PEACeXCELS Module 1

PEACeXCELS
MODULE 1
Cultivate Peace in Oneself

and Champion the Cause
of Peace in Schools
First Edition
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization

Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology
First Edition
SEAMEO INNOTECH
Copyright © by SEAMEO INNOTECH
All rights reserved. Published 2009
Printed in the Philippines
ISBN 978-971-0487-22-6
No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed

in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without prior written permission of
SEAMEO INNOTECH.
www.seameo-innotech.org
www.innotech.org
Contents
What Is This Module About? ............................................................................... 1
What Will You Learn? ........................................................................................... 3
Flow of Instruction ................................................................................................ 5
What Do You Already Know? ............................................................................. 7
Feedback ................................................................................................................. 9
How Do You Rate Yourself? ................................................................................. 10
Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict ....................................... 13
What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 13

What Will You Learn? ....................................................................................... 14
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.1) ............................................................................. 15
Let’s Think About This ..................................................................................... 18
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 19
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 21
Let’s Read: A Conflict of Interests ................................................................... 22
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.2) .............................................................................. 24
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 25
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 26
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict ................................................................... 29
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict Through Avoidance ............................... 30
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict Through Aggression .............................. 32
Let’s Read: Dealing With Conflict Through Problem-Solving .................... 34
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 36
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 38
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 40
Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 41
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 44
Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 44
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 46
Let’s Read: Structural Violence ........................................................................ 48
Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 51
How Much Have You Learned? ...................................................................... 51
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 54
Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace ......................................... 55

Let’s Read: Stereotypes ..................................................................................... 58
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 59
Let’s Study: The Schoolyard Brawl ................................................................. 62
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 66
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 66
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 68
Let’s Read: The Effects of Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice .................. 71
Let’s Study: Critical Incident ........................................................................... 73
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 76
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 77
Let’s Read ........................................................................................................... 78
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 84
Let’s Read: Criteria of Teaching-Learning Environments that Promote
Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity ............................................. 89
Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 91
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 93
Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and
Respect for Cultural Diversity ......................................................... 94

Let’s Read: Conditions That Prevent the Building of
a Culture of Peace ..................................................................................... 97
Let’s Study: Global Festival Spawns New Hope For Peace
in Mindanao Region ................................................................................. 103
Let’s Study .......................................................................................................... 107
Let’s Read: Integrating Peace Education into the
Teaching-Learning Experience ............................................................... 109
Let’s Read: Building a Culture of Peace in School ........................................ 110
Let’s Read: Schema of Knowledge, Skills, Values/Attitudes
for Peace Education .................................................................................. 115
Let’s Remember ................................................................................................. 118
Feedback ............................................................................................................. 120
Let’s Sum Up .......................................................................................................... 120

How Much Have You Learned? .......................................................................... 122
Feedback ................................................................................................................. 124
How Do You Rate Yourself Now? ....................................................................... 125
Let’s Apply What You’ve Learned (Module 1 Assignment) ........................... 126
Key To Correction .................................................................................................. 129
Suggested Readings and Websites ...................................................................... 146
Glossary .................................................................................................................. 147
References ............................................................................................................... 148
Annex A .................................................................................................................. 150
What Is This Module About?
If you dream of living in a world where people of different cultural
backgrounds build a better future together, you are not alone. There are
many people around the world who are making an effort to create peaceful
environments in their homes, schools and communities. Many of these
agents of peace are also school heads like you. They have recognized that
they play an important role in building peace and respect for cultural
diversity. In fact, developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural
diversity is one of the critical and essential competencies that school heads
in Southeast Asia need to develop. It has been identified as a critical skill
for Southeast Asian school administrators comprising the 15th competency
strand of the Competency Framework for Southeast Asian School Heads
developed by SEAMEO INNOTECH and validated by the eleven member
countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
(SEAMEO).
As a school head, you can play an important part in bringing peace to the
world through your school. The school is an effective place to introduce
the concept of working together to build a future of peace because peace
concepts can be integrated into many dimensions of the teaching-learning
process. Building peace and respect for cultural diversity also helps fulfill
one of the four pillars of education – Learning to Live Together – identified
by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization or
UNESCO. As a leader, you are in a unique position to provide guidance
and to be an example to both your teachers and your students, and help
them learn how to live together.
To this end, SEAMEO INNOTECH has developed the flexible learning

course PEACeXCELS – Peace Education Excellence in School Leadership
for Southeast Asia. This course is composed of two self-instructional
modules: Module 1 (this module you are now studying) entitled Cultivate
Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools; and Module
2, Promote Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity in Schools and
Communities. This first module will focus on enabling school heads like
you to develop a sense of peace and respect for cultural diversity within
oneself, as well as, equip you with competencies for championing peace in
your school and community.
Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 1

When we think of peace, we might often think of a situation where no one
is fighting. While that may be part of what it means to have peace, there
are many more dimensions to peace. In this module, you will examine the
different dimensions of peace and violence, and relate them to the situation
in your own school. You will learn about different forms of violence and
conflict, and how these can disrupt harmony in the school and community,
and even lead to more serious forms of conflict. With the knowledge you
have about conflict and violence, you can assess your own school and
determine what needs to be done in order to build a good foundation for
understanding among individuals of different gender, cultural backgrounds,
and perspectives. This involves change, and you can lead that change more
effectively when you have a comprehensive definition of peace guiding
your vision.
Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your

school is challenging because you need the support of your teachers and
students to make it happen. You will also need the help of people in the
community. Parents, community leaders and the local government unit
in your area are other groups that you should connect with to help you
in achieving this goal. This module will introduce you to techniques and
strategies that will help you succeed in developing a culture of peace in
your school. It will help you become a more effective peace agent by
helping you develop a new perspective on peace and cultural diversity.
With the right tools, you can examine your own perceptions of others and
learn how to build the defenses of peace through the effective management
of conflict.
You can take an active role in developing a culture of peace in your school
and sow the seeds of peace through your words, thoughts and actions. If we
can all work together in peace and harmony, we can build a better future for
ourselves through the elimination or reduction of poverty, discrimination,
and other causes of conflict and violence. As a school head, you can make a
significant contribution to this goal. First, you must look at your own values
and beliefs, and assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a peace
agent. Next, you must be conscious of your own perceptions of others and
how this can influence your words and actions when dealing with people
from different cultural groups. Finally, you must begin to plant the seeds of
peace and respect for cultural diversity in those around you. By developing
2 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

a culture of peace within yourself and sharing it with others, you can create
a foundation in which everyone works together to achieve a vision of peace
that is shared by all.
What Will You Learn?

At the end of this module, you should be able to develop a sense of peace
and respect for cultural diversity in yourself. By doing this, you should be
prepared to take the first steps in developing a culture of peace and respect
for cultural diversity in your school. Specifically, you should be able to:
• Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

• Describe the different forms of violence that are present in your
school or community.
• Describe an effective method for resolving conflict at both the
personal and structural level.
• Develop strategies for protecting and promoting human rights in
school.
• Describe what you can do to challenge and address poverty in your
school.
• Develop strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for
diversity within yourself and among the teachers and students in
your school.
• Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

• Describe the schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are
integral to peace education.
• Identify your own strengths and areas for growth to become a
champion of peace in your school and in your community.
This module has three lessons that will help prepare you to lead in the
building of a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your
school. Each of the lessons will help you achieve the specific instructional
objectives above through a series of activities, reflections, and guided
instruction. The three lessons in this module are:

Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict
In this lesson, you will examine how you perceive and manage conflict
in your life. You will learn about how conflict can exist in different forms
and how it can lead to serious situations like divisions between groups of
people, violence, and armed conflict. You will also learn why a respect for
others’ rights is an important aspect in building a culture of peace. Finally,
you will examine your own perceptions and attitudes towards the causes
and effects of poverty and describe what you can do to challenge economic
inequity as part of your efforts to build a culture of peace in yourself and
your school.
Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace
In this lesson, you will examine your own personal background and
identify the values and beliefs that guide you. You will also examine how
your stereotypes and prejudices can affect your thoughts, words and
actions towards members of other cultural groups. You will learn about the
effects of prejudice and discrimination, and why, as school heads, we need
to challenge these if we want to be effective peace agents. Finally, you will
use these concepts to develop strategies to promote a culture of tolerance
and respect in the school setting and beyond.
Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity
In this lesson, you will use the insights that you gained from the first two
lessons in developing your own vision of peace and respect for cultural
diversity for your school. This lesson will also prepare you for the next
module by presenting models and frameworks for peace education which
you can apply in your own school. Finally, you will be given the chance to
assess your own strengths and weaknesses as a champion of peace in your
school and identify the areas you need to focus on.

Flow of Instruction
The flow of instruction for this module begins with a focus on your own
attitudes and perceptions towards conflict, prejudice and discrimination.
The module will allow you the opportunity to become more conscious
about how your values and beliefs can affect how you relate to others. You
may discover that your thoughts, words or actions may either promote or
hinder the development of a culture of peace in yourself and your school.
After examining yourself, you will be introduced to concepts of peace
education and will be given the opportunity to apply these concepts in
sowing the seeds of peace in your school.
Lesson Focus Topics
1. Cultivating Focuses on perceptions • Examining conflict

Peace and and attitudes towards and finding
Managing conflict, its causes and its effective methods
Conflict effective management. to manage it.
This lesson also focuses • Constructing the
on the role the school defenses of peace
head plays in the by examining the
promotion and protection causes and effects
of human rights and in of war and armed
challenging economic conflict.
inequity • Protecting and
promoting human
rights.
• Challenging
economic inequity
as part of the effort
to promote peace.

Lesson Focus Topic
2. When I This lesson focuses on • Understanding

Respect Others, respect for individuals our attitudes
I Promote from diverse cultural towards others
Peace backgrounds. Stereotypes by examining
and prejudices that can our personal
result in discrimination are background
also examined. This lesson • Biases,
also focuses on the need stereotypes, and
to challenge prejudice and their effect on our
discrimination in order to relations with
effectively build peace and others
understanding in the school. • Eliminating
prejudice and
discrimination
3. Sowing the This lesson gives the • The different

Seeds of Peace readers an overview of the forms of violence
and Respect comprehensive meaning of • Developing a
for Cultural peace and violence. It also comprehensive
Diversity introduces readers to peace definition of peace
education- one pathway to • Peace education
sowing the seeds of peace as a pathway to
and respect for cultural peace
diversity. It focuses on the • Examining your
role that the school head strengths and
plays in encouraging the weaknesses as a
adoption of knowledge, champion of peace
skills and values integral
to peace education. This
lesson presents approaches
that the school head can
apply to his or her particular
school setting.

What Do You Already Know?
To find out how much you already know about the subject matter discussed
in this module, try to answer the following questions. Write your answers
in the spaces provided below.
1. Describe three approaches in dealing with conflict.
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2. Which of these three approaches is considered the most effective method?

Why is it an effective method for resolving conflicts?
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3. As a school head, how can you promote and protect others’ rights in
school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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4. What are some ways you can address poverty in your school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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5. Why is it important for you to develop a mindset of peace and respect

for cultural diversity in your own life before you help others achieve
this mindset?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
7. Describe the schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes/values that are

integral to peace education.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by
identifying your own strengths and areas for growth.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback
You can check your answers with those found in the Key To Correction on
page 129-132.
How did you fare? Your answers may not be exactly worded as those in
the Key To Correction, but as long as the ideas are similar, give yourself a
point for each. If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s excellent!
It means you already know the subject matter very well. You may continue
to study this module to review familiar concepts and gain new insights
as well. If you missed some of the items, the more you need to study the
module to enhance your competencies as a leader in promoting peace
within yourself and in your school.

How Do You Rate Yourself?
Self-Rating Competency Checklist
Directions: The checklist below contains a list of competencies covered in

this module. For each competency, there are four possible levels of mastery
(Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, Expert). You will use this matrix to rate your
level of mastery of each competency prior to studying the module (PRE), and
after you complete the module (POST). For each competency, place a check
mark (p) under the appropriate “PRE” column which best describes your level
of mastery prior to studying the lessons of the module. You will place a check
mark (p) under the appropriate “POST” column when you have completed
the module. Comparing your two self-ratings on the PRE and POST columns
will later tell you whether you have improved your competency level or not.
I cannot I am I can do this I can

do this learning how but I need to do this
yet to do this learn more very well
COMPETENCY (Novice) (Apprentice) and improve (Expert)
(Practitioner)
Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
1. Give a
comprehensive
definition of
peace.
2. Describe the
different forms
of violence that
are present in
my school and
community.
3. Describe an
effective method
for resolving
conflict at both
the personal and
structural level.

(Practitioner)
4. Develop
strategies for
protecting and
promoting
human rights in
school.
5. Describe what
can be done to
challenge and
address poverty
in school.
6. Develop
strategies to
build a culture
of peace and
respect for
diversity within
myself and
among the
teachers and
students in
school.
7. Explain
how peace
education can
be a pathway to
peace.
8. Describe the
schema of
knowledge, skills
and attitudes that
are integral to
peace education.

(Practitioner)
9. Identify my
own strengths
and areas for
growth to become
a champion of
peace in my
school and
community.
How did you fare? Which competencies do you need to develop further?
Keep them in mind as you study the module.
Are you ready to begin your journey towards championing the cause of
peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school? The road ahead is
full of challenges, but this module will help you overcome those challenges
by providing you with concepts and tools that can guide you in this new
role.
The first lesson will focus on your own attitudes and perceptions of
conflict, violence, and their causes and effects. In this lesson, you should
be prepared to take an honest look at your own beliefs and opinions. As
you study this lesson, you may discover that some of your opinions and
beliefs might actually hinder you from living the values of peace. You
are not alone. Everyone needs to examine their own selves and be open
to change. As long as you are open to new perspectives and are willing
to make changes in your perceptions and values, then you are ready to
become a peace agent.
Before you begin this module, close your eyes and think about what it
would be like if you could make your school a center of peace in your
community. Then, think about the powerful role you can play as a school
head in making this dream a reality. Finally, take a deep breath and open
your eyes.
Now, let’s begin!

Lesson
1
Cultivating Peace and
Managing Conflict
What Is This Lesson About?

