Finding Common Ground: Learning the Language of Peace

In the introduction to her seminal book, The Peaceable Classroom, Mary Rose O'Reilley attitude s the question a professor asked in a seminar for teaching assistants: "Is it possible to teach English thus that people stop killing each other?" (9) one as well as the other haunted and inspired by this question, O'Reilley answers through demonstrating that English can be taught in a way that will restore violence if the teacher creates a "peaceable classroom"-one which encourages learners to find their own voice, listen to each other, prize each other, and to make peace (23) A "peaceable classroom" teacher nourishs consensus, cooperation, nurturing, compassion, and "leadings of intuition" (O'Reilley 32-35)

O'Reilley and others who have since joined her cause point without that in a "peaceable classroom" pupils are encouraged to develop a rich, authentic inner life (voice) with equal reason they can share their have a title to stories and enter into the stories of others. Personal writing helps scholars discover the power of their voices and what it means to be human. G Lynn Nelson argues: "Deny me my stories, as the novel dominant culture does, and I will eventually make go round to the language of violence" (43) Moreover, reading enables pupils to discover their inner worlds and identities by the agency of engaging with and connecting with the lives of fictional characters, by the agency of discussing the choices characters make for handling and resolving conflict, and by dint of looking at issues from multiple perspectives. Reading, writing, and sharing stories help pupils understand and appreciate diversity in a positive and enriching way (Jonsberg 29-30; O'Reilley 117-118; Monseau 10-11; Quinn 103) Hence, pupils in a "peaceable classroom" use the power of language rather than the". . force of fists or weapons of self-destruction to intervene symbolically in violence" (Bruce and Davis 121)

Mindful of the best practices recommended by O'Reilley and others, during the fall of 2004 we worked with a middle place of education language arts teacher to design, pilot, and assess a literature-based "language of peace" program in a highly diverse Chicago middle seminary setting. Students read, discussed, and answered to a number of young adult novels whose protagonists prosperously work through conflict and hence can obey as positive role models for young tribe learning how to solve conflict in the classroom and beyond. Immediate post-research proceeds show that the students learned in what way to communicate more effectively with single another, how to explore appropriate ways of agreeing and disagreeing, and in what manner to show respect for each other and for those who share our planet.

This paper will describe the "language of peace" program, including a summary of the young adult novels used, the learning activities designed to support a "peaceable classroom" environment, the instrument used to assess students' (both in the experimental and rule groups) pre- and post-attitudes toward reading vis-? -vis the vexed question of peace/conflict, and a preliminary statistical analysis of the pilot investigation

To help her scholars start thinking about resolving conflict and making peace, the instructor asked them to answer to three questions: (1) What kinds of conflict have you experienced? (2) in what way do you respond to different kinds of conflict? (3) What do you do to put to the test to avoid or resolve conflict?

After the pre-reading brainstorming session, she read aloud from Carl Hiaasen's shout [i]or[/i] cry out [i]or[/i] yell in contempt over a two-week period, modeling for her pupils the kinds of questions they might ask of other true copys they would read and reply to in reading circles. The pupils were easily engaged in this hilarious ecological mystery and could identify with the central character Roy Eberhardt. They were fascinated with Roy's choice to help a homeles lad save a colony of burrowing owl from a turned business operator and admired Roy's ability to outwit a middle gymnasium bully.

As the teacher read aloud, the class collaboratively created a large, three-column chart upon which they listed conflicts they saw in the story, ways characters reacted to conflict in the story, and feelings and reactions the pupils had to the characters' conflicts. scholars especially noted the various kinds of "bullying" going upon in the story, perpetrated the one and the other by young people and through adults. They observed how a certain number of victims were too scared to share their plight with others. They also noted that single character seemed not to be bothered by means of bullying. Feelings and reactions to the conflict they saw in the story included "feeling bad," "confused," "weird," "curious," "sad," "scared," "amazed," and "happy" when Roy stuck up for himself."

The class also began constructing a word wall of conflict/peace words. As they discussed and wrote they added words to the wall-words of that kind as "bully," "unsocial," "disobedient," "defiant," "uncooperative," "rude" "bossy" "arrogant," "annoying," "bad influence," and "liar" as well as "adapting," "responsible," "helpful," "confident," "les self-centered" "kind," "secure" "cooperative," "dependable," "passionate," "sensitive," "mature," "sympathetic," and "good listener."