Before winter break we noticed the children coming to us to quite a bit to tell on each other. They were arguing over little things that they could resolve on their own, so Ms. Stephanie and I started to try to think of new ways for the children to work out their problems. We came across a blog that talked about putting a peace table in your classroom. We brought this idea to the children this morning and asked for their thoughts. The children got excited to think through the idea of making a new space in our classroom! When we introduced the idea to the children we told them that in the blog that we read the children had a special item to hold onto to signify that they were the speaker and the item could be passed back and forth as they discussed their problem. They eagerly wanted to make the special item for passing back and forth first. So we decided to make sharing stones or peace rocks (we haven't decided on a name for them yet)!
Once a small group got to the table we talked about what the word peace means to them.
CS: calm and settle down your fighting
NC: it means you're quiet
AGP: If a friend feels sad I will make them something to feel peaceful like a pool.
EB: playing nicely, kids playing nicely and being kind
ZW: it's nice
SB: peace is quiet
GM: being friends again
SS: share and be kind
NC: it means that you're not being bad anymore
SS: it means you're being good
These are the sharing stones that have been made so far. The children made beautiful pictures with great meaning behind each one.
CS: I'm gonna make ocean waves, they're calming. There's a heart, an ocean wave, a moon, and the night sky.
NC: my peace rock has a heart in the middle and the night time sky and a moon.
CH: Minnie Mouse makes me happy, but she's angry on my rock because somebody took her toy. She needs help feeling better.
NC (second rock): I made a person being peaceful hugging the world.
CS (second rock): It's a girl saying, "Yay, we figured out our problem."
ZW: I made a lily pad for jumping. I like jumping.
AC: This is a chair in my house.
CM: It's a car and it has a face. I'm driving to soccer.
EB: Kids are playing nicely on mine. I'm going to make a heart for love, it's purple.
It was a amazing to hear what the children wanted to put on each of their rocks. At first the children drew things that would signify peace or would make a friend feel better. Then the children started making things that they loved so they could feel better if they needed to get their rock.
During our second meeting some of the children shared their work with the class. They explained what the rocks were and what they meant as well as told the kids that they want to use the large stump in our room as our peace table. Our next task will be to figure out the actual table we want to use and if we have to move anything around in the room in order to create the perfect space for our new table! We'll keep you updated on what happens!
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