“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the
universe.”
- Marcus Aurelius
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to
remake the world- that is the myth of the ‘atomic age’ - as in being able
to remake ourselves.
- Mahatma Gandhi
The two quotations above were made by men who lived two thousand
years apart. Marcus Aurelius lived in the first century, while Mahatma
Gandhi lived in the twentieth century. However, you might have noticed
that there is a common theme in both sayings. Both sayings relate to the
importance of remaking one’s self before you can begin remaking others
and the world. As a school head, you are in a position to touch many lives.
In your leadership role you provide guidance to your school as you set
an example in your words and actions. Think about what Gandhi says
concerning the potential to remake ourselves. Revolutionary changes in the
world are not solely made by technology – they are also made by people
who have discovered that they can be the change they wish to see in the
world and that they can make a difference.
This lesson will focus on your own preparations towards becoming an agent
of peace. Before you lead efforts to create a culture of peace in your school,
you will have to think about your own actions, perceptions, thoughts,
and feelings about peace and conflict. You must learn how to deal with
conflict effectively and be conscious of the roots and effects of conflict in
both your school and the community. With this understanding, you can
become a more effective agent of peace. You can also lead your school more

effectively towards the achievement of a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity.
In this lesson, you will examine your attitudes and perceptions towards
conflict and how you manage conflict in your daily life. You will also learn
about the different ways you can manage conflict and determine which
one is the most effective. You will also learn how the concepts of violence,
human rights violations and poverty are connected, and how they hinder
efforts to create peace. You will examine your own perceptions of war
and armed conflict, and learn how these can have roots in poverty or the
violation of human rights. This lesson also gives you the opportunity to
think about how you can build peace by protecting and promoting human
rights and by challenging and addressing economic inequity in your school
and community.
Before you begin, think about the vision of peace that you thought of before
you started this lesson. With that vision in mind and an openness to new
ideas and insights, you will surely gain much from this lesson.

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
• Assess your own perceptions and attitudes towards interpersonal

conflict.
• Identify your current interpersonal conflict resolution style.
• Explain why dialogue should be the preferred method in resolving
conflicts in both the personal and structural levels.
• Assess your perceptions and attitudes toward war and armed
conflict.
• Identify how you might violate the rights of others in your words,
thoughts and actions.
• Recommend strategies for protecting and promoting human rights
in school.
• Assess your own perceptions and attitudes toward poverty.
• Describe the role you can play in challenging economic inequity
within the context of the school and its environment.

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.1)
For this activity, you will need a pen or pencil, paper, and your learning
journal. You will be asked to answer a few questions and write down your
insights from the activity in your journal.
As a school head, you have most likely encountered many situations of

conflict. Conflict is described as the hostility or antagonism towards another
due to a difference in ideas, interests, desires, or needs. The situations of
conflict you have experienced may have involved teachers, students, or
even parents and members of the community. In many of these situations,
it is likely that you had to mediate between two parties in conflict. You may
have also been directly involved in other conflicts. In each situation, you
made a choice to handle the conflict in a particular manner.
For this activity, think about several instances of conflict you have
experienced in your life as a school head, and list them down on a sheet
of paper. Include the situations in which you were directly involved in the
conflict and situations where you had to mediate between two parties. For
each situation, answer the following questions:
(a) How would you describe the conflict?

(b) How serious was the conflict?
(c) What was the cause of the conflict?
(d) What were the effects?
(e) Who was involved?
(f ) Was it resolved? If so, how was it resolved?
An example of what you might write down is given below:
Description of the conflict
About a year a go I experienced conflict with one of the students’

parents, who wanted the school to have a graduation party even if this
meant that each student would have to contribute a certain amount.
Although I agreed that the idea was a good one, that particular parent
was asking me to hold the party in a restaurant that they owned, and

she would give a packaged price. I agreed to the party but I wanted
to have it in the school to save on costs. However, the parent was very
persistent about holding the party in the restaurant.
Gravity of the conflict
The conflict was quite serious because when I did not immediately
agree to having the party in the restaurant, the parent began saying
negative things about the school and my leadership style to her friends
in the community. She also threatened not to contribute anything to the
party if it was not held in her restaurant.
Cause of the conflict
The conflict was because one parent wanted the party to be held in one
venue, but I was interested in finding a venue that would have the least
financial burden on the students.
Effects of the conflict
The conflict threatened the holding of the party because one parent
may have caused others to withdraw support and resources from the
party. The goal was to hold an activity for all the students, and if some
parents did not want to participate, the students would not have been
able to celebrate together.
Who were involved?
The parties involved in the conflict were myself and the parent.
Resolution of the conflict
The conflict was resolved when I asked the parents to come to the school
to discuss about the party. I told them that one parent had suggested
this good idea, and that there were a number of venues to choose from.
First, we discussed the alternatives, and then we looked at how much
each alternative would cost. After some discussion, the parent who
owned the restaurant offered the venue at a much lower cost, and the
parents offered to contribute some food and drinks. By discussing the
issue, we were able to find the best solution for everyone.

In the example above, we examined a conflict situation and how one might
have dealt with that conflict. We described the conflict and determined
its causes and effects. We also examined how we might have dealt with
the conflict and what the results of our actions might have been. In the
example above, the approach to the conflict was constructive, and finding
the solution involved each of the concerned parties. There may have been
other options in dealing with this conflict. These options may have also
resolved the conflict, or they may have deepened the conflict. Can you
think of other courses of action that may have resulted in a deepening of
the conflict? Can you think of the different ways in which you have dealt
with conflict in your own life? In which cases did your course of action
resolve the conflict and in which cases did it deepen the conflict?
Think about past conflicts that you have experienced. What was the cause
and effect of the conflict, and how did you deal with it? What can you say
about the effect of the different approaches to conflict that you have tried
in your life? Write down the insights you have gained in your learning
journal.
As you were thinking about the conflict situations in your life, you probably
realized that conflicts can come in many forms. They can also vary in terms
of their effects on people. By thinking about the conflicts in your life, you
can think about the choices that you make in dealing with them. We will
discuss the different ways you can manage conflict later in the lesson.

Let’s Think About This
Reflect on the conflict stories that you wrote down in the previous activity.
In order to guide your reflection, answer the following questions below.
You can write your answers in the spaces provided after each question.
(a) Do you see any general pattern in the cause of each conflict?
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(b) Can you determine how you usually deal with conflicts based on the
ones that you identified?
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(c) If some of the conflicts you identified have not yet been resolved, why
do you think they remain unresolved?
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(d) If you were given a second chance, is there anything that you would do
differently in the way you managed each of the conflict situations you
identified?
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Feedback
Were you able to reflect on each of the questions? Did you gain any
new insights into the roots of conflict and how you personally manage
conflict?
Compare your answers with those written below. Your answers may
differ from these, or you may have other ideas that are not reflected here.
Discuss your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor and co-learners
for additional feedback.
(a) Do you see any general pattern in the cause of each conflict?
Conflicts usually arise when two parties have a difference in ideas, needs,
or interests that they cannot reconcile. Many times, conflicts begin when
parties cannot agree on something, or hold strong, divergent opinions on
an issue. In the school setting, disagreements over policies and school
management may often result in conflict, especially when one or both
parties have difficulty communicating with one another. For example,
teachers may refuse to accept the adoption of peace education strategies in
the classroom for fear that this will require additional work. If this remains
unresolved, the division between the teachers and the school head may
worsen, leading to a failure of the peace education program.

(b) Can you determine how you usually deal with conflicts based on the ones that
you identified?
Based on the conflicts that you identified, you must have determined that
you can deal with conflicts in many ways. Was there an instance, for example,
when students were sent to your office because they were caught copying
from one another during an exam? What did you tell the students? How
did you handle the teacher who might have harshly scolded the students
before the whole class, and who threatened to fail them in that subject?
Some of the approaches you may have used in these situations may have
effectively resolved the conflict. On the other hand, some methods of
dealing with conflicts may result in a worsening of relations between the
parties, and the conflicts remained unresolved.
You can choose to avoid conflict, to become aggressive and antagonistic

towards the other party, or to seek dialogue and find a solution that will
benefit all. Each method of dealing with conflict has certain implications
that could help or hinder the resolution of the conflict in a constructive way.
As a school head, it is important to determine the best approach to dealing
with conflict, since you are seen as a leader and an example by both teachers
and students alike. If a heated debate between two parents, or a parent and
a teacher occurs during the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting, you
should be able to effectively manage that conflict. Determining the most
appropriate way to resolve a conflict in a manner that creates trust and
understanding between two parties is a critical skill all school heads must
possess.
(c) If some of the conflicts you identified have not yet been resolved, why do you
think they remain unresolved?
There are many reasons why conflicts remain unresolved even if one or
both parties make an effort to end the conflict. Many times, conflicts can
persist because the methods used by each party are not considerate of the
needs and concerns of the other party. Fear, anger and pride are some of the
strong emotions that can affect the willingness of each party to dialogue.
When conflicts go unresolved for long periods of time, deep divisions
between the parties may develop, and this may make it more difficult to
resolve the conflict. In the school, a conflict between groups of students, or
between two teachers may remain unresolved, and affect the performance
of both parties. Students in conflict may not be willing to work together, or

two teachers in conflict, despite trying to resolve the problem, may make
matters worse if one party forces its position on another. Conflict can affect
a school deeply and will hinder efforts to create an environment of peace
and understanding. With knowledge of appropriate conflict resolution
techniques, individuals will be more confident about dealing with conflicts
and resolving them in ways that build trust and understanding between
two parties.
(d) If you were given a second chance, is there anything that you would do differently
in the way you managed each of the conflict situations you identified?
You may have realized that over the years, you have gone through
experiences that have changed the way you view certain situations. As
such, you may deal with conflict differently today than the way you did
when you were much younger. Over time, you meet different types of
people and grow in knowledge about different issues and social concerns.
This knowledge will have an impact on your perception of conflict and how
you handle it. As you were reflecting on the conflict that you experienced
in the past, you might have thought about the things you would have done
differently in handling the conflict. This realization is due to the fact that
you have learned more about people and have had new experiences that
changed how you view the conflict now.
Let’s Study
As you were thinking about the conflict situations that you identified, you
might have realized that it is difficult to go through life without experiencing
conflict. Even as a child, you experienced conflict when you had to share
things with your siblings, or when you were forbidden from doing things
by your elders. Throughout your life, you encounter situations that put
you in conflict with others. For example, you may have experienced having
a difference in opinion with the regional/national office on certain policies.
You may have expressed your opinions to your District Superintendent
or Division Supervisor, who might have disagreed with your views. As
a school head, you might have often been asked to mediate between two
parties who are in conflict with each other, like a teacher and some parents.
Conflict is a part of life and we are sure to experience it in many different
forms.

One other thing you might have realized is that you have a tendency to
deal with conflict in a certain way. As you were reflecting on the conflict
situations in your life, did you see a pattern of how you usually deal
with conflict? Do you tend to avoid the conflict, confront the other party
aggressively, or seek dialogue with the other party?
There are many ways of dealing with conflict. If you noticed, the last
question asks you to consider if you might handle any one of the situations
differently if you had another chance to do so. This reflects the belief that
we can change the way we handle conflicts if we choose to. The way that
you handle conflicts now may be quite different from the way you handled
them when you were much younger. Your experience and understanding
of people may have broadened and deepened over the years. This will
have an influence on how you manage conflicts in your life.
As a school head, managing conflict is a part of the job. In the next few
sections, you will learn about the effects of conflict and how you can
manage it effectively.
Let’s Read
Read the following case about a school head who is in conflict with a group
of teachers in the school. For this case, you will be given the first part of
the story, and then you must choose how the school head will handle the
conflict. When you have finished reading the first part of the story, you
will be prompted to choose one of three different ways of dealing with the
conflict. Each of the choices will correspond to a specific outcome that you
will find in the answer key.
A Conflict of Interests, Part I
Letty Aurelio, a school head, was speaking to her friend, Halim, one afternoon.
Halim was a social worker in her community and he told Letty about a shelter
they were running for street children who could not go to school as they work
during the day to support their families. The shelter was built to house the
children and to provide them with some form of instruction on basic subjects

like mathematics, science, and reading. Halim invited Letty to visit the center
one time to give suggestions on how to improve the teaching and learning
methods that they used.
Letty paid a visit to the center one day and observed some of the informal
classes for the children. She felt sad because the learning environment was not
conducive and the instructors had little or no teaching experience. The quality
of instruction that the children were receiving was not very good and there was
very little opportunity for the children to practice what they were learning.
Letty also noticed that the instructors had difficulty handling disruptions
during the classes and would sometimes lose their patience with the children.
After seeing this, Letty had an idea. She wanted the children in the center to
attend classes in her school and be part of the regular classes. She discussed
this with Halim who agreed it was a good idea. His only concern was if the
teachers and students would accept the children from the shelter. He was
afraid that they might be treated unfairly or be alienated. Letty told Halim
that this was also her concern, but she would think of a way to integrate the
children into the classes.
How do you find the first part of the story? As a school head, Letty has
an opportunity to provide the street children in the shelter with better
instruction, in pursuit of the goal of Education for All. However, her concern
was whether or not the teachers, students and parents would accept the
idea. The street children were from a very different background as the
students in Letty’s school. The street children lived in poverty, while most
of the students in the school did not need to work to survive. Reflect on the
situation that Letty is faced with and continue reading the story below.
A Conflict of Interests, Part II

After thinking about how to integrate the children of the shelter into the
classroom, Letty called a meeting of the teachers and told them of her plans.
Some of the teachers were open to the idea and expressed their support for the
plan, but most of the teachers were hesitant to accept it. Many mumbled in
their seats and gave disapproving looks to each other. When Letty asked the
teachers for their opinions, many of the teachers remained silent. The silence
was broken when Dianne, the most senior teacher, stood up and told Letty
about her concerns regarding the plan. She said that she would prefer that
it not be implemented because it would be very difficult for the teachers to

handle the street children. She also expressed her concern about how the other
children would accept the new students. She ended by saying that she didn’t
think it was a good idea and that the teachers should not be forced to accept the
plan. Many of the teachers nodded their heads as Dianne spoke. Letty saw that
many teachers agreed with Dianne, but she was still determined to give the
children in the center the opportunity to study in the school. She felt that the
teachers were unreasonable in their opinions, and that they were not sensitive
to the hardships of the less fortunate.
The next day, Letty thought about how she would handle the problem. Already,
she had heard some teachers complaining about the plan. They were considering
writing the District Superintendent if the plan was implemented. Letty also
felt resistance from the students and parents she spoke to. They were worried
that the children from the shelters would be unruly and cause trouble – even
hurt some of the students. Letty felt that these perceptions were unfair, and
was even more determined to make her plan a reality.

