or livelihood that will raise income levels in
communities. The exclusion of certain cultural groups from opportunities
and involvement is also a violation of human rights.

7. Elma is a school head who is trying to make her teachers aware that we can
violate the rights of others in our words, thoughts, and actions. What examples
can she give to her teachers to illustrate how we might violate the rights of
others in this manner?

Elma can explain to her teachers that there are many ways we might violate
the rights of others with our own thoughts, words, and actions. In our
thoughts, we can violate the rights of others by perceiving individuals as
different and undeserving of the rights as defined in the UDHR. We can
also violate the rights of others when we show intolerance for the culture
or opinions of students and teachers from different cultural groups, or
express our prejudice of another’s religion, values or beliefs. One example
of this happening in school is when a student is denied the opportunity
to participate in leadership or academic activities simply because his/her
values and beliefs are not respected by the majority.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 135
 Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace

Let’s Try This (Activity 2.2), pages 64-66

Your answers may not be exactly the same, but as long as the ideas expressed
are similar, give yourself a point for each.

1. Can you identify some stereotypes that Ludinio’s classmates might have had
about him?

Ludinio’s classmates had the perception that all Lumins are quick to anger
and violence. Berto may have looked down on Ludinio because Ludinio
was from a minority cultural group. Berto may have also thought that the
Lumins were not intelligent and were even primitive, based on stories.
Even Analiz, the teacher, shared some of the stereotypes that students had
about Lumins. She revealed her biases in her comments about how the
Lumins are quick to anger, which was an unfair generalization.

2. What was the cause of conflict between Ludinio and Berto?

Ludinio felt tension because Berto was not treating his culture with respect.
Berto showed intolerance towards Ludinio’s culture by making jokes about
an important Lumin legend. Also, it may not be obvious, but the other
students who were laughing at Ludinio because of Berto’s jokes were also
showing disrespect for Ludinio’s culture. Because of this, Ludinio felt
anger and frustration swelled up inside him.

3. How did it escalate and what was the end result?

At first Ludinio was trying to ignore Berto but he would not stop, even if
Ludinio asked him to do so. Berto made the situation more tense when he
began to poke Ludinio and continued to make fun of the Lumin legend.
Finally, the students who were watching them made the situation worse by
laughing at Ludinio. In the end, Ludinio may have felt that the only way to
stop Berto from teasing him may have been to punch him. Ludinio chose
to deal with the conflict through aggression.

136 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
4. Which of the stereotypes do you think were reinforced by the incident?

Because Ludinio chose to handle the conflict agressively, the stereotype

that all Lumins are quick to anger may have been reinforced in the minds of
the students who witnessed the incident. When the students told the story
of the incident to other people, many of them might have told the story in
such a way that it only highlighted the aggressiveness of Ludinio.

5. Do you think that Ms. Analiz handled the situation with fairness and objectivity?
Why or why not?

Ms. Analiz did not handle the situation with fairness and objectivity. She
showed her bias against the Lumins by refusing to consider the side of
Ludinio when he was trying to explain his situation. She immediately
scolded Ludinio for punching Berto and did not seek to find out exactly
what happened. She also came to the conclusion that whatever Berto did,
he did not mean anything by it. This shows that she had already concluded
that Ludinio was quick to anger and that he needlessly attacked Berto.

6. As school head, what are some ways that you can prevent an incident like this
from occurring in your school?

As school head, I can prevent incidents like this from occurring in my school
by making my students and teachers aware that their words and actions
can violate the rights of others and cause resentment and conflict later on.
I can also make sure that the teachers in my school respect all the students
no matter what their cultural background or beliefs. I would encourage
teachers in my school to be objective and fair in the way they handle conflict
incidents and show tolerance and open-mindedness. Tolerance, as defined
by UNESCO (1995), is “the respect, acceptance, and appreciation of the rich
diversity of cultures and various forms of human expression.” Teachers
in mu school may be given training on challenging stereotypes, prejudice,
and discrimination.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 137
 How Much Have You Learned From This Lesson?, pages 92-93

1. What role do stereotypes play in how we deal with others?

Stereotypes are models, or schema, that provide us with guidelines on

how to approach or react to familiar situations and groups of people. They
can help us choose an appropriate action based on previous experience or
information that we have about a group of people. How you deal with a
teacher who has a different cultural and religious background than your
own may be different from how you deal with one who shares your beliefs
and values. Your stereotypes will provide you with some models or ideas
of how to approach this teacher, based on a general perception of what
people from this cultural group are like. If your views are based on accurate
information and are open to change, they can help you find approaches to
dealing with people that will reduce the risk of offending them or creating
tension between the two of you.

