Anatomy of a Peace Educator: Her Work and Workplace

Abstract

This article reports a case study that examined the peace education practice of a 5th and 6th grade teacher at an independent, non-profit school in the Mid-western United States. The study used Paulo Freire’s (1970) conception of dialogue as its conceptual framework. After describing the study’s context and methods, we present data focusing on the teacher’s background and development as a peace educator, her teaching practices, and her relationships with her students, school and local community. We discuss Michelle’s interdisciplinary approach to peace education linked with her personal background and her use of dialogue as dynamic, fluid, and relational. Our analyses also prompted emergent themes for which we used curriculum theory to capture forms of integration between the personal and political dimensions of peace education, based on which, we propose an “integrated peace education.”

İyi Olma Hali (Wellbeing) Uygulamalarıyla Barış Eğitimi Önündeki Engellerin Üstesinden Gelmek

“…The challenges peace educators are likely to face in their practices of integrating peace education into their curricula are well-reported in the literature (e.g., Gursel-Bilgin, 2016, 2017, 2020bGursel-Bilgin & Flinders, 2020;Darder, 2012;Harris & Morrison, 2003;Navarro-Castro & Nario-Galace, 2008;Noddings, 2012;Zamir, 2009;Zartman, 2007). For example, Zartman (2007) identifies the elusive nature of the definitions of peace, insufficient pedagogical methods, controversial class materials and topics, and lack of comprehensive evaluation of programs focused on the peace education practices and their outcomes.…”

“…In the case of peace educators, establishing and maintaining a positive state can be even more challenging as discussed in the related section above. In fact, peace educators, most frequently, if not always, find themselves swimming against the current due to the social, cultural, economic, religious, and political challenges they face while planning and teaching classes integrating various aspects of peace education (Darder, 2012;Gursel-Bilgin, 2016, 2017, 2020bGursel-Bilgin & Flinders, 2020;Harris & Morrison, 2003;Navarro-Castro & Nario-Galace, 2008;Noddings, 2012;Zamir, 2009;Zartman, 2007). Given that peace starts from within and peaceful teachers will be more successful peace 85…”

Kişisel Rönesans Mekanı olarak Üniversite: Öğretmen Adaylarının Barışı Öğrenme ve Öğretme Aracı Olarak Üniversite Yaşantıları

“…Furthermore, McLean et al (2008) emphasize the need to equip future teachers with essential skills and tools to critically address the complexities and challenges surrounding peace education, but they also underline the importance of collaborating with other partners such as NGOs because relying on the faculties of education alone will not be sufficient. At that point, both teacher education (Tucker, 1982) and teacher training (Gursel-Bilgin & Flinders, 2020) that intend to integrate peace education should encourage networks and collaborations with the community.…”

“…Despite the remarkable literature emphasizing curriculum as "a privileged discourse" (Apple, 1982(Apple, , 1999, the hidden curriculum of violence within schools (Darder, 2012), and educational practices legitimating and reproducing overt and/or structural violence (Bush & Saltarelli, 2000;Davies, 2004;Weinstein et al, 2007), transformative pedagogy can be cultivated by peace education scholars and practitioners in ways relevant to various contexts (Gursel-Bilgin, 2016;2020;Gursel-Bilgin & Flinders, 2020). Giroux's (1981Giroux's ( ,1988Giroux's ( , 2010 conceptualization of teachers as transformative intellectuals offers a lot to peace education practice, even in the hidden curriculum of violence at schools.…”