Reflect on the above story and answer the following questions. After you
have finished answering the questions, you will be asked to choose one of
three possible ways that Letty can deal with the conflict.
1) What is the source of conflict regarding Letty’s idea?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2) Is it possible for Letty to resolve this conflict? How might she solve the
conflict?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Feedback
You can compare your answers with the ones in the Key To Correction on
page 132. Your responses may not be worded in exactly the same way, but
as long as the thoughts expressed agree with those given, you are doing
great!
How do your answers compare to the ones in the Key To Correction? If your
answers were similar, that’s very good. You might have ideas that were not
mentioned in the answer key. You are encouraged to discuss your answers
with your colleagues and Flexible Learning Tutor for additional feedback.
Feel free to review the first two parts of the case before we continue.

At this point in the story, Letty is facing a conflict regarding her plan to
integrate the street children of the shelter into the classes at her school.
There has been resistance from the teachers and the parents to the plan, but
Letty is determined to provide the street children better instruction.
You will now be presented with three different ways through which Letty
can handle the situation. Choose the letter of the method you think will be
most effective in terms of including the street children in the classroom and
providing them with a better education. Put a check mark (p) on the space
before the letter of your choice.
____ (a) Letty can choose not to push the idea further. She will speak
to the teachers who are supportive of the plan and ask them if they are
willing to go to the shelter to teach when they have the time. She will not
mention the plan to the other teachers, but will still try to think of other
ways to integrate the street children into the classroom without creating
more conflict with the teachers.
____ (b) Letty can secure support from the District Superintendent/
Division Supervisor and write a policy that will require the teachers to
accept the students into their classroom. Letty will also encourage the
dissenting teachers to attend a workshop on social work to open their
minds to the idea. If the teachers are still not in favor of the idea, she plans

to give the teachers a lecture on being sensitive to other people’s hardships.
She also plans to have some of the street children present when she talks to
the teachers she feels are “closed-minded.”
____ (c) Letty can meet with the teachers, students, and parents to discuss
their concerns, and tell them more about the situation of the children in
the shelter. She will determine what the concerns of each group are, and
together they will think of possible ways to address those concerns. Letty
also plans to bring the children to the school to meet some of the teachers and
spend a day with them. Once Letty has identified the different issues and
concerns regarding the plan, she will work with all the groups concerned
to make sure that the school is a welcoming place for the children from the
shelter.
How would your choice affect the outcome? Would your choice be an
effective way to deal with and resolve the conflict? Write down your
thoughts in the space provided below.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Feedback
Below are the outcomes of each of the choices in the case.
(a) Letty chose not to push the idea further, and decided to just work with
the street children by asking the supportive teachers to teach at the shelter.
Some teachers volunteered and began to teach in the shelter regularly. Letty
would go with them often, and she became very close to these teachers.
One day she opened up to them, telling them how disappointed she was
in the teachers who had resisted her idea. She also expressed her opinion
that those teachers were not open-minded and not sensitive to the needs of
the less fortunate.

Result of course of action:
Over time, the group that would volunteer to teach in the center grew into
a tight knit group. Because of Letty’s feelings towards those who opposed
the plans, there soon grew a division between the groups of teachers. One
group of teachers began to talk badly about Letty and the volunteer teachers.
They perceived favoritism by Letty. The volunteer teachers perceived the
other teachers as self-centered and insensitive to the problems of society.
Very soon, it became difficult for teachers to work together, and many
became unhappy with teaching in the school. As such, the policies and
programs that were being implemented were not as effective because of the
deep division between the teachers and the school head.
Was this course of action effective in resolving the conflict? No. This course
of action did not effectively resolve the conflict. It even created a division
between Letty and the teachers.
Let’s look at the other option in dealing with the conflict:
(b) Letty decided that she would implement her plan no matter what.
She was not too concerned about the teachers, because she could count
on the support of the district superintendent. She drafted a plan for the
integration of the children from the shelter and presented it to the district
superintendent, who said that it was a good plan. She then called a meeting
with all the teachers and announced that the plan would be implemented
in the coming weeks. The teachers then became very restless. Letty noticed
this and started lecturing them about becoming more sensitive to the plight
of the less fortunate.
In the coming weeks, Letty decided to assign teams to handle some of the
work that needed to be done before the children arrived. When many of
the teachers did not show enthusiasm, Letty scolded them. This caused
a division between Letty and many of the teachers. Soon, it became very
difficult to implement the program because Letty did not have the teachers’
support.
Was this course of action effective in resolving the conflict? Again, no. It
was not an effective means of solving the conflict because Letty did not

try to understand the issues and concerns of the teachers. This led to the
teachers feeling that their own concerns did not matter, and they gradually
lost trust in their school head.
Now let’s look at the last option we have for dealing with the conflict:
(c) Letty realized that she needed to understand the issues of the teachers
and the parents so she could secure their support for the program. She
sat down with the different teachers and asked them what their concerns
were about integrating the children from the shelter into the classes. She
also spoke with the parents and asked them if they would be open to this
program. After the dialogue with the different groups, Letty asked each
group to help her think of ways for the program to be successful. They did
brainstorming sessions and then she encouraged them to find a solution
that was good for everyone.
After several weeks of planning, the whole school was ready for the
integration project. The teachers had expressed their support by coming
up with lesson plans that would allow the children from the shelter to
work and study with their new classmates. The parents offered to give
some money and food to supplement the school’s resources for classroom
feeding. Overall, the project was a success. The children from the shelter
were warmly welcomed by everyone. The children also learned so much
from their new classmates, who were very thankful to have the opportunity
to go to school.
Was this an effective way to solve the conflict?
Yes, this approach was an effective way to solve the conflict. By understanding
the issues and concerns of the teachers, Letty was able to think of ways
to address their concerns. She also involved all the stakeholders in the
development of a solution, so the teachers, students, and even the parents,
supported the initiative, making it a success.
How did you fare? If you chose C, congratulations! You already have a
good idea about how to resolve conflicts peacefully and effectively. If you
choose A or B, consider that there are more effective ways to deal with
conflicts. As you read this module, you will learn about more effective
ways of dealing with conflict.

In the next section you will learn more about conflicts, and how they are
a normal part of life. You will also learn how to deal with conflicts in a
way that will promote peaceful solutions and strengthen the relationships
between parties.
Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict
In our everyday dealings with people - even our closest of friends - we
encounter conflict. Everyone has opinions, wants and needs, and sometimes
these clash with our own opinions, wants and needs. The case you just read
is one example of a situation where the opinions of two parties differ on an
issue. Think of a similar situation in your school where you had to deal with
someone who opposed your ideas. In the past you might have experienced
a situation where you and a colleague were competing for limited resources
or opportunities, and this could have caused conflict between you and
another colleague. It might also have caused conflict between the staff of
two different schools.
Conflicts emerge because of tension that two people feel due to certain
differences. Some examples of this are the following:
• Differences in ideas, opinions, values, and beliefs

• When the wants and needs of both parties are not in harmony with
each other
• Differences in the goals and interests of each party
• Misunderstanding or miscommunication
• Competition over resources or opportunities
Now that we know that conflict is a part of everyday life, how do we manage
it? In the previous exercises, you thought about how you personally handle
conflict in your life. You may have dealt with many of these conflicts
effectively. In other cases, you probably wished that you had handled certain
situations differently. In all cases, you decided to deal with the conflicts in
a certain way, and the results were either favorable or not.

Nario-Galace (2006) describes three ways you can deal with conflict:
i) avoidance, ii) aggression, and iii) problem-solving or negotiation. Each
of these methods carries certain implications in terms of their effects on
people and how effective they are in resolving conflicts.
Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict Through Avoidance
One way of dealing with conflict is through avoidance. Moving away from
conflict is a very popular option for people facing conflict. We can choose to
walk away if we feel that the issue is not that important to us, or if we feel
helpless and do not believe that we can improve the situation. You can also
choose to avoid conflict if you feel that by doing so you can gain composure
and self-control when the situation is tense or full of emotion.
Momentary avoidance can help us regain our objectivity so we can deal

with the conflict in a more positive manner. If we avoid conflict for too
long, however, it can also become a refuge where we escape facing the
problem. The implications of using avoidance to deal with problems are
the following:
• There is a tendency for one party to allow another who is more

combative to rule over them.
• Pretending that the conflict is not there while secretly nursing a
grudge can damage relationships over the long term.
• A lack of trust can emerge when there are doubts about the other
person’s ability to bridge differences or even the sincerity of the
efforts, and if these doubts exist in the mind, it means closed doors
for dialogue and resolution of the conflict.
Avoiding the conflict often does not solve the problem. In fact, there is a
good chance that whatever ill-feelings and anger that both parties have may
worsen because the conflict is not managed and issues are not clarified.

Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below. You can
write your answers in the spaces provided after each question.
1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to avoid
conflict? Was the conflict resolved by doing this?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Can you think of examples in your school where one or both parties
avoided the conflict? What were the effects?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Were you able to properly reflect on avoidance as a way to deal with conflicts?
After learning about the implications of avoidance, you might have realized
that while avoidance can sometimes help in conflict resolution, it can also
hinder it. You can avoid conflict for a moment in order to gain objectivity
and reduce tension, but if you avoid it for too long, it may cause strains in
your relationships with others.

Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict Through Aggression
Another way of dealing with conflict is through aggression. When emotions

are high and there is a lot of anger and frustration, we may choose to react
to the situation in an aggressive manner. This becomes an option when
the importance of the issue is high, and we care more about it than we do
the relationship with the person at the other end of the conflict. Aggression
can be manifested in conflicts when parties become physically or verbally
hurtful, loud, sarcastic, directive and domineering. Other aggressive
methods include demanding concessions and using any power to achieve
them.
Aggression is seldom an effective way to solve conflicts. Dealing with

conflict in an aggressive manner can even hurt any efforts to resolve it.
Some effects of dealing with conflict through aggression are the following:
• It introduces power as a factor in resolving conflicts, and turns the

dialogue into a power struggle that can alienate and increase the
frustration of those who have little control in the interaction.
• Verbal and physical assaults can hurt and dehumanize the other
party, put people on the defensive, and reduce trust and confidence
in the other.
• Finally, acting aggressively does not solve the conflict. It can lead to
broken relationships or physical and psychological harm. It might
lead to a situation where adversaries both lose.

Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below. You can
1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to react to
conflict through aggression? Was the conflict resolved by doing this?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
became aggressive during a conflict? What were the effects?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Were you able to properly reflect on aggression as a way to deal with

conflicts? After learning about the effects of aggression on conflicts, do you
feel that this is an effective way to solve differences? Usually, when parties
are aggressive, they communicate to the other that they are unwilling to
consider other points of view. When people are not open, this destroys
the trust needed to resolve the conflict. While sometimes it may help to be
aggressive in order to bring other people to negotiate, most of the time it
can be damaging to relationships or be a threat to other people’s safety.

Let’s Read
Dealing with Conflict Through Problem-Solving
One of the most effective ways of dealing with conflict is through problem-
solving or negotiation. Negotiation involves taking positive and constructive
steps to solve a dispute. In negotiation, we approach the other party with
the sincere desire to find a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution to
the conflict. Through problem solving and negotiation, we take steps to
make sure that not only are we satisfied with the resolution, but the other
party is as well. Some ways that a negotiation approach is manifested in
conflicts is through the following:
• Discussing the problem with the other party

• Honestly stating our interests, feelings and opinions
• Listening to what the other party has to say
• Working towards a solution to the problem
The problem-solving or negotiation approach is a constructive method of

solving conflicts. The benefits of using negotiation and problem-solving to
deal with conflicts are the following:
• It does not result in hurt feelings because its objective is to explore

options and not secure one’s position. There is an openness to the
ideas and opinions by others, and the goal is to listen and understand
the feelings and needs of the other party.
• It increases trust between the two parties. When one party feels that
the other is considering their feelings and needs, it will help open
the doors to increased understanding. It builds the relationship
rather than strain it.
Although the problem-solving approach is almost always the better option

for dealing with and managing conflict, there are times when, in spite of
your efforts, you will not be able to find a mutually beneficial solution. If
you encounter this, don’t lose hope in the negotiation process. You may
need to find a compromise until a more acceptable solution can be found.

Reflect on what you just read by answering the questions below:
1. Can you think of incidents in your life where you decided to address
a conflict through negotiation or problem-solving? Was the conflict
resolved by doing this?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
became aggressive during a conflict? What were the effects?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. Which of the three styles of conflict management would have the most
rewarding results?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Were you able to reflect on using problem-solving or negotiation as a

method of dealing with conflict? Among the three methods of dealing
with conflicts presented here, negotiation is usually the most effective in
resolving differences. When you seek dialogue with others, you build
trust and show that you are open to finding a solution that is best for
both parties. As a school head, you often encounter conflicts, or mediate

between two parties in conflict. If you use the negotiation or problem-
solving approach, you can become more effective at developing harmony
and building a culture of peace in your school.

Identify a current conflict that you are involved in, or have been asked to
mediate. Plan how you would use the dialogue or problem solving approach
to resolve this conflict. Before you attempt to resolve conflicts through
problem solving, make sure that you are ready to do the following:
• You are honestly ready to listen to the other party’s concerns, issues
and fears.
• You can talk to the other party about your concerns, issues and fears
in a non-threatening manner.
• You are open to finding a solution that would mutually benefit both
parties in conflict.
As you prepare, take note of your concerns about using this approach.
Write these concerns or fears in your learning journal.
Let’s Study
In the previous sections, you learned about how conflict is a part of life.
You also learned that there are different ways to deal with conflict, and that
the problem-solving or negotiation approach is usually the most effective
way to manage conflict.
What happens when conflict is not managed well? Often, conflict that is
not resolved can lead to violence, alienation, hostility, and even violence
between or among parties in conflict. The conflict can also spread and
involve more and more people. Conflict at the personal level can escalate
into larger confrontations between groups of people, and may trigger wars
or armed conflict. For example, a conflict between two people may broaden
to include their families or clans, and may lead to aggression and violence.
If one member of the family has been wronged, other members might want
to take revenge on the other party, which in turn will escalate the aggression
and lead to a cycle of violence. Often, the cycle of violence can begin when

violence is committed against one group of people. In 2004, 78 protesters
from a minority group in a certain Southeast Asian country died as a result
of being squeezed into military trucks when they were arrested. In response
to this, a religious leader from the majority group was beheaded as an act of
vengeance against the killing of the protesters.