2. What are the negative effects of stereotypes?

When we allow our stereotypes to rule our thinking and our actions and
we do not open our minds to new ways of thinking or doing things, we risk
basing our reactions to other people on limited and incomplete information.
If our stereotypes are based on negative perceptions of different cultural
groups, we will use those perceptions to decide what we will say or think
about people from these cultural groups. Think about the different types
of student groups in your school that have certain labels: honor students,
athletic, or troublemakers. If we allow our stereotypes of certain students
to control how we react to them or how we perceive them, we may form
prejudices that will affect our objectivity. If we allow prejudice to dictate
our actions and decisions to include or exclude particular groups of people
from participation in activities or in receiving privileges, then we are
manifesting discrimination.

3. Why is it important to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice and

discrimination?

As school head, you should be aware of the effect you can have in
challenging prejudice and negative stereotypes in your school. As a role
model, your words and actions become an important example to both

138 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
students and teachers. If you follow the principles of peace and respect
for cultural diversity, your students and teachers will have a powerful
example to follow.

Challenging negative stereotypes and prejudice is a critical part of building

a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school.
Developing an appreciation for differences, and even celebrating them,
will help reduce conflicts that may arise from a lack of understanding or
sensitivity to the values and beliefs of other people.

4. As school head, what can you do to promote respect for cultural diversity and
challenge prejudice and discrimination?

Here are some ways that you can promote the acceptance of cultural
diversity and challenge prejudice in your school:

• Examine your own biases. Do you give more favorable attention to

those who are physically or socio-economically advantaged?
• Use inclusive and/or non-discriminating language in your meetings
and in the classroom, as language shapes consciousness.
• Treat each person fairly regardless of sex or socio-economic status.
Examine yourself and check if you have a tendency to give more
compliments to those who are more physically attractive or who fit
in your stereotypes of behavior, personality, and so on.
• Celebrate differences in the school and highlight the concept that
diversity is enriching. Encourage everyone in school to learn new
things from one another.
• Use teaching aids that show a variety of racial and physical features
as well as religious and cultural contexts.
• Check textbooks, references, instructional materials, and
curriculum/course outlines for biased messages about sex, race,
ethnicity, and religion.
• Use stories of racial and cultural prejudice and ask the students to
take the perspective of the victims of prejudice.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 139
 • Communicate that many religious teachings, not only your own,
have ethical teachings related to peace. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism,
Christianity, and indigenous traditions, among others, teach the
values of nonviolence, respect for human dignity, compassion,
fairness, and justice.

Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and Respect

for Diversity

How Much Have You Learned From This Lesson?, page 119

1. Peter is a school head who is committed to developing a culture of peace and

respect for diversity in his school. He has prepared a plan for the integration
of peace education in his school and he would like to extend his efforts to the
community as well. What conditions in the community that threaten peace
should Peter address in his programs?

Even if there is a strong program to build peace and respect for cultural
diversity in the school, it is still important to become involved in
challenging obstacles to peace in the community. Peter can involve the
school in programs that will help challenge the following conditions in his
community:

Poverty and Hunger – poverty is an obstacle to peace because conflict

arises between those who have control of resources and those who do not.
People who live in poverty may resort to violence in order to secure the
resources they need for surviving. Also, each individual has a right to a
standard of living adequate for the individual’s well-being and security.
This includes food security or having enough to eat and access to adequate
nutrition. By challenging poverty in your community, you are promoting
and upholding human rights.

Discrimination – Discrimination against minority groups is one major

obstacle to peace. Peter can promote cultural understanding and tolerance
through dialogue in the community, led by the school. He can also introduce
programs that provide the members of the community with opportunities
to learn about and appreciate other cultures.

140 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Denial of Human Rights – One of the strongest foundations of peace is a
clear understanding of the importance of human rights, and the commitment
to uphold these rights. The school can take the lead in protecting the
human rights of every individual in the community, through dialogues
and programs in which students and teachers take the lead. The school can
become an effective promoter of human rights in the community.

2. What do peace practitioners consider as the most effective way to create a culture
of peace and respect for diversity in the school?

