The New Oxford American dictionary defines empathy as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” It is the root of every major religion’s Golden Rule of treating others as you want to be treated, and it can
The New Oxford American dictionary defines empathy as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” It is the root of every major religion’s Golden Rule of treating others as you want to be treated, and it can be taught.
In 1999, Laura Taylor of Princeville, a retired teacher, “formed my vision for working with peace and children. I presented my plans to Kapa’a United Church of Christ, and they supported my plans to form the Aloha Peace Project.”
“The men of the Kapa’a UCC refurbished the peace room while the women made supplies. The church has always been a support to me and the project.”
It still is with the Rev. Jeannie Thompson in the pulpit, and the women continue to make materials. However, Laura’s No. 1 assistant in every phase of the project has always been her husband George.
The Aloha Peace Project has helped hundreds of Kaua‘i children to:
• Respect themselves and others
• Be aware of, appreciate, and talk about feelings
• Be empathetic with others and their situations
• Stop and think of peaceful solutions before reacting aggressively
• Work cooperatively, recognizing the value of each person to make a difference
• Talk to others, especially supervising adults, about difficult problems
• Be proactive in rousing the power of the majority against bullies
The magnitude of the Aloha Peace Project’s presentations is impressive. There are puppet shows, videos, games (such as “Wheel of [anti-bullying] Protection”) crafts and dolls.
“We have built interactive exhibits with lessons and activities. The children have lots of fun, and they are introduced to peace lessons,” Taylor said.
The curriculum builds on the previous year’s understanding, starting at kindergarten and going through fifth grade. Here are some lesson examples:
First grade: In “Masking my Feelings,” children wear a happy mask, and other students have to guess what they are feeling behind the mask by peeking under it.
Second grade: In “Seeing as a Peacemaker,” children decorate a pair of glasses and bring them back to the circle. The group then role-plays how they think a peacemaker would see a situation. For example when someone says, “Get away. You’re bothering me.” The child would put on the peacemaker glasses and say something like, “I’ll play with you when I finish this, OK?”
Third grade: In “Critical Thinking,” children watch the video, “Should I Speak Up?,” which teaches them what to do if their friend is being bullied. Then they role-play different situations. They are also taught the difference between “telling” and “tattling.”
Fourth grade: In “Character Development,” children discuss characteristics of a good person, such as being respectful, responsible, honest, kind and persevering. They learn about famous peace leaders and their character traits. They watch a video of a young boy who wants to be a peacemaker. Then the children go back to the classroom with poster supplies so they can pick the values they would like to encourage others to have and make a difference in their own school.
Fifth grade: In “The Bully Project,” children spend six weeks learning how to recognize what bullying behavior is, and how to protect themselves and their friends from it. They learn that a caring majority creates a climate where bullying is not tolerated, and bullying actually diminishes.
The Aloha Peace Project is offered free to schools, thanks to the Taylors, Kapa‘a UCC, grants, donations and trained volunteers. The project’s programs are taught at six elementary schools on Kaua‘i. Donations and volunteers are always welcome, Taylor said.
The Aloha Peace Project also owns a video library of 50 videos on peacekeeping practices designed to develop empathy, critical thinking and conflict resolution. The videos are available to borrow free. Each is 15 to 20 minutes long, and each is listed by grade level.
For more information, visit www.alohapeaceproject.com or contact Laura Taylor at 826-6567.
