Maria Montessori was a leader in Peace and an advocate of Peace education. She was nominated for three consecutive years, 1949, 1950, and 1951, for the Nobel Peace Prize. She told us, “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”
At Quest, Peace is the heart of our school culture and this year, Nonviolence and Peace Studies has become an integral part of the Middle School Program. We began the first two weeks of the year studying the philosophies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.
The students explored:
- The 6 Principles of Nonviolence
- The 6 Steps of Conflict Reconciliation
- Empathy
- Values
- Levels & Types of Conflict
- Understanding Violence & Nonviolence
- Various Civil Rights Movements
Students discovered that the learning does not now stop; this is actually a lifelong endeavor. The first Principle of Nonviolence states, “Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.” Now that the foundation is laid, our adolescent community will apply these philosophies and skills to our everyday lives, at Quest and beyond.
Middle school students are stepping into their roles as leaders of the Quest Community. This winter, we will host a Peace Night, where the students will be the educators of this potent knowledge.