Many scholars and peace practitioners agree that the most effective way to
create a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in the school is to
involve the entire school, engaging all the learning areas and stakeholders.
The “whole school” approach is important because a consistent message of
peace and peace values integrated into the different aspects of the school
and the community will help strengthen the learning for the students, as
well as other important stakeholders.

3. What different teaching and learning strategies/approaches are compatible with

peace education?

Holistic - an inclusive strategy where the focus goes beyond facts and
concepts. It gives learners the opportunities to examine their own attitudes
and perceptions about peace and to commit themselves to becoming active
instruments of peace.

Participatory - involves giving learners the chance to ask questions, share

and work with each other, which is important in developing different
perspectives. In participatory education, the teacher acts as a facilitator
who should encourage learners to discuss their opinions and belief in an
atmosphere of respect.

Cooperative - Cooperative education gives learners the chance to work

together, which can help improve relations among students. It can also help
minimize divisions between cultural groups and can increase understanding
and respect for one another. Cooperative education also gives learners the
opportunity to practice problem-solving methods of conflict management.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 141
 Experiential - Experiential education is structured in such a way that the
learners learn not from the traditional teaching and lectures, but through
processing of experiences. Learners are given activities in which they may
be asked to role-play, or build things together, then are asked about their
experiences.

Humanist - A humanist classroom allows learners to be accepted for

who they are. Emphasis is given on the social, personal and affective
development of the learner through focus on the self and self esteem. In
the humanist approach, the goal is to develop within each learner that
sense of being valuable and gifted. A positive self-image is the basis for an
individual’s willingness to take action and work for change.

How Much Have You Learned From This Module?, pages 122-124

1. Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

Peace is not just the absence of war. It is a state of well-being wherein indi-
viduals are free from the threat of different forms of violence. We can say
that a state of peace exists when there is a respect for human rights, and
each individual has access to basic services such as health and education.
We can create a culture of peace and respect for diversity in school by be-
coming conscious of the conditions that threaten peace and by challenging
them.

2. What are three ways of dealing with conflict and which of the three ways is the
most effective method of resolving it?

We can choose to deal with conflict in three ways: aggression, avoidance, or

through problem-solving or negotiation. The most effective way to resolve
conflict is through problem-solving or negotiation. This method involves
each party listening to the concerns and issues of the other and finding a
solution that is acceptable to both. By using this method, each party can
help gain the trust of the other. If one party sees that the other party is
genuinely involving them in finding a solution to the conflict, they will be
more motivated to solve the problem.

142 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
3. As school head, what can you do to protect and promote human rights in school?

One of the foundations of peace is upholding the rights of every person

and making sure that these rights exist and are not taken away. The
school is a critical venue to develop awareness of human rights in society
because the children are open to ideas that can change the world. The
school environment is also a model for interaction between different
groups of people. You can introduce programs in your school that will
allow students to work with different kinds of people. `You can also
encourage the discussion of human rights in the classroom and promote
modeling of behavior through activities like plays and festivals. You can
also provide children with valuable feedback when they violate others’
rights by teaching them to respect the opinions and beliefs of others and to
appreciate diversity.

4. What is structural violence, and how, as school head, can you help address it in
your school?

Structural violence is a condition where people suffer from violence built

into society through its social, political, and economic systems. Examples
of sources of structural violence are poverty, corruption in government,
and the exclusion of certain cultural groups from opportunities.

As school head, I can help address structural violence in my school by first

making sure that the students and teachers are all aware of the concept
of human rights. To heighten this awareness, I need to create a culture of
peace in my school to help my students and teachers understand that the
achievement of peace involves recognizing the different forms of violence
around them and preventing them from taking place by doing preventive
measures. However, if structural violence already exists, I should plan
activities that will promote peace and respect for cultural diversity such as
the establishment of peace camps and the integration of peace values into
the different aspects of the teaching and learning process.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 143
 5. Identify possible strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for diversity
within you and among the teachers and students in your school.

You can help build a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in
your school by focusing first on your own ideas about peace. As school
head, you must lead by example. By committing to living the values of
peace and respect for diversity, you can become a role model for both your
teachers and students to follow.

To build a culture of peace among the teachers and students in your

school, you should provide them with the knowledge and skills they
need to resolve conflicts and promote human rights. Teaching them the
different ways of dealing with conflict is one concrete step you can take.
Another would be to actively discuss what it means to protect and promote
human rights, and examine how to put that into action in all aspects of
our lives. A third strategy would be to give students and teachers a venue
for challenging poverty and conditions that threaten peace. By examining
structural violence and identifying ways of challenging it, you can build
the foundations of peace in both your students and your teachers.