Below are some questions that will help you think about the relationship
between conflict, aggression, and war. Think about each of the questions
and write your answers in the spaces provided after each question.
1. Can you think of some examples of schools in your region or country

where conflict between groups of people escalated into violence and
even armed struggle?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. How can a conflict between two people escalate into a wider conflict?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. How can conflict affect student and teacher relations in a school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Let’s Study
Conflicts between two groups of people that escalate into violence and
armed struggle may affect student relations in school. Students from two
opposing cultural groups may feel strong negative emotions towards each
other. This may affect either group’s ability to solve problems constructively,
and may even manifest itself in aggressive or violent behavior. Students
of one culture may keep together and protect each other when one is
wronged.
A conflict between two parties can escalate into a wider, more serious
conflict when aggression is used to deal with the conflict. It can also
happen when one party feels threatened or oppressed, and feels that the
only way to resolve the conflict is through violence. In school, sometimes
a student will start a fight because he/she might feel there are no other
options available to him/her. In cases where a student gets back because of
teasing, for example, the conflict may escalate into violence. Making fun of
students from cultural groups outside your own may plant seeds of hatred
in the hearts of members of these cultural groups. The student may, then,
carry these feelings into adulthood.
War and armed conflict may begin with individuals who cannot work
through their differences and find a solution that is best for all. It begins
when individuals choose to resolve conflicts through aggression and
violence. As a school head, it is critical that you develop the foundations of
peace in the minds of your students, so that they may learn how to manage
conflicts in a constructive manner. By doing so, violent conflicts can be
avoided.

Reflect on the previous learnings on war and armed conflict. While we
cannot avoid conflict, how we deal with it can have a big impact on our
family, our community and our society. When political leaders make
decisions to wage war, it is because they believe they are doing the right
thing in solving a problem. But think about this: our political leaders were
once young children as well – they were students just like the students in
your school. If their perceptions of how to manage conflict are influenced
by their experience as children, think about how much you can do to help
bring about a more peaceful society.
Think about how war and armed conflict affect you and your students. Also
think about the role you play in creating a more peaceful society starting
with your school. You may not realize it yet, but you can make a difference
in how our future leaders manage conflict and create a just and peaceful
society. Now, answer the questions below. You can write your answers in
the spaces provided after each question.
1. How are we affected by war and armed conflict?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Are war and violence a natural part of human nature?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. What can you do as a school head to challenge war and armed conflict?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback
How well did you answer the questions? Compare your answers with mine
below.
1. How are we affected by war and armed conflict?
War and armed conflict affect us in many ways. For those who live close to
the fighting, some of the serious effects are death, injury and displacement
from homes or communities. Schools may be closed or become evacuation
centers for persons displaced by war and conflict, disrupting their normal
operations. Even if you don’t live in a war zone, however, you can still
be affected by this. Many times, violent conflict can hinder national
development and progress. Resources that might otherwise go to building
basic infrastructure and livelihood are diverted towards the acquisition of
weapons and the maintenance of a large armed forces. In school, war and
armed conflict is often played out in the schoolyard, when children play
games that mimic or glorify war, and often reflect actual sides in a conflict.
These effects create the perception that war is part of human nature, and it is
a normal occurrence. Stories of war and valor may even create perceptions
that war and armed conflict are glorious and exciting.
2. Are war and violence a natural part of human nature?
In 1986, a group of scientists came together and drafted the Seville

Statement on Violence. The scientists came from different fields such as
psychology, anthropology, genetics and biology. In the statement, the
scientists declared that war and violence is not inherent in human nature,
and challenged the use of scientific theories and data to justify war and
violence. They declared that war, armed conflict and the different forms

of violence are not biological, but are the result of different factors like the
culture and environment one grows up in. Furthermore, they point out
that while some cultures have engaged frequently in war at some times,
there are other cultures who have not engaged in war for centuries.
3. What can you do as a school head to challenge war, armed conflict, and
violence?
As a school head, you can challenge war and armed conflict by providing
your students with a choice on how to manage conflict. By providing them
with skills to solve problems constructively and conduct effective dialogue,
they can find a more constructive solution to any conflict. You can also
help your students challenge conflict by introducing ideas such as those
defined in the Seville Statement on Violence. These ideas can become a
framework for the creation of a culture of peace and respect for diversity
in your school.
Let’s Read
In the preamble of the UNESCO constitution (UNESCO, 2009), you can
find the following statement:
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses
of peace must be constructed.”
This statement is a powerful reminder that all wars have their roots in the
individual and how she or he chooses to react to a particular situation. It
tells us that wars come from the way we think about other people and how
we think about conflict and violence. More importantly, it is a powerful
reminder that we have the ability to choose how we manage conflict – we
can take the path of violence or the path of peace. As a school head, you
may guide your school in accepting and living this powerful message.
If you noticed, the cause of many wars in this world are rooted in the inability
of people or groups of people to constructively manage their relations with
other people. Conflict erupts because there is a lack of concern by the
individual for another individual. Usually, people who are not open to
new ideas, or who are not willing to accept differences have a difficult time
managing conflict with others. This can result in serious divisions between

groups of different cultures and can be counterproductive to peace efforts.
In fact, if conflict is not managed in a constructive manner, it can lead to
more serious forms of conflict. Navarro-Castro & Galace (2008) explain
that conflicts may have undesirable results and can have negative effects
on both the personal and global level. On the personal level, conflicts can
cause breakdown of relationships between people. On the global level,
they have caused suffering and deaths for millions.
The Seville Statement on Violence further supports the statement in the

UNESCO preamble mentioned above. The Seville statement, drafted in
1986 by scientists from different fields, declares that war is not an inherent
part of human nature. It declares that it is unscientific to state that war
is a biological and is an inevitable part of human existence. One of the
propositions of the Seville Statement on Violence is that humans do not have
a violent brain. We choose to act based on how we have been conditioned
and socialized. In other words, we choose our actions, they are not chosen
for us. And if this is the case, then we can choose a path of peace just as
easily as we can choose a path of war (Navarro-Castro & Galace, 2008).
Don’t think that is impossible for you to challenge wars, armed conflict, and
violence. Take inspiration and courage from the UNESCO preamble. As a
school head, you play a very important role in making sure that the cycle of
violence is challenged through understanding, acceptance, consciousness-
raising, and role modeling, so it is critical that you are able to manage
conflict well. If wars begin in the minds of men, as the head of your school,
you are in the perfect position to create minds devoted to peace in your
students, the teachers, and the community.

Do a quick survey of your teachers and ask them if they feel that war and
violence is an inevitable part of human existence. Ask them the following
questions at your next faculty meeting:
1. Do you feel that war, violence, and aggression are a natural part of
human nature?
2. Do you feel you can create a culture of peace in your school? If so, how
would you do that?

3. How might we hinder the development of a culture of peace and respect
for diversity?
You can ask the teachers to think about this and write down their answers
so you can review them later on. Tally the answers and write down the
results below.
What percentage of teachers feel that war and violence is part of human
nature?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What percentage of teachers feel that they can create a culture of peace in
the school?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What conclusions can you make from reading your teachers’ answers? You
can write down your insights in your learning journal and you can discuss
this with your Flexible Learning Tutor, co-learners, and colleagues.

Feedback
Many of your teachers may feel that war and violence is inevitable simply
because it is all around us. They see it in the media, or hear about it from
other people. Some of the teachers might have even experienced war or
violent conflict themselves. Because it is all around us, it is understandable
that there may be a feeling of helplessness. However, there are concrete
steps that we can take to create a culture of peace and respect for diversity
in our schools. We can learn to manage conflict better, understand different
forms of violence and how to prevent them, and create an environment of
tolerance and concern for others.
Let’s Read
Many times, conflicts arise as a result of people’s rights being violated.
There are instances when we may feel that we are being denied our rights,
or when we deny others their rights when we are in a position of authority.
Human rights are basic rights and freedoms we are entitled to regardless
of our nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, language, or
other status.
In 1948, the United Nations drafted the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights (UDHR) (United Nations, 2009). In it, they declared that all human
beings are born with equal and inalienable human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and they encouraged all nations to uphold these rights. As Article
2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be
made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status
of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation
of sovereignty.”
The Declaration, which appears in Annex A of this module, outlines all

of these rights, which celebrate human dignity and the worth of every
individual on earth.

After the ratification of the Declaration, the UN called upon all nations to
publicize the text and disseminate it principally in schools and educational
institutions, where it should be read and expounded.

Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Annex A and answer
the questions below. You can write your answers in the spaces provided
after each question.
1. Why do you think did the UN identify schools and educational

institutions as an important venue for disseminating and discussing the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
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2. How might I violate the rights of others with my own thoughts, words
or actions?
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3. What effect does this have on the persons whose rights I have violated?
_______________________________________________________________
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4. What can I do to promote and protect, instead of violate others’ rights?
_______________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________
Feedback
You can compare your answers with those given below.
1. Why do you think did the UN identify schools and educational institutions as an
important venue for disseminating and discussing the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR)?
The United Nations identified schools and educational institutions as

a critical venue for the dissemination of the declaration of human rights
because it is important to instill the concept of human rights in the future
leaders of every nation. Schools are effective venues to discuss and teach
human rights. In the previous section, you learned about how the defenses
of peace need to be constructed in the minds of individuals. The school as
a place of learning is the most effective way to instill an awareness of the
rights of others and this, in turn, becomes one of the foundations of the
defenses of peace.
The school is one of the most important venues for learning and living
values. Students have the opportunity not only to learn and discuss
respecting and promoting human rights, but to live these values as well.
By providing students with guides and models of behavior, they will be
able to determine courses of action for each situation that considers the
rights of others.

2. How might I violate the rights of others with my own thoughts, words or
actions?
We can violate the rights of others with our own thoughts, words and
actions in many ways. In our thoughts, we can violate the rights of others
by perceiving them as different, and undeserving of the rights as defined
in the UDHR. We can also violate the rights of others through our words
or actions. One example is when we show intolerance for the culture
or opinions of students and teachers from different cultural groups, or
express our prejudice of another’s religion, values or beliefs. One example
of this happening in school is when a student is denied the opportunity
to participate in leadership or academic activities simply because his/her
values and beliefs are not respected by the majority.
3. What effect does this have on the persons whose rights I have violated?
When we violate the rights of others, this causes alienation and frustration
in those whose rights we have violated. When we feel our rights have been
violated, it hurts us or makes us angry. When we hear stories in the news
or media of prejudice against our beliefs and religion, we might feel anger
towards those who express this prejudice. We may also feel like those
around us do not care to know us, so this creates deep divisions between us
and others. Students in particular may develop self-esteem issues and form
negative perceptions of themselves and their culture instead of celebrating
it and feeling proud to be a member of that cultural group.
4. What can I do to promote and protect, instead of violate, others’ rights?
As a school head, you can promote and protect human rights by disseminating
and encouraging the discussion of the Declaration of Human Rights and
other important human rights documents. You can instill respect for the
rights of others through school programs and activities to help students
understand human rights, and to make a commitment to upholding these
rights. As an individual, you can adopt the principles of the declaration
of human rights and integrate them into your life. You can examine your
thoughts, perceptions and actions, and determine if you need to change
things within yourself so that you can uphold human rights and be an
example to your teachers and students.

Let’s Read
Structural Violence
We can never have a real culture of peace and respect for diversity in our
school if we do not teach our students respect for human rights. One of the
foundations of peace is upholding the rights of every person and making sure
that these rights exist and are not taken away. The school is a critical venue
to develop the awareness of human rights in society because the children
are open to ideas that can change the world. The school environment is also
a model for interaction between different groups of people. When children
live in an environment that is peaceful and respectful of different cultures,
they learn that they can work together with different kinds of people. They
also learn to respect the opinions and beliefs of others, and to appreciate
diversity.
Aside from violating the rights of others by what we say or do, we

inadvertently encourage the violation of human rights by not upholding
the rights of others when we see them violated. Part of upholding human
rights is not just watching our own actions. It includes being vigilant about
human rights and advocating these rights in your community and society.
Part of the role you play as a school head is to instill in your students a sense
of responsibility for upholding human rights. You can help them become
aware of the importance of human rights for each individual. You can also
make them more aware of situations in their community and society where
the rights of others are violated.
Human rights violations are not just confined to the actions of one person
against another. The rights of others can be violated by a system or
structures in society that may be accepted as natural. A condition such
as this is referred to as structural violence. For instance, the existence
of poverty can be regarded by many as a reality of life and indifference
to this fact may help perpetuate this kind of structural violence. If you
look at poverty from a human rights perspective, you will realize that it
denies individuals the right to education and a standard of living that are
necessary for them to live in dignity. Some of the causes of poverty due
to structural violence may also be viewed as a violation of human rights.
Corruption in government can deny resources to projects that might be

used to develop infrastructure or livelihood that will raise income levels in
communities. The exclusion of certain cultural groups from opportunities
and involvement is also a violation of human rights.
Students must learn to be aware of these forms of human rights violations

in order to become effective advocates of the rights of each individual.
They should also be able to see that human rights are upheld in their own
school environment.
Can you think of ways in which structural violence manifests itself in your
community? You can write your ideas in the space provided below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

In the previous section, you read a story about children in a shelter who
wanted to go to school. Read the story again, but this time think about the
effects of poverty on the children in the story. Then, think about the cases
of poverty in your own community. How does poverty affect the poor?
What rights are they denied? Write your answers in the spaces provided
below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
In situations where people live in poverty, there is often a lot of conflict and
violence. This can happen when people are desperate and feel they have
no options. When there is inequity in society, this leads to conflict. When
many people live a hand-to-mouth existence while they see others who

have many opportunities, it is possible that it will cause deep divisions in
society, like divisions of “rich” and “poor,” or “educated” and “uneducated.”
These divisions can be a deep source of conflict in many societies.
Now think about how poverty is linked to conflict and violence. How can
the presence of poverty prevent the emergence of peace and respect for
diversity? Think about this and write your answers in the space provided
below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Identify groups in your community whose rights are often violated. You
can look at the situation of the poor, women, and members of minority
religious and ethnic groups, and think of other groups not mentioned
here. Think about how the rights of these groups are violated, and what
structures exist in the community that result in the continuous violation
of their human rights. List down the groups and identify how their rights
are violated on a sheet of paper. When you are done, answer the following
questions:
1. What you can do as a school head do help challenge the violation of

human rights in your school and community?
2. What can you do to help alleviate economic inequity?
3. How can you involve your school and your community?
Think about this and write down your ideas on another sheet of paper. You
can discuss your ideas with your teachers, fellow school heads and Flexible
Learning Tutor to get additional feedback.

