All summer the Aloha Peace Project elves and angels have been busily preparing and fortifying materials for the new school year. The project helps thousands of Kaua‘i children to: • Respect themselves and others. • Be aware of, appreciate, and
All summer the Aloha Peace Project elves and angels have been busily preparing and fortifying materials for the new school year. The project helps thousands of Kaua‘i children to:
• Respect themselves and others.
• Be aware of, appreciate, and talk about feelings.
• Be empathetic with others and their special 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 whole year’s schedules are set for Kapa‘a, Kilauea, Wilcox and King Kaumuali‘i elementary schools to work with APP. These schools have all chosen to begin with the fifth-grade unit, The Bully Project.
Fifth-grade students will be starting with a survey to measure the school climate and parents will also have an opportunity to fill out a survey voicing their opinions.
These schools recognize that the oldest students in the elementary schools can play a part in setting examples, solving problems and become part of the solution to what might otherwise be the problem.
‘Ele‘ele and Hanalei schools will be setting up schedules soon. APP would go to any elementary school that requests it.
The APP’s Kindergarten Unit is available for any counselor to administer on their own timetable. The curriculum and interactive supplies are provided free of charge.
The curriculum combines activities, videos and books to build an understanding and skills specifically addressing issues on friendship, feelings, problem solving, anger management/calming techniques and bullying.
This program was first offered to ‘Ele‘ele and is now requested at both Wilcox and Hanalei for this school year. Again, if other schools want it, they can contact Laura Taylor, the project’s founder and director.
Other grade curricula are as follows:
1st grade — “Masking my feelings” — Children wear a happy mask and other students have to guess what feeling they are feeling behind the mask by peeking under it.
2nd grade — “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?”
3rd grade — “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.”
4th grade — “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 wanted to be a peacemaker. Then the children go back to the classroom with poster supplies so they may pick the values they would like to encourage others to have and make a difference immediately in their own school.
In order to offer the APP to the elementary schools, community volunteers are needed. They hope to have a team of volunteers for each school.
Some could work directly with the children and others might transport supplies or be a helper to the volunteer presenting the material. There’s filing, copying, and other office work to do. It’s all done by volunteers! Some volunteers might prefer working with the younger children and some might prefer the older students.
It is a great opportunity to form your own group with two or three friends or join some of the experienced volunteers. You will have mentors help you every step of the way, and you will be cherished by the children you serve.
If you’d like to help promote peace and empathy on our island, then contact Taylor at 639-0422.
APP also owns a video library of 50 videos on peace-keeping characteristics and practices that help develop empathy, critical thinking, conflict resolution and much more. It is available for anyone on the island to borrow for free. They are from 15-25 minutes long and listed by grade level from K-9.
Parents, teachers, Sunday school teachers, Scout leaders: We all know how kids are tuned into media. Here is a chance to let the video do the talking to teach your kids about some good character development.
Visit www.alohapeaceproject.com to check it out.
∫ Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i convened a support group of adults in our community to ‘step into the corner’ for our teens, to answer questions and give support to youth and their families on a wide variety of issues. Email questions or concerns facing youth and families today to Annaleah Atkinson at aatkinson@haleopio.org.