Other teaching and learning strategies/approaches in building a culture

of peace and respect for diversity within you and among the teachers and
students in the school are as follows:

Holistic – allows the school head, teachers, and students to examine their
attitudes and perceptions about peace and commit themselves to becoming
active instruments of peace.

Participatory – enables learners to share and discuss their opinions and beliefs
together, and work together towards developing different perspectives.

Cooperative – gives learners the chance to work together through

cooperative education.

Experiential – allows learners to learn from activities in which they may

be asked to role-play or build things together, then are asked about their
experiences from the activity.

Humanist – allows learners to be accepted for what they are.

144 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

The framework for peace education is such that it will allow you to
integrate the concepts of peace in different aspects of the teaching-learning
experience. Peace education is a powerful tool for building a culture of
peace and respect for diversity in your school. Peace education provides
the students and teachers in your school with many venues to discuss peace
and celebrate diversity, and practice the values of peace in their daily lives.

7. What are the integral knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that will guide
you in the implementation of peace education in your school?

Peace education utilizes a schema of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values

that involves many aspects of the teaching-learning experience. It integrates
skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values that promote peace and respect for
diversity. Part of the knowledge and skills aspects touch on concepts of
peacebuilding, such as introducing students to the idea of holistic peace
through cooperation, well-being, and just relationships. Values are also a
critical component of the schema and they involve instilling in students
a sense of self-respect and respect for others. It also reinforces a greater
concern for the world and the environment. The elements of the schema are
necessary for peacebuilding to become a way of life for everyone in school.
Through a range of learning activities and programs, students, teachers,
and parents can learn the value of cooperation, openness, tolerance, and
the power of a positive vision.

8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by identifying your
own strengths and areas for growth.

Building peace is a continuing process and, as school head, you will

encounter many challenges in your journey towards peace. Many times,
the challenge will be to continually improve yourself and become a more
effective agent of peace. By looking at your own strengths and areas for
improvement, you can focus your efforts on becoming a better leader. Self-
improvement could mean making a renewed commitment to your efforts in
learning about other cultures,. You can also look for opportunities to gain
new insights into building peace through reading materials or discussions
with others. You can also use materials and resources on peace education
in crafting programs and initiatives for your own school.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 145
 Suggested Readings and Websites
APCEIU (2004). Learning to Live Together: Teachers’ Resource Book on Education
for International Understanding.
http://www.unescoapceiu.org/main.php

APNIEVE-Philippines (2002). Learning to be Fully Human: A Holistic and

Integrated Approach to Values Education.
http://www.unesco-apnieve.edu.au

Nario-Galace, J. (2006). Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Sourcebook.

Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.

Navarro-Castro, L. & Nario-Galace, J. (2008). Peace Education: A Pathway to a

Culture of Peace. Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.

The Hague Appeal for Peace Homepage

http://www.haguepeace.org

The UNESCO Homepage (http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=

29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html)
UNESCO APCEIU

UNESCO-APNIEVE (2005). Learning to Do: Values for Learning and Working

Together in a Globalized World.
http://www.unesco=apnieve.edu.au

146 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Glossary
Aggression – is a method of dealing with conflicts where one of both parties
attempts to coerce the other into accepting their position.

Avoidance – is a method of dealing with conflicts where one or both parties

avoid discussing or dealing with the conflict.

Cool Down – to calm down and be more reasonable.

Conflict – is a disagreement or cause of tension between two parties

that may either strengthen relationships if resolved in a constructive
manner, or damage relationships if not handled effectively.

Discrimination – refers to actions which exclude, harm, or hurt individuals

who we feel are “different” based on stereotypes and prejudice.

Human Rights – is a set of basic rights that all individuals are entitled to
regardless of age, gender, race, religion, or state in life.

Negotiation or Problem-Solving – refers to a method of dealing with

conflicts where one or both parties seek to find a solution that is
acceptable to both parties

Peace Education – is education that examines the various forms of violence

– their root causes and effects, and explores pathways to a better world.

Prejudice – refers to feelings or attitudes made without sufficient

information about a person or a group of people possessing certain
characteristics.

Stereotype – pertains to opinions, thoughts, and ideas made without

adequate basis about a person or a group of people possessing certain
characteristics.

