Reclaiming Our Humanity:

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Reclaiming Our Humanity

• Becoming Culturally Aware
• American Montessori Society 45th National
  Conference
• Facilitators Betsy Coe, Sonnie McFarland, Patti
  Yonka

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Humanity as defined by Websters Dictionary The
fact or quality of being human desirable
characteristics such as kindness, mercy,
sympathy, etc.
Sing What does it mean to be human? What does it
mean to be human? What does it mean to have a
voice? What does it mean to be human? What does
it mean to have a choice? Composer Patti Yonka
Quechua-Speakers, Peru
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• Maria Montessori Quotes

We shall walk together on this path of life, for
all things are part of the universe, and are
connected with each other to form one whole unity.

• Through new education, we must enable children to
  grow up with a healthy spirit, a strong character
  and clear intellect, so that as adults they will
  not tolerate contradictory moral principles but
  will gather human energies for constructive
  purposes.

I pray, dear children, that you will be united
with me in the construction of peace for humanity
everywhere in the world.
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Culture of Peace Framework
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Levels of Peace

• Peace as no war
• Peace as a balance of power
• Peace as no violence due to organizational
  structures
• Peace as no violence to individual persons
• Peace as no harm to the environment
• Peace as individual inner peace-Holistic Peace

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UN Declaration of Human Rights
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(No Transcript)
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Sing We Are Flowers
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• We are flowers in one garden. We are drops in one
  sea. Come and join us in our quest for unity.
  Its a way of life for you and me.
• We are leaves on one branch. We are cattle on one
  ranch. Come and join us . . .
• We are keys on one keyboard. Thats the key to
  you and me. Come and join us . . .
• Lyrics based on the writings of Baha u llah

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Self AwarenessThis aspect focuses on the mind
/body relationship and the development of inner
reflection.
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Self Awareness Activities

• Deep breathing
• Relaxation strategies
• Physical Exercise
• Making choices
• Self regulation
• Imagination
• Recognizing and expressing feeling
• Affirmations
• Peacemakers as heroes and heroines

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Community Awareness This aspect focuses on the
interactions between individuals.

• Climate
• Process
• Identity
• Relationship

Relationship
Climate
Identity
Process
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Community Awareness Activities

• Conflict resolution
• Multiple points of view
• Active listening
• Expressing your voice
• Communication strategies
• Peer mediation
• Procedures for getting needs met
• Civility

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Cultural Awareness This aspect focuses on
appreciation for and acceptance of diverse
cultures.

• Connectedness
• Compassion
• Co-existence
• Commitment

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Cultural Awareness Activities

• Study of culture based on fundamental needs
  and human dignity
• Understanding of needs versus want
• Cultural exchanges
• Service learning
• Cultural celebrations
• Anti-bias language
• Activism

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Environmental Awareness This aspect focuses on
appreciation for the fragility and
interconnectedness of our global environment.

• Ecozoic Period
• Empathy
• Economy
• Engagement

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Environmental Awareness Activities

• Recycling
• Gardening
• Study of habitats
• Alternate forms of energy
• Ecology
• Working on the land
• Activism

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Stages of Human Development
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Cultural Awareness

• Culture is the body of learned beliefs,
  traditions, principles and guides for behavior
  that are shared among members of a particular
  group. Aspects are

Connectedness
Commitment
Compassion
Co-existence
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Connectedness
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Connectedness

• Connectedness refers to being aware of the
  similarities that are shared across the human
  culture, regardless of the differences that
  exist among individual cultures and groups.
• These include, but are not limited to desire
  for safety, good health, education and well-being
  of our children, love and belongingness,
  self-esteem and the ability to pursue and achieve
  our potential.

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Compassion
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Compassion

• Compassion refers to the arousal of positive
  emotional states toward others.
• In a cultural context it comes from knowing,
  understanding and appreciating cultural
  differences.
• For compassion to be present one must keep an
  open mind and be interested in finding the
  meaning behind the cultural differences and
  recognize the value in different cultural norms.

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Co-existence
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Co-existence

• Co-existence refers to the process of learning
  how to live and work together in spite of
  divergent cultural differences.
• During this process cultural filters must be
  removed, judgments withheld, expectations
  lessened and patience practiced.
• Co-existence requires taking responsibility for
  our actions, developing skills of empathy,
  problem solving and cross cultural communication.

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Commitment
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Commitment

• Commitment refers to the realization that people
  of different cultural backgrounds can work
  together for mutual benefit. With this
  realization comes motivation to take action.
• Working with people of diverse cultures takes
  practice, persistence and patience as well as a
  willingness to transform our limited perceptions
  of reality.

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Early Childhood

• Connectedness
• Peaceful People
• Compassion
• Learning About Cultures
• Co-existence
• Medicine Wheel / Peace Flower
• Commitment
• Jumping Mouse

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Elementary

• Connectedness
• Heartbeat Connects Us All / Heart Light
• Compassion
• Zum Gali Gali / Maria In the Shadow of the
  Lion
• Co-existence
• Medicine Wheel / The War / United Nations
• Commitment
• Israeli and Palestinian children
• sharing stories /
• Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam
• www.nswas.org

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Adolescence

• Connectedness
• Cultural Exchanges
• Compassion
• Service Learning
• Co-existence
• Simulations
• Commitment
• Humanitarian Projects

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Sing Colors of Earth

• Chorus Who can count all the colors of Earth?
  Each color is different. Each color is true. We
  are made of the colors of Earth. And I love the
  colors that made you.
• When I look at the hands of my friends. I can see
  chestnut, I can see corn the color of wheat
  fields or a dappled brown fawn and the
  rain-kissed black trees in the morning.

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• Break

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Simulations

• A slice out of reality an instructional
  participatory concrete learning experience
• Time is compressed
• Everyone is safe
• Mistakes are OK
• Everyone agrees to accept the rules
• Experimentation within the rules
• Fun

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Barnga

• Small groups of people
• Rules for an easy card game
• A few minutes to study and practice
• Rules will be taken away
• No verbal communication (speaking, writing or
  signing of words)
• Tournament will begin

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Barnga

• During tournament, some will move to other tables
  at the sound of the guitar
• After a few rounds, we will discuss together what
  happened and what it meant.

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Barnga

• Forming groups gather materials
• Moving to tables
• Previous Barnga players?
• Pass out green sheets
• 5 minutes to study and practice with rules of 5
  TRICKS
• Rules (green) removed no speaking, writing or
  signing. You can gesture or draw pictures only
• Keep Tournament Guidesheet (gold)
• Tournament begins!

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Debriefing / Processing

• Description
• What worked?
• What didnt work?
• How did you feel?
• Analysis / Analogies
• See Discussion Guidesheet (blue)
• Applications
• What did you learn?
• What are the possibilities for change?

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Staying Connected

• Join the Science of Peace Data Base-signup
  on-line
• Volunteer at the AMS Peace Table
• Write for the Peace Seed Connection / Montessori
  Life
• Peace Retreats / Workshops
• Educate about the United Nations
• Cultivate Diverse Friendships
• Contribute to AMS Peace Fund
• Ursula Thrush Peace Seed Grant
• Keep Informed!
• Be Involved!

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Sing This Is Our SongMusic Jan Sibelius
Lyrics Lloyd Stone Patti Yonka

• This is our song, a song of all the nations. A
  song of peace for lands afar and mine. This is my
  home, the country where my heart is Here are my
  hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine But other
  hearts in other lands are beating,
• With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
• This is our prayer, for all of the Earths
  kingdoms Each land has worth and great work to
  be done. And people hope for better days of
  living And hearts united learn to live as one.
  So hear our prayer, a song of all the nations
• A song of peace, to learn to live as one.

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Sing Go Now In Peace!