Let’s Remember
In this lesson, you learned about how conflict is a normal part of life, but
when not properly resolved or managed, it can escalate into aggression
and violence. There are three ways in which a person might deal with
conflict: i) avoidance, ii) aggression and iii) negotiation. Of the three,
negotiation is the most effective way of dealing with conflict because it
allows both parties to discuss their issues in a non-threatening manner.
It also helps build trust between the two parties in conflict. If you want
to build a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school, it
is important to apply and teach the skill of negotiation and problem-
solving.
While conflicts are part of everyday life, many times conflicts can arise
when the rights of another are violated or denied. Awareness of human
rights and upholding these rights are a key component of creating a
culture of peace in your school. Without respect for human rights, it
will be impossible to create an environment of peace.
How Much Have You Learned?

Let’s review what you have learned in this lesson. Answer the questions
below as best as you can. You can write your answers in the spaces provided
1. Porntip and Areva were discussing which school programs to prioritize.

Areva wanted one program to be top priority, while Porntip felt that
one of the other programs would be more relevant and critical at this
particular time. As they discussed which program to implement first,
their debate got quite heated. As a result, Porntip said some things that
offended Areva and started a conflict between them. Because of their
conflict, neither program could be started. If you were Areva, what are
three ways you can deal with the conflict?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. If Areva wants her anger to cool down before she resolves the conflict,
what might be the best approach?
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3. In general, what is the most constructive way of resolving conflicts?

Why is this considered the preferred method for resolving different
types of conflicts?
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4. Jati is a school head who would like to make sure that his school promotes
and protects human rights. What are some ways he can achieve this?
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______________________________________________________________
5. Should we accept that war is part of human nature? Why or Why not?
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6. What are some of the conditions that may threaten peace and respect for
cultural diversity in one’s community?
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______________________________________________________________
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7. Elma is a school head who is trying to make her teachers aware that we
can violate the rights of others through our words, thoughts and actions.
What examples can she give to her teachers that illustrate how we might
violate the rights of others in this manner?
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______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
You may compare your answers with the ones in the Key to Correction on
pages 132-135.

Feedback
How did you fare? If you answered all the questions correctly, that’s
excellent! You have learned many new concepts in this lesson and you are
ready to move on to the next lesson.
If you missed the answer to some of the questions, you are encouraged to
review that part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge. This quick review
will help you prepare for the concepts to be discussed in Lesson 2: When I
Respect Others, I Promote Peace.
In the next lesson, the focus will be on the cultures and beliefs of different
groups of people and how people with different values and beliefs can live
and work together in harmony.
You are welcome to review any part of this lesson that you wish. If you are
ready to move to the next lesson, you may do so now.

Lesson
2
When I Respect Others,
I Promote Peace
What is this Lesson About?

In the previous lesson you learned about conflict, and the role it plays in your
life and your work as a school head. You also learned that conflict can be
limited to two people, or may involve larger groups of people. Sometimes
the conflict is easy to resolve, but other times, conflicts may escalate into
more serious confrontations between two parties. Conflicts can also lead
to war and armed aggression if parties in conflict feel that there is no other
option for them. This can be due to a violation of their rights, or because of
prejudice which results in the oppression of a group of people.
In this lesson, you will learn about how you can create a culture of peace
and respect for cultural diversity in your school through respect for others’
differences. You will learn more about your own values and beliefs, and
how they affect how you view and relate to others. You will also learn
about being conscious of the cultural differences that exist in your school
and identifying stereotypes and discrimination. You will identify your own
stereotypes and think about how these stereotypes affect how you relate to
different groups of people.
Stereotypes and discrimination have very real effects in your school. It is

important to describe how stereotypes can affect your attitudes and actions
towards others. It is also important for you to challenge discrimination
and develop strategies that promote tolerance and working together in the
school setting.

In this lesson you will learn how tolerance and acceptance of other cultures
will allow you to build a strong foundation of peace in your school. After
studying this lesson, you should be able to:
• Explain the meaning of stereotype, prejudice and discrimination

• Describe the different types of prejudice that threaten the building
of a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in schools.
• Identify your own stereotypes and prejudices
• Identify the roots of your stereotypes and prejudices
• Describe how your stereotypes and prejudices can affect your words
and actions towards different cultural groups
• Explain why prejudice and discrimination need to be challenged
• Develop strategies to promote the culture of tolerance and respect
for diversity within yourself and among those you interact with in
the school setting

For this activity you will need a paper and a pencil. Think about the values
and beliefs that you adhere to. For this activity, you can define values and
beliefs as something that guide you in how you think, act or respond to
certain situations. One example of a value or belief is “value the time of
others.” If you are guided by this value, you might try to be on time for all
your appointments. Similarly, you may get irritated or frustrated if someone
is late for their appointment with you. An example of a belief is “there is
only one true religion.” If this is your belief, it will guide how you view
people who practice a religion different from your own. Another example
of a belief is “people from a certain cultural group cannot be trusted.” If
this is your belief, then you will certainly be hesitant in dealing with people
from a specific culture.

For this activity, list down all your values and beliefs on a sheet of paper.
Think deeply about this and write down as many values and beliefs as
you can. When you are done, answer the reflective questions that follow.
Where applicable, you can write your answers in the space provided after
each question.
1. What are three of your strongest held values and beliefs? List these three
values or beliefs and try to identify which one you feel most strongly
about.
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2. How do these values and beliefs guide you in dealing with others?
_______________________________________________________________
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3. What happens when you encounter people who do not share the same
conviction you have about the three values and beliefs you feel strongly
about?
_______________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

4. How do these values and beliefs affect your perception of and attitudes
toward others?
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_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

5. How do these values and beliefs guide you in your resolution of

conflicts?
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How did you do on this activity? Were you able to discover new things
about yourself, or else were you made more aware of how your values and
beliefs can affect how you perceive and relate to different people? In the
next section, you will learn more about how your values and beliefs play an
important role in developing a culture of peace in your school.
Let’s Read
Stereotypes
We deal with many different kinds of people based on the set of values
and beliefs that we have. How we deal with conflict is also guided by our
values and beliefs. These values and beliefs have been taught to us since
we were children, and we have a tendency to look at the world and react to
other people against our own set of beliefs.
For example, if you have been taught that time is valuable, and you value
the punctuality of others, how will you react if a colleague is twenty minutes

late for a meeting? Even more, how would you feel if the person acts as if
that were normal? Would you agree that in that instance, there would be
potential for conflict between you and your colleague? At the very least,
you would probably feel some tension due to the seeming insensitivity of
your colleague to one of your values.
The values and beliefs that we have are our filter through which we see the
world. Within our values and beliefs, we create certain models that help us
interact with our environment, called stereotypes. Stereotypes are models,
or schema, that provide us with guidelines on how to approach or react
to familiar situations and groups of people. An example of this would be
when we interact with someone for the first time. If you were introduced
to a student and the teacher described the child as her top student in class,
you might have some models or ideas of how a top student may act or
how they would speak and what they would say. You might also expect
that they are highly disciplined and diligent in their studies. So you would
interact with that student in a certain way based on certain “stereotypes”
you may have about students who perform well.
Let’s Study
The situation below is an example of how our stereotypes affect how we
react to people. Read through the scenario below based on the idea of the
honor student discussed in the previous section. When you are finished
reading the scenario, answer the reflective questions at the end.
You are new to the school and you asked the teachers to submit a list of
honor students. The next few days you observed one of the top students in
your school. You saw that she was hardly taking down notes in class and
spending a lot of time with her other classmates laughing, joking around,
and playing games or reading comic books during breaks. She would also
doodle on her notebooks while the teacher was lecturing. Although she
did not break any school rules, she was rarely seen studying her lessons in
school, and preferred to play with her friends during breaks.
Given this student’s behavior, would you agree that she was indeed the top
student in the class as her teacher described? Think about this for a while.
You may use the guide questions below to help you reflect. You can use a
blank sheet of paper for this short exercise.

1. How would you describe a student who is at the top of her class? List
down all the characteristics that you think this type of individual might
have.
2. Do you agree with the way the student is behaving? What type of
behavior would you expect from this student?
3. How would you deal with this type of student based on your observations
of her behavior?
Feel free to discuss this with your Flexible Learning Tutor and co-learners,
if you wish. Take note of their responses and gather as many insights as
you can on this topic. You can summarize the insights you gained in your
learning journal.
Some stereotypes that might describe the expected behavior of a student at

the top of his or her class are the following:
• Studies often, or is always seen with a book or books

• Takes many notes in class and always raises hand when the teacher
asks a question
• Has many extracurricular activities
• Is shy and reserved
• Has a small group of friends
• Ready to perform a leadership role when asked to do so
• Takes initiative
• Studies more than plays with classmates
You may have identified some or all of these characteristics when you
thought about your ideal student. You may also have identified other
characteristics not listed here.
Stereotypes in themselves are not bad. Often, stereotypes help guide you
in how to react in specific situations, through what psychologists call
“scripts.” Based on your values, beliefs, and previous experience, you
already know how to deal with familiar situations. If the student had all the

characteristics listed above, then it may have been much easier to interact
with that student, because you have a good idea how the interaction will
go.
When you encounter individuals or situations that do not fit into familiar
stereotypes, you might feel anxious, simply because you are not sure
how the situation will turn out. This can happen often when members
of one cultural group interact with those of another cultural group. If the
stereotypes or schema that we use does not apply to the new group, we
risk creating conflict by reacting in a way that may be offensive to other
groups.
You may also shape your interaction with members of another cultural
group based on your perceptions of that group. These perceptions are built
from insights that you gained over the course of your life. They include
what you have been told by those who took care of you, what you hear in
the news, from other people’s stories, and from your own interaction with
members of that cultural group. Many times, we rely on these perceptions
to guide us on how we interact with others. In the case of the student at
the top of her class, if she does not “act” according to the way we think she
should act, we might not accept that the girl is capable of such a feat. We
might think that there may be some mistake, or else we may even counsel
her to act in a manner that is more “becoming” of an honor student.
When we allow our stereotypes to rule our thinking and our actions, and
do not open our minds to new ways of thinking or doing things, there is a
chance that we may develop a prejudice against certain groups of people.
In school, there are different groups of students. You can think of these
groups as sub-cultures with certain “tags”: honor students, athletic, or
troublemakers. If we allow our stereotypes of certain students to control
how we react to them, or how we perceive them, we may form prejudices
that will affect our objectivity. If we allow prejudice to dictate our actions
and decisions to include or exclude particular groups of people from
participation in activities or in receiving privileges, then we are manifesting
discrimination. If a student who is part of a group of troublesome and
noisy students is prevented from running for class president because of his
affiliation, that is an example of how stereotypes can lead to prejudice and
discrimination.

Think about this situation, and think about how this occurs in your school.
It may not necessarily be a situation like this, but it may involve students or
teachers who come from different cultural groups. They may act differently,
or have different beliefs. How are they viewed by the other members of
the school? In the next section we will examine how stereotypes can affect
the way we perceive others and may help determine our actions. As you
will see, sometimes stereotypes can become obstacles for understanding
and may even reinforce negative perceptions without basis. Negative
stereotypes may hinder us from being objective and may even result in
our favoring one group of people over another. The principle of fairness
in justice is a key principle in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(See Annex A). If we allow our stereotypes to hinder our objectivity and
fairness, we cannot effectively create a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity in our school.
Let’s Study
The following story illustrates an example of how stereotypes and prejudice,
when not challenged, can escalate into violence. The story is fictitious, but
the theme is very real. It is about prejudice and discrimination, which many
students in Southeast Asia experience. Prejudice is a negative feeling one has
towards an individual or a group of people even if it lacks basis. Prejudice
is borne out of stereotypes. A stereotype may be a negative opinion or
perception of a person or a group that is based on incomplete knowledge.
Discrimination refers to the negative actions done towards members of a
particular social group. Discrimination may come in the form of avoidance
or aggression.
As you read the story, think about the following:
1. What stereotypes are apparent?
2. What form does the discrimination take?

The Schoolyard Brawl
Ludinio was a member of the Lumin tribe, a small tribal group in the province
of Sumier. The dominant tribe in Sumier were the Mulanos, and many of the
Mulanos went to the Sumier Provincial Elementary School. The Mulanos
and Lumins had their own set of beliefs and practices - their cultures were also
very different, and there was little contact between both tribes. Most Mulanos
would hear about the Lumins through stories told by relatives or friends.
Ludinio was the only one in his class who was a member of the Lumin tribe.
Sometimes, he would get teased by other classmates about the bracelets he wore
or the food that he brought with him to school. Often he would get excluded
from some games because his classmates had heard stories and comments from
their parents that members of the Lumin tribe loved to fight and hurt people.
They were afraid that Ludinio would start a fight if they let him play with
them.
One day Ludinio was sitting by the big mango tree in the school yard when one
of his classmates, Berto, began teasing him.
“Ludinio is a cow!” shouted Berto, referring to the Lumin legend of creation

where all people emerged from the head of a powerful bull. Ludinio did not pay
Berto any attention and kept about his business.
“Ludinio, the raging cow! Ludinio, the raging cow!” shouted Berto.
Ludinio asked him to stop and said that it was not funny. “I’m not a raging
cow. Please stop making jokes about that.” said Ludinio. He had stood up and he
was now looking Berto in the eye.
Berto continued to shout “Ludinio the raging cow! Ludinio, the raging cow! He
loves to fight and hurt people!” He even began to make gestures and mimicked
the movement of a cow with horns. The children watching Ludinio and Berto
began to giggle and laugh at Ludinio.
“Please, stop it,” begged Ludinio. “What have I done to you? Why are you
teasing me?”
Berto paid Ludinio no heed and continued to tease him - he even began poking
Ludinio with his fingers as if they were a bull’s horns. Ludinio became very

angry. Berto was always teasing Ludinio and always singled him out. For the
longest time, Ludinio tried to be patient and ignored Berto. Finally, Ludinio
could not control himself anymore, and he punched Berto in the face. Berto fell
backwards and Ludinio kicked him while he was lying on the ground, then Berto
began to cry. One of the students then ran to get one of the teachers, Ms. Analiz,
who stopped the fight and immediately reprimanded Ludinio.
“Ludinio, why did you punch Berto?” Ms. Analiz shouted.

“I’m sorry, Miss Analiz, Berto was teasing me and he would not stop. He was
making fun of my tribe,” explained Ludinio.
“Nonsense!” cried Ms. Analiz. “I’m sure Berto did not mean anything by it.
Besides, when someone teases you, you should not immediately resort to violence.
We, Mulanos, are a very peaceful people. That’s why your people are in conflict
with the government now - you are very quick to anger!”
Ludinio remained quiet. He felt sad that Ms. Analiz did not want to hear his side
of the story. He then followed the teacher to the Principal’s office, where he knew
he was sure to get punished. Back in the schoolyard, the students began talking
about what had just happened, and when they went home that night, they told
their parents the story about the boy from the Lumin tribe who punched one of
their classmates in the mouth.

Answer the following questions below about the story of Ludinio and
Berto. If you would like to read the story again, you may do so. You can
1. Can you identify some stereotypes that Ludinio’s classmates might have
had about him?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

2. What was the cause of conflict between Ludinio and Berto?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. How did it escalate and what was the end result?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Which of the stereotypes do you think were reinforced by the incident?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Do you think that Ms. Analiz handled the situation with fairness and
objectivity? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

6. As a school head, what are some ways that you can prevent an incident
like this from occurring in your school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback
You can compare your answers with those in the Key To Correction on pages
136-137. If your answers are similar to those given, that’s great. You may
have had other ideas or answers as well. You are encouraged to discuss
your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor, your colleagues, and your
co-learners.
Let’s Study
As a school head, you can prevent incidents like this from occurring in
your school by making sure that the students are aware that what they
do now can cause resentment and conflict later on. You can also make
sure that the teachers in your school are objective and fair in the way they
handle conflict incidents. Teachers themselves should show tolerance
and open-mindedness. Tolerance, as defined by UNESCO (1995), is “the
respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures and
various forms of human expression.” Teachers may be given training on
challenging stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
Finally, as a school head, it is important that you, yourself, understand and

recognize your own perceptions of others, and learn to manage conflicts
constructively. As the leader of your school, your example will be one of the
most powerful ones, and by recognizing how your biases and perceptions
can affect your management of conflict, you can be more objective and
sensitive when dealing with cultural diversity in your school.

For this activity, you will need a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. You may
use colored pencils if you have any. Take about 30-40 minutes to complete
this activity.
This activity has 3 steps:
STEP 1: Identify all the different groups that live in and around your
community. You can use the following criteria to identify groups: by age,
ethnic affiliation, religious beliefs, cultural practices, sex, gender, and socio-
economic status. Identify as many groups as you can and draw a symbol to
represent each group. Choose an image that you feel represents the group.
You can draw each image on any part of the paper, but make sure to leave
spaces in between each image for some text.
STEP 2: For each image that you have drawn on the paper, write down
your impressions of each group. Write down what you feel are the good
and bad characteristics of the members of each group. Finally, draw a star
next to the symbol of the group that you identify with the most. Put an “X”
beside the symbol of three groups that you identify with the least.
STEP 3: For the last step in the activity, put a check mark (p) beside the
symbol of the group that you feel you know the most about, and put a
question mark (?) beside the symbol of the group you feel you know the
least about.
When you are done reflect on your output. You may refer to the following
questions to guide your reflection.
• For which of the groups did you list more bad characteristics than
good ones?
• Which group has the longest list of good characteristics?
• Which group do you know the most about (practices, customs,

belief systems, values) among all the groups?
• Which group do you know the least about?
• Which group do you identify with the most?
• Which group do you identify with the least? Is this one of the
groups that you know the least about?

While doing the activity, you probably noticed a pattern emerging. You
probably knew more about the groups that you identified with the most,
and knew very little about the group you identified with the least. This is
because, being a member of a certain group, we are exposed to all aspects
of the group’s culture. Because we know so much about the group, we
can easily interact with other members with minimal conflict. We know
that the group has good and bad characteristics, but we are comfortable
with looking past the bad characteristics because we understand that not
all the members of the group exhibit those bad behaviors. However, for
the groups we know little about, we often use what little information we
have as a basis for our interactions with members of that group. If we don’t
know enough about the culture of the other group, we tend to depend on
what we gather from stories, the media and our own values and beliefs of
what is right and wrong to guide us in how we react to people who have
different cultures.
What insights did you gain from the activity? Write these insights down
in your learning journal. You are also strongly encouraged to discuss your
insights with your Flexible Learning Tutor and your co-learners. When
you are done sharing what you learned with your peers, you can continue
on with the next section.
Let’s Study
In the previous activity, you were given the opportunity to look at how
your own perception of another person or group of people can affect how
you relate to that person or group in specific situations. As a school head
working to achieve a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your
school, you must look at how you relate to the different groups, cultural
groups in particular, in your school and in your community. How much
do you know about each of the cultural groups in your school? Are you
aware of their common desires, needs and wants? Do you consider their
beliefs and practices when you formulate policies or initiate activities in
the school? In cases like the one described in the story of Ludinio and
Berto, how do your perceptions and beliefs affect how you treat similar
incidents?

If you noticed from the reflections in the last activity, the best way you can
combat your biases about other groups is to learn more about that group.
The more we know about other people, the more we can understand their
values, beliefs and behavior. If we interact with members of a different
cultural group and learn their culture, we often find that our perceptions
of them were inaccurate or incomplete. Just as we are ready to overlook
and tolerate members of our cultural group that exhibit bad characteristics,
so, too, will we be able to find ourselves open to the members of different
cultural groups. Knowledge is one of the keys to managing conflict
constructively. The more you understand others, the more you can open
yourself up to dialogue and accept differences.

The story of Berto and Ludinio is an example of how stereotypes and
prejudice can affect how we relate to others. Many times, people allow
these stereotypes and prejudices to guide their actions such as in the case
of Berto and Ludinio. Think about the effects of negative stereotypes
and prejudice in your school. Think also about your own actions that
may promote negative stereotypes towards certain students. Answer
the following questions below. You can write your answer in the space
provided after each question.
1. What are the effects of negative stereotypes and prejudice on students,

most especially students who are considered “different” from the
others?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. As a school head, how might you be inadvertently promoting negative

stereotypes among the students and faculty?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. What are your roles as a school head in promoting respect, acceptance
and appreciation of diversity?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. What changes do you need to make in yourself to more effectively fulfill

these roles?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Were you able to think deeply about the different effects of prejudice, and
what you can do as a school head to challenge prejudice? If you were able
to look within yourself and identify areas that you can improve, that’s
excellent! You can compare your answers with those in the following
section.

Let’s Read
The Effects of Negative Stereotypes and Prejudice
In the school setting, negative stereotypes and prejudice have very real
effects on the students who are its victims. Nario-Galace and Navarro-
Castro (2008) cite the following as some of the effects of prejudice in
schools:
• Negative effects on academic achievement and self-esteem

• Feelings of isolation or alienation
• Emotional or physical harm from teasing or bullying
These negative effects can also have an impact on the child’s future. In some
cases, the children who experience prejudice may leave the school system
altogether, which denies them opportunities to fulfill their potential.
As a school head, it is important that you realize the effect you can have on
the promotion of prejudice and negative stereotypes in your school. As a
role model, your words and actions become an important example to both
students and teachers. If you follow the principles of peace and respect for
cultural diversity, your students and teachers will have a powerful example
to follow.
Challenging Your Own Prejudice as a School Head
Challenging negative stereotypes and prejudice is a critical part of building

a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school.
Developing an appreciation of differences, and even celebrating them,
will help reduce conflicts that may arise from a lack of understanding or
sensitivity to the values and beliefs of other people.
You can promote an appreciation of differences in your school with a set

of useful guidelines. Nario-Galace and Navarro-Castro (2008) suggest the
following ways that you can teach and learn tolerance in your school. You
can use these guidelines to examine your own thoughts and actions, and
you can encourage your teachers to do the same:

• Examine your own biases. Do you give more favorable attention to
those who are physically or socio-economically advantaged?
• Use inclusive and/or non-discriminating language in your meetings
and in the classroom, as language shapes consciousness
• Treat each person fairly regardless of sex or socio-economic status.
Examine yourself and check if you have a tendency to give more
compliments to those who are more physically attractive, or who fit
in your stereotypes of behavior, personality, and so on.
• Celebrate differences in the school and highlight the concept that

diversity is enriching. Encourage everyone in the school to learn
new things from one another.
• Use teaching aids that show a variety of racial and physical features,
as well as religious and cultural contexts.
• Check textbooks, references, instructional materials and curriculum/
course outlines for biased messages about sex, race, ethnicity and
religion.
• Use stories of racial and cultural prejudice and ask the students to
take the perspective of the victims of prejudice.
These are just some of the things you can do to promote tolerance and
respect for diversity in your school. These guidelines will help you
challenge prejudice and help you build a strong foundation for a culture of
peace in the school. If you make students aware that diversity should be
an opportunity to learn more about the world and about other people, then
you open their minds and hearts to others.
As a school head, you can help promote understanding and appreciation

of differences through initiatives like twinning programs, where students
from different schools in different geographic regions trade places for a
certain period of time. Twinning programs allow students to interact with
and experience new cultures, and provide opportunities for students to
work together. Of course, one of the most powerful ways of introducing
change is through your own example as a school head. When you are a
model and champion of peace, and have the commitment to live the values
of peace, it is easy to earn the respect and support of your students and
teachers.

Let’s Study
Study the following critical incident about two school heads, Armin and Jan.
They are both in charge of schools with a diverse multicultural population
(the names of the cultural groups in this story are fictional). Both Armin
and Jan are experiencing problems with conflict between different cultural
groups within the school. This conflict is actually an extension of conflict
between these groups in the surrounding community. In recent months,
the two school heads have grown concerned about the increasing division
that is occurring between the different cultural groups in the surrounding
provinces. They are afraid that this division may spark violence and that it
may spread to their community. Both of them are worried that the students
in their school may be adversely affected by this conflict.
Critical Incident
Armin and Jan were together in a workshop for school heads. One day they were
discussing the growing problem of cultural division in their communities.
Jan: I’m worried, Armin. I hear that in the neighboring province there
are problems with the different cultural groups clashing. Some
of the children from my school have relatives in that province
and they sometimes ask their teachers if that will happen in our
community, too.
Armin: I understand your problem, Jan. We have a culturally diverse

student population as well, and the tension in the other
provinces is already showing itself in my school. Just the other
week we had several fights between students because of tensions
between cultural groups. One of my students threw a broom
at a classmate after being teased that he and his clan should be
contented with cleaning classrooms.
Jan: I also had to stop a similar conflict in my school, where some

students would refuse to mingle or accept other students from
a different cultural group. Even when they are assigned to
do groupwork, some students are left out of the discussions
because they are considered “different.” I can see an increasing
divisiveness in our school and community.

Armin and Jan then agreed to meet again after one month to talk about what
they were doing in their school and if it was effective. Then they would share
their initiatives with the school district superintendent to get her advice.
After a month had passed, Armin and Jan met at the quarterly school heads’
meeting for the school division. They had a lot of time to discuss the steps they
had taken to alleviate the problems they were observing.
Armin: What is new with you, Jan? Have you solved the problems in
your school yet?
Jan: I wish it were that easy, Armin. I haven’t had any luck creating
a more tolerant atmosphere in my school. The incidents of
fighting and conflict due to cultural differences continue.
Armin: Well, Jan, don’t expect that change will happen overnight. Have
you discovered the root causes of the conflicts in your school?
Were you able to get a better understanding of the problems the
students are facing?
Jan: What do you mean? I spoke to the teachers and students about
respecting each other. I wrote policies to promote peace and I
expected everyone to follow them. I think we knew the problem
from the last time we spoke.
Armin: Did you conduct any research into the root of the conflict between
the different cultural groups in your school? What did you talk
about when you spoke of respecting each other?
Jan: I just told them what I thought was right. Both of us follow the
Nanawat religion, right? Our religion has certain teachings on
peace, and teachings on how people should live. I just used that
as my guide when I spoke to the students and the teachers. Also,
these beliefs guided the programs that I implemented and the
policies that I wrote. What I told them applies to everyone in the
school and each one should take what I said to heart.

Armin: Can you tell me the population breakdown of your school? How
many percent are from each of the different cultural groups?
Jan: I’m not sure. We have a mix of Nanawat and Mhumads, but
we have also students from smaller tribes and cultural groups
in the area.
Armin: I see. Jan, I think I have an idea why you are having a hard time
implementing your policies in school.

What do you think of the story you just read? Do you also have an idea
why Jan is having a problem implementing policies that support peace and
respect for cultural diversity in his school? The questions below will help
you reflect on the story. Answer each of the questions below. Write your
answers in the spaces provided below.
1. Why do you think is Jan having a problem encouraging understanding

and respect for cultural diversity in his school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. What do you think Armin meant when he asked Jan about doing research
on the conflicts in the school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. What do you think are the ways that Jan can learn more about the causes
of division among the cultural groups in his school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback
Compare your answers with the ones below:
1. Jan had a very hard time encouraging tolerance and understanding

in his school because he did not have a good grasp of the problems
experienced by his students and teachers. He thought of solutions
based on his own understanding of the problem and he did not have
any input from anyone else. Furthermore, he used guidelines based
on his own religion when he spoke to the students about tolerance and
understanding. Although it is possible that the tenets of his faith are
indeed geared towards peace, there are other cultural perspectives and
practices that are also geared towards achieving peace.
2. When Armin asked Jan about doing research on the conflicts in his
school, he meant that Jan should get a better understanding of the
cultural tensions that exist inside the school and even in the community
as well. Armin thought this was important because in order to truly
create an environment of respect for cultural differences, you need to
first understand the causes of the problems. By talking to students,
teachers and members of the community, Jan can think of more effective
programs and policies that will be more acceptable to the members of
the school. Also, Jan can be sure that he is addressing the cause of the
problem and not just the symptoms.
3. Jan can learn more about the cultural issues affecting his school by
initially talking to students, teachers and members of the community.
He can seek the viewpoint of the members of each cultural group what

their concerns and issues are. Jan should seek as many viewpoints as
possible in order to understand how each side views the issues. This
will help him determine whether the policies he is drafting are objective
and representative of the sentiments of each cultural group.
If you put thought into answering the reflective questions above, then you
should have a good idea of what Jan needs to do in order to draft more
effective policies in his school. It is important for you to understand the
nature of the problem that you are dealing with before you create any
policies as an answer to those problems. If you formulate policies based
on your own understanding of the problem, there is a good chance that the
policies will be one-sided and will not address the multi-faceted nature of
problems concerning tensions between different cultural groups.
Let’s Study
It is not easy to create an environment in your school that promotes respect
for cultural diversity. As you learned in Lesson One, your challenge as
a leader is to do what you can to help alleviate the causes of conflict and
you have to do this in a way that allows all affected groups to feel that
they are being involved in the development of a solution. Remember also
the problem-solving approach to managing conflicts which we discussed
in Lesson One. It is important to listen to what other parties have to say
and to find solutions to problems that are mutually agreeable to everyone.
These breed trust and help others become more open to discussing their
problems and working together to find solutions.
When you look into the issues at your school, you should talk to as many
people as you can from different sides of the issue so you will create a more
accurate picture of the problems and concerns of each group. You should
talk to students, teachers, members of the community, and other groups
whom you think can help you put together a clearer picture of the issues
and problems.
For example, if Jan spoke to some of the students and families of the
minority groups in his school, he might find out that they feel their voice
and perspectives are unheard in the school. Jan might discover that because
his programs and policies are based on well known Nanawat religious
teachings, members of some smaller minority groups may feel they are
being forced to accept the religious beliefs of the school head. Furthermore,

Jan may unknowingly be encouraging stereotypes and discrimination of
certain students who have different values and beliefs. This might result in
discomfort for some students who may feel they must go against some of
their values and practices in order to comply.
Jan might also find that the cause of some conflicts may be due to reasons
he did not even consider. Some of the reasons for cultural tensions may
be rooted in poverty or deprivation of rights. One example of this would
be teachers complaining of slow learners from a certain minority group.
The teachers, being from a Nanawat or Mhumad culture, may form such
stereotypes of these students. This may be also reinforced in the classroom
among the students. If Jan did some more research and discovered that
many of the students from that minority group live in extreme poverty
and often go to school without eating, how might this affect the perception
teachers and students have of these students?
Let’s Read
Let’s continue reading the story of Armin and Jan. As you read through the
story, you may take notes and think about the following:
• What sources of information can you use to understand the

problem?
• How would you gather the data?
• How does this data help you evaluate present policies and modify
them or draft new ones that will help build a culture of peace in
your school?

Critical Incident (continued)
Jan and Armin met again to discuss what they could do to bring peace to their
community. After the first meeting, Jan realized that he had a lot of work to do
in understanding the problems and issues that threatened the peace both in his
school and community. The next time he met with Jan, he had some additional
information gathered through statistics, dialogues with students and teachers,
and from talks with different members of the community.
Jan: Armin, thank you for suggesting that I do further research and
understand the issues on the cultural tensions in my school.
After I spoke to several people from different cultural groups,
I realized that some of the policies I drafted may have even
hampered my goal of building a culture of peace.
Armin: That’s great, Jan! Why don’t we discuss the issues that you
uncovered. Maybe they are similar to what I’m experiencing in
my school.
Jan: Well, first of all, I asked all the teachers to take a survey of their
classes and I was able to find out that my school has a very diverse
population. Here is the breakdown of the school’s population...
Jan hands a sheet of paper to Armin with the following figures:
Class
Cultural Cultural Cultural
Performance
Groups Distribution Distribution
Indicators
of Students of Teachers
(Average Grade)
Nanawat 57% 74% 85.4%
Mhumad 22% 4% 89.1%
Kawan 3% ---- 67.4 %
Lumin 7% ---- 92.6 %
Mulano 11% 22% 84.9 %

Jan: I used this as my starting point in analyzing the issues in the
school. I know that the statistics only tell part of the story, so I
started formulating my research plan and questions based on the
data that I had.
Armin: I noticed that one cultural group performs very well and another
performs very poorly. If you are not careful you might make the
conclusion that one of the groups are really poor performers.
Jan: That’s right. This was also manifesting itself in the classroom,
where Kawan students were being alienated because of the
perceptions that they were slow learners. The other students did
not like having them as groupmates. There were even instances
when they would tease the Kawan students.
Armin: I see. Your data is really good, Jan! It uncovered some issues
that you didn’t know about before. What did you do next?
Jan: I spoke to the teachers about the performance of the students

and they said that the Kawan students often came to class with
incomplete assignments, or would not be paying attention
during class. Some of the teachers even caught them sleeping.
However, because there are only a few Kawan students and
there is only approximately one student in every other class, the
teachers did not see a pattern. This only came out when I got
the class data.
Armin: I have a similar situation in my school. Our student population

is almost the same as yours, so we are experiencing almost the
same thing. Tell me more about the problem - maybe I can get
some insights from your research.
Jan: Well, after I got the data I spoke to as many students as I could
about their culture, their problems and desires, and what they
thought of students from other cultural groups. I got surprised
that at such a young age, the children had many stereotypes
of students from other cultures. When I asked them why they
thought about those students, their answers told me even more.
Often, they are forming their opinion based on what they see in

the media and what they hear at home. But in some cases, they
said they believed in some of the stereotypes because they would
see their teacher often scolding these students for being slow,
lazy, and disinterested.
Armin: That’s interesting. When I spoke to one student in my school,

she said that she felt she should not even be attending this school
because she felt alone - most of her classmates and teachers were
Nanawat and the discussions and examples in class were always
taken from the Nanawat culture. The textbooks were also full
of discussions and examples taken from the Nanawat culture.
She could not identify with the class and even had some doubts
about her own culture.
Jan: I never realized that we also need to assess the things we depend
on for teaching. From your discussions with the students it
seems that the textbooks themselves and the examples that we
use may promote stereotypes and alienate the students from
different cultures.
Armin: I agree. We have to examine our learning materials as well.

Did you make any progress in your investigation on the poor
performance of the Kawan students in your school?
Jan: Well, I discovered the reason for the poor performance of the
Kawan students. I spoke to some of the parents of the children
and found out that because of the conflict in the other provinces,
many Kawans have come here to stay with relatives while they
look for some way to make a living. They had to leave their
homes out of fear, so they came here and they have been taken
in by their relatives. Because of this, the families of the Kawan
students have to make room for them in their small homes and
since many Kawan families are not very well off, the resources
are now shared across more people.
Armin: And I guess that means even the meals they prepare need to
be shared by more people? I can imagine that many of your
Kawan students might go to school with little or no food in their
stomach.

Jan: That’s correct. Even more so, many of the Kawan students have
difficulty completing their assignments because when they get
home, they help with the housekeeping and in the preparation of
meals. Normally, they could do their assignments when they get
home, but because there are many people living with them, they
cannot find a quiet place to concentrate. Most of them end up
doing their assignments late at night when everyone is asleep,
but by that time they are too sleepy and often fall asleep without
completing them.
Armin: I see. So that explains the performance of the Kawan students

based on your data. What steps are you taking to help the
situation?
Jan: I was thinking to give the students - all the students, the
opportunity to do their schoolwork after class. I thought it
might be helpful to provide an area where they can study and do
their assignments before they go home. But when I spoke to the
teachers about this, they reminded me that there was an existing
policy that requires all classroom and lights to be turned off
after class as a cost-saving measure. I also realized that there
were no policies or programs that gave incentives to teachers
to help students in a constructive manner. In fact, there was
a school policy that actually rewarded teachers on the basis of
class performance alone. So the tendency of some teachers was
to scold students when they did not perform well and this helped
reinforce the stereotypes in the classroom.
Armin: That’s an important insight, Jan. I am getting some ideas from

your experience to apply in my school. How about the problem
of lack of nutrition?
Jan: That’s another challenge. I would like to start a school feeding

program, but I need the resources to do so. When I spoke about
the problem with the local government officials, they said they
could help me if I could make a presentation to the mayor of the
town and discuss the case. That’s what I’m working on now.

Armin: Jan, I think you are on the right track. I learned a lot from
you today. I also have similar insights based on my research.
The problem of poverty is critical and it is definitely one factor
that promotes conflict and division between cultural groups. I
also found out the following - that the students and even the
teachers in my school are not that knowledgeable about the
practices and beliefs of other cultural groups. There were no
programs in place that allowed students to share their culture
with other students. One of my initiatives then is to increase
the understanding through programs that help the students
and teachers understand the other practices and beliefs of other
cultures.
Jan: I think that’s a good idea, Armin. In fact, that might also benefit
my school, as well. If you look at the data I have, most of the
school’s teachers are Nanawat, so many of the values and beliefs
that are being taught in the classroom may be from the Nanawat
culture.
Armin: This is great, Jan. We were able to uncover some of the roots of
the problems in our school. We also have identified some issues
that might hinder our plans to build a culture of peace in our
schools!

Based on what you read in the story, answer the following reflection
questions. Write your answers on the spaces provided.
1. What sources of information did Jan use to gain a better understanding

of the problems in his school concerning cultural divisions and
stereotypes?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

2. How did Jan use this data to determine the causes of the problem? How
would this help in building a culture of peace in his school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. What do you think helped Jan and Armin effectively assess the problem
of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination in their school?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Read on to validate your answers.
Let’s Study
In order to gain a better understanding of the problems of cultural division
and stereotypes in his school, Jan looked at several sources of information.
He used statistics, or quantitative information, to get a broad picture of
the cultural composition of the school. He also used qualitative data - his
conversations with students, teachers and community members. Jan also
discussed the issues and problems with his colleague, Armin, and they both
gained many insights from analyzing the problems and finding similarities
in their experiences.
Using the statistics as a starting point, Jan looked for possible clues that
could tell him that there was a deeper problem he should examine more
closely. He saw the performance of the Kawan students as an indicator
of such a deeper problem. In order to get a better understanding of what
the data was showing, Jan decided to have a talk with the students and

teachers, and even met with the Kawan students’ parents to discuss with
them the issue and find out the cause of the students’ poor performance.
Because Jan was able to talk with the people who were directly affected by
the issue, he was able to understand that the students’ performance was
affected by many factors, and was not because they were from the Kawan
cultural group. With this new understanding, Jan could now get everyone
involved in understanding the problem and thinking of solutions.
By understanding the nature of the problem, Jan became more effective

at evaluating the stereotypes and prejudice that existed in his school. It
also helped him determine the root of the problem he needed to address
in order to allow all students to do well in class and master their lessons
regardless of cultural or socio-economic situation. Jan also created a good
set of criteria with which to evaluate whether school policies were hindering
or helping the development of a culture of peace and respect for cultural
diversity in his school.
Your answers may be similar to the ones written here. You may also have
other ideas or answers which differ from the ones given here. You can
discuss your answers with your colleagues, or with your Flexible Learning
Tutor to get additional feedback.

In the story you just read, you discovered that understanding the
cultural issues is one critical step in creating an environment of tolerance,
appreciation of differences, and acceptance. Like Jan, you can start by
looking at different sources of information. You can develop quantitative
statistical data to analyze and find starting points for your research. You
can also gather qualitative data by talking to students, teachers, parents, and
members of the community to find out the challenges, fears and aspirations
of the members of each cultural group in your school. Often, you will find
that the desire for their children to be educated is a common aspiration
for each member of the community, regardless of cultural group. The
challenges they face, including poverty, disease, discrimination, and denial
of their basic rights may keep them from experiencing the fullness of their
education. These challenges may also affect how they see themselves and
how other people see them. We also read about how the learning materials
we use, or the examples we use in class, may not contain examples or

discussions about other cultural groups. We must examine the teaching and
learning materials that we use and determine if they adequately discuss or
provide examples from other groups. If the materials do not adequately
discuss this, we must find ways to give attention to the cultural practices
and beliefs of other groups.

Review some of the teaching and learning materials that you use in your
school. As you review them, assess whether or not they adequately discuss
or provide examples from the different cultural groups represented by your
school’s student population. You may use the following guide questions to
assess the materials:
• Are the discussions and examples taken from one cultural group?
• Are their examples and discussions other cultural groups can relate
to?
• How can you supplement the materials so that you can touch on
discussions and examples from different cultural groups?
Fill up the table below. In the column marked “Materials” identify the
materials that you reviewed. In the column marked “Gaps in Cultural
Discussions”, describe what is lacking in the material in terms of discussions
and examples taken from the different cultural groups in your school. In
the column “Strategies to Supplement Materials”, list down ways in which
you can supplement these materials with examples and discussions taken
from other cultural groups.
On the next page is an example of what the table should look like. You
can use this as a guide in assessing the materials and finding strategies to
supplement the gaps in discussions about other cultural groups.

Gaps in Strategies to
Materials
Cultural Discussion Supplement Materials
Mathematics All the characters When formulating
Textbook in problem-solving word problems, use
questions have Christian names from different
names cultural groups
Visual Aids on The situations depicted Create new materials

Health only show one type that depict other
of cultural group; the cultures
examples used by the
teachers are only taken
from one cultural group
Teacher The examples used Examine stereotypes

examples in contain certain and ask the students
Language stereotypes about to confirm if these are
students and people valid; ask the students
from other cultures from different cultures
to create their own
examples based on their
own experience and
culture
You can create a table that looks like the one below, or you can use the table
below to begin your assessment of the materials used in your school.
Gaps in Strategies to
Materials
Cultural Discussion Supplement Materials

Were you able to determine what gaps exist in the materials that you use?
Were you able to think of ways to supplement the materials so that they
adequately discuss the experiences of people from different cultures? You
might have ideas that were not mentioned above. You are encouraged to
discuss your answers with your Flexible Learning Tutor and your colleagues
for additional feedback.

In Lesson One, we talked about how the ideal style of conflict resolution is
one where the parties listen to each other and are open to understanding
the fears, aspirations, desires, and troubles of the other. We also talked
about how this helps create trust and confidence, which in turn motivates
people to be more open to discussing differences and achieving peace. In
the same way, school policies must be formulated so that they promote
respect for cultural diversity and cooperative peace-building.
As a school head, you lead the efforts to develop a culture of peace and
respect for diversity in your school. One of the strategies you can use to
do this is through the creation of policies and initiatives that will promote
peace and understanding, and celebrate the differences between groups of
people in the school. In the next PEACeXCELS module, entitled Promote
Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity in Schools and Communities,
you will learn more about developing programs, policies and initiatives
that will help build a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in
your school.
Review the story of Jan and Armin. From the statistics, they were able
to form a picture of what is happening in their schools. They used these
statistics as a starting point to investigate further and as a basis for assessing
if there are aspects of the teaching-learning environment that discriminate
against students from different cultural groups.
Like Jan and Armin, you may conduct research in your school to find out
if your school promotes peace and respect for cultural diversity. One of
the ways you can do this is by reflecting on your own practices and by
interviewing students and teachers on their experiences in your school.

When you conduct research in your school, you will need to prepare
questions that will draw out information on whether your school promotes
peace and respect for cultural diversity. On the spaces provided below,
write down the questions related to peace and respect for cultural diversity
that you can ask the teachers, school staff, and students.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Let’s Read
Criteria of Teaching-Learning Environments that

Promote Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity
Were you able to come up with questions you can ask your respondents?
If you were able to, that’s great! It means that you actually have in mind a
set of criteria of a teaching-learning environment that promotes peace and
respect for cultural diversity.
Criteria are standards or measures used for evaluating something, in this

case, for evaluating the school in terms of promoting peace. Below are
criteria in question form frequently used by peace practitioners.
• Is there sensitivity to the financial burdens imposed on students

from lower-income households?
• Are students and teachers from different cultural groups discouraged
or prevented from practicing their cultural beliefs?
• Are the beliefs and practices of dominant cultural groups given
more emphasis or attention inside and outside the classroom?
• Are all cultural groups allowed equal access to school resources?

• Are there expectations of performance or compliance that may be
difficult for some cultural groups to attain because of their practices
or beliefs?
• Are there situations where more attention or appreciation may be

given to a specific cultural group?
• Are there situations where minority groups might be denied proper
attention, credit and appreciation because of criteria or standards
based on the values and beliefs of the dominant cultural group?
• Do the criteria for performance and evaluation of excellence include

the different practices, beliefs and values of the students in the
school?
• Are all cultural groups allowed equal access to school resources?

• Are there expectations of performance or compliance that may be
difficult for some cultural groups to attain because of their practices
or beliefs?
• Are there situations where more attention or appreciation may be

given to a specific cultural group?
• Are there situations where minority groups might be denied proper
attention, credit and appreciation because of criteria or standards
based on the values and beliefs of the dominant cultural group?
• Do the criteria for performance and evaluation of excellence include

the different practices, beliefs and values of the students in the
school?
These are just some of the criteria you can use to determine if your school
promotes peace and respect for cultural diversity. Are they also the
questions you asked in the previous activity? If you wrote questions not
mentioned here, you may discuss them with your Flexible Learning Tutor
and co-learners.
You are also encouraged to discuss your answers with any peace practitioner
you know for additional feedback and insights.

Let’s Remember
In this lesson, you learned about the values and beliefs that serve as a
guide in how you deal with different situations and people. You also
learned how stereotypes influence how you perceive and act towards
others.
Stereotypes in themselves are not bad. They actually help us deal

with different situations in a similar manner, so we can choose an
appropriate action while reducing the risk of offending or creating
conflict with the other party. However, stereotypes can also become an
obstacle to developing respect for cultural diversity, especially when
we allow our stereotypes to dictate our actions and to remain closed
to different points of view. When our stereotypes are mixed with fear
or uncertainty towards individuals from different cultural groups, we
may become prejudiced against that group of people. Once we exclude
others simply because of our prejudice against them, we are committing
discrimination.
We need to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination

in order to ensure that all students and teachers in our school are given
the same opportunities and encouragement to realize their potentials.
We can do that by examining ourselves and assessing the different
aspects of the teaching-learning experience to determine if there are areas
that may reinforce stereotypes and prejudice, and work to eliminate
these from the teaching learning process. This includes reviewing the
teaching and learning materials used in school to assess whether or not
they are culturally relevant and supplementing them if there are gaps.

Let’s review what you learned in this lesson. Answer the questions below
as best as you can. You may write your answers in the spaces provided
1. What role do stereotypes play in how we deal with others?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. What are the negative effects of stereotypes?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice and

discrimination?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

4. As a school head, what can you do to promote respect for cultural
diversity and challenge prejudice and discrimination?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with the ones in the Key to Correction on pages 138-
140.
Feedback
ready to move on to the next lesson.
review the part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge.
This lesson focused on respecting others as a critical part of building peace

and respect for cultural diversity in your school. In the next lesson, Sowing
the Seeds of Peace and Respect for Diversity, you will learn different ways
you can sow the seeds of peace in your school through programs and
learning activities that can be implemented in the classroom and at the
school policy level.
When you are ready, you may begin with Lesson 3.

Lesson
3
Sowing the Seeds of Peace and
Respect for Cultural Diversity
What Is This Lesson About?

The first two lessons examined how managing conflict constructively
and challenging stereotypes and prejudice are key ingredients in the
development of a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school.
Building peace means learning how to deal with conflict in a constructive
manner and challenging stereotypes and prejudice in your school. Learning
how to live together and appreciating the culture, values and beliefs of
others is an important step towards building a culture of peace.
As you learned in the first two lessons, we must be conscious of our own
perceptions, thoughts and actions regarding people who have values and
beliefs that are different from ours. When we ourselves live the principles
of peace, understanding and appreciation of other cultures, we are doing
our own part in building peace in our school.
Once we are committed to living peace, we now have the chance to share
this commitment with others. Just as the title suggests, this lesson is about
sowing the seeds of peace in our own families, schools, and communities.
This lesson is about expanding our understanding about peace and
examining ways we can integrate peace and understanding into the
different aspects of the teaching-learning process. The goal of this lesson
is to help you develop a comprehensive understanding of peace and find
different ways to integrate peace education into the school.

In this lesson you will learn a comprehensive definition of peace, and
examine the different forms of violence that prevent peace. You will also
learn about different frameworks for integrating peace education into your
school. After studying this lesson, you should be able to:
• Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

• Describe the different forms of violence which threaten the
attainment of a culture of peace.
• Describe the dimensions and operative values necessary to the
building of a culture of peace in schools.
• Explain the rationale for peace education in schools.
• Describe the schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values
that are integral to peace education.
• Determine your own strengths and areas for growth to become a
champion of peace in your school and community.

Peace practitioners agree that war is not the only threat to peace. Many
times, peace is threatened by indirect harm caused by human beings
towards other human beings. This is seen in conditions that many people
live under, such as oppression, prejudice and poverty.
Read through the list below of conditions that prevent the building of a
culture of peace. For each of the conditions, explain why it might be an
obstacle to peace, and explain what you can do as a school head to challenge
these conditions. You can write your thoughts in the spaces below each
condition.
a. Extreme poverty
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

b. Hunger
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
c. Avoidable diseases
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
d. Discrimination against minority groups
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
e. Denial of human rights
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Did you gain any new insight from this activity? Read on to know how
well you performed in the activity.

Let’s Read
Conditions that Prevent the Building
of a Culture of Peace
Peace can often be threatened by indirect harm caused by human beings

towards other human beings. This is seen in conditions that many people
live under, such as oppression, prejudice and poverty. These conditions
are considered a specific form of violence called structural violence. We
first defined structural violence in Lesson One. Remember that structural
violence refers to the systems, institutions, and policies that meet some
people’s human needs, rights, or wants at the expense of others (Cawagas,
Toh and Garrone, 2006). Structural violence can ignite conflict and
physical violence. As a school head, you should be aware of some of the
manifestations of structural violence, so you can identify them in your
school and community, and challenge them.
Some of the conditions that may be considered forms of structural violence

are the following:
Extreme poverty
Extreme poverty is a barrier to peace due to disparities that exist between

those who have and control resources and those who do not. People who
live in extreme poverty may resort to violence or unlawful behavior in
order to correct what they know as injustice. It has also been observed that
people living in extreme poverty are more likely to join armed movements
(Justino, 2008). As a school head you can help alleviate poverty in many
ways. Some possible initiatives you can take are: bringing education to those
in need through non-formal education programs or identifying programs
for livelihood that can be delivered through the school in cooperation with
the community and the local government.
Starvation
Starvation is a desperate situation that prevents the achievement of peace

because peace does not only mean the absence of war but the presence of
conditions of well-being. In 2008, many developing nations around the
world experienced rioting due to the rising cost of grain and other food
commodities. As the price of bread, rice and other basic food products
nearly doubled, many of those who were earning very little suddenly faced

a desperate situation which caused some to take extreme measures so they
could be heard. As a school head, you can alleviate this situation by helping
to make food security in your community a reality. The school can offer
agricultural productivity training and programs for community members
and students. You can invite resource persons to pass on their knowledge
about increasing crop yields or maximizing land use. Another more
immediate problem related to starvation is when students come to school
hungry, or with poor nutrition, which affects their concentration and brain
development. If you can address hunger in your school through feeding
programs, you are helping to alleviate the negative effects of starvation.
Avoidable diseases
Health care is everyone’s concern. Article 25 of the UDHR stipulates that

“everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing
and medical care…” As a school head you can help promote this human
right by providing basic health care classes or organizing dental and
medical missions. You can also make sure that each student receives health
education as early as possible
Discrimination against minority groups
As you learned in Lesson 2, discrimination against minority groups is one

major obstacle to peace. Many of the conflicts raging around the world
today are rooted in discrimination, or the lack of tolerance of minorities
by the majority group in power. When there is a lack of understanding
of or refusal to accept others who are culturally different, this may lead
to conflict as one group tries to exclude, or even eliminate the other
group. As a school head, you can help increase understanding between
different groups. That is one of the main focuses of this module. You can
help promote cultural understanding and tolerance through curricular
integration, school exchange programs, multi-cultural presentations, and
dialogue between culturally different groups in your school.
Denial of human rights
When human rights are violated or not respected, there is a strong tendency
to resist those who violate your rights. Violating peoples’ rights prevent
them from living in dignity and actualizing their potential. Many conflicts
in the world right now are due to deprivation of rights such as the right

to land, development, equality, or participation. This is a barrier to peace
because people whose rights are denied come into conflict with those who
violate their rights. Betty Reardon (1995) wrote that fulfillment of human
rights provide the foundation of a nonviolent social order and greatly
reduce the causes of armed conflict and war. As a school head, you can
help alleviate this by making sure that respect for human rights are not
only taught in the classroom, but lived by each student inside and outside
the school. You can also use the school as a venue for discussing human
rights issues in order to help people understand what their rights are and
how to protect them.
You are strongly encouraged to discuss these issues with your co-learners,
other principals and teachers as well. Discuss these with them and try to
get an idea of how they perceive conflict and war, and what they feel they
can do in their role as individuals, teachers, school heads or community
members to promote peace and respect for human rights.

Peace is defined not only as the absence of war, or the absence of violence,
but includes the eradication of all kinds of injustice. In the previous activity,
you learned how unjust situations like poverty, human rights violations
and prejudice can hamper the achievement of a culture of peace. The
situations described in the previous activity are manifestations of structural
violence, which is an indirect form of violence. This occurs when there
are inequalities manifested in poverty, unemployment and even a sense of
powerlessness and low self-esteem. Recall from our earlier discussion that
structural violence is a condition where people suffer from violence built
into society through its social, political and economic systems (Hicks 1987,
in Navarro-Castro & Nario Galace, 2008). Other forms of violence, such as
socio-cultural or psychological violence are rooted in cultural domination,
racism, sexism and discrimination or intolerance of the beliefs of others.
There are also other forms of violence such as ecological violence wherein
overconsumption, pollution and overexploitation of the world’s resources
create conflict over these resources. These forms of violence are all obstacles
to peace.

These different forms of violence lead to conflict because of the conditions
that result from it. In extreme cases, poverty, starvation, avoidable diseases,
discrimination against minority groups, and denial of human rights can
lead to violent conflict. A world wherein these conditions exist is a world
without peace and human security. These conditions breed anger and
generate tension leading to armed conflict and war (Navarro-Castro &
Nario Galace, 2008). As a school head, you can challenge the existence of
these forms of violence in your school and your community. Creating a
culture of peace will help your students – the future leaders of the nation
– to understand that the achievement of peace involves recognizing the
different forms of violence around them and challenging them.
As a school head, how will you teach your students to recognize the
different forms of violence in such a way that they will not be encouraged
to be violent, as well? How will you model the way to challenge violence
and ensure respect for human rights and cultural diversity? Write your
thoughts in the space provided below and share your answers with your
Flexible Learning Tutor and co-learners.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

For this activity you will need a pen and blank sheet of paper. Find a quiet
spot where you can think without being disturbed. Spend around 30-40
minutes on this activity.
Identify which of the obstacles to peace and respect for cultural diversity
are present in your school or community and how they are manifested at
present. These causes may be present in many forms and may be taken
as “normal” or “the way things are” by your community. One method
to identify these causes is to think about situations in your community
that cause conflict such as lack of basic services, denial of human rights,
or discrimination either due to cultural or religious differences. Finally,
think of ways you can help alleviate this condition in your community as
a school head. Summarize this in the table below. The first row has been
done for you as an example. If you identify other causes of conflict add
them to the table.
Obstacles to Peace In what form is this

How can I help
and Respect for present in my school
alleviate this?
Cultural Diversity or community?
Mistrust for Members of this Organize a project

people of “different” group where students of your
a different are feared leading school will have the
religious or to avoidance and opportunity to interact
ethnic affiliation marginalization with and appreciate
members of this
“different” religious
or ethnic group trough
activities such as letter-
writing, attending
common training,
and participating in
joint extra-curricular
activities.
Think about the situation in your school today. Can you say that a culture
of peace and respect for diversity exists? Review what you have learned
so far in this module about managing conflict, challenging stereotypes
and prejudice, and about the different forms of violence that prevent
the achievement of peace. From what you have learned, identify the
improvements that you feel need to be made in your school in order for
you to achieve a culture of peace and respect for diversity? Write your
answers in the space provided below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What are the areas in your school that you need to focus on in order to
create a more peaceful environment? Are the skills, values and attitudes
critical to the development of peace integrated into the classroom, or the
school’s programs? If not, then you have an excellent opportunity to
introduce lasting changes in your school by integrating peace into your
school’s programs, policies, and classrooms. In the second module of the
PEACeXCELS