Structural Violence – is a set of conditions promoted by a system in which

people are deprived of well-being and security by preventing them
from meeting their basic needs.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 147
 References
Abu-Nimer, M., Hartford, B., Liebler, C., McIlwaine, S. & Sampson, C. (2004).
Interfaith Peacebuilding Guide. California: United Religions Initiative.

Achieving Life Abundance.com. Website: http://www.achieving-life-

abundance.com/quotes-on-inner-peace.html [accessed March 12,
2009].

Appy, C.G. 2008. Vietnam: The Definitive Oral History Told From All Sides.
UK: Ebury Press.

Bey, T. M. & Truner, G.Y. (1996). Making School a Place of Peace. California:
Corwin Press, Inc.

CNN.com. Riots, Instability Spread as Food Prices Skyrocket (April

14, 2008). Website: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/
americas/04/14/world.food.crisis/

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Philippines: Vendettas

and Violence on Mindanao - Analysis, 24 June 2009. Website: http://
www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a433cf51e.html [accessed 17
September 2009]

Justino, P. 2008. Poverty and Violent Conflict: A Micro-Level Perspective

on the Causes and Duration of Warfare, Working Paper no. 46,
Households in Conflict Network (www.hicn.org)

Manila Bulletin. Global Festival Spawns New Hope for Peace in Mindanao
Region, December 7, 2008. Website: http://beta.mb.com.ph/
articles/193704/global-festival-spawns-new-hope-peace-mindanao-
region [accessed March 29, 2009]

The Independent. Buddhist Chief Beheaded in Revenge for Muslim Deaths,

November 3, 2004. Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/
world/asia/buddhist-chief-beheaded-in-revenge-for-muslim-
deaths-531842.html [accessed September 16, 2009]

Mayers, J. 2005. Stakeholder Power Analysis. Power Tools Series. International

Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK.

148 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Navarro-Castro, L. & Nario-Galace, J. (2008). Peace Education: A Pathway to a
Culture of Peace. Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.

Nario-Galace, J. (2006). Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Sourcebook.

Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.

SEAMEO INNOTECH (2007). Policy Research on Access to Quality Basic

Education for Muslim Learners. Philippines: SEAMEO INNOTECH.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 149
 Annex A
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

PREAMBLE

Whereas, recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom,
justice, and peace in the world,

Whereas, disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in

barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the
advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech
and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the
highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas, it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a

last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights
should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas, it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations

between nations,

Whereas, the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed
their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of
the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have
determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom,

Whereas, Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in

cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect
for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas, a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the

greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore, The GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common
standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that
every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration

150 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote
respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national
and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and
observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and
among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration,
without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status.

Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,

jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which
a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or
under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade
shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading

treatment or punishment.

Article 6

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the

law.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 151
 Article 7

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to
equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any
discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement
to such discrimination.

Article 8

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national

tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the
constitution or by law.

Article 9

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an

independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and
obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed
innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which
he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act
or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national
or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a
heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time
the penal offence was committed.

Article 12

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family,

home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference
or attacks.

152 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Article 13

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within
the borders of each State.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to
return to his country.

Article 14

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum
from persecution.

(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely
arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes
and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the
right to change his nationality.

Article 16
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race,
nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.
They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at
its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the
intending spouses.

(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is
entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association
with others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 153
 Article 18

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this
right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his
religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right
includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive
and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers.

Article 20
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and
association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country,
directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government;
this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which
shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote
or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is

entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation
and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the
economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the
free development of his personality.

154 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools
Article 23

(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to

just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against
unemployment.

(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for
equal work.

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration
ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human
dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social
protection.

(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection
of his interests.

Article 24

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation
of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health
and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing,
housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to
security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.
All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same
social protection.

Article 26
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least
in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall
be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made
generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to
all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human

personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 155
 friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further
the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be
given to their children.

Article 27
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and
its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material
interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of
which he is the author.

Article 28

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights

and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29

(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible.

(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject
only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose
of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of
others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order
and the general welfare in a democratic society.

(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State,

group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act
aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

G.A. res. 217A (III), U.N. Doc A/810 at 71 (1948)

Adopted on December 10, 1948 by the General Assembly of the United
Nations (without dissent)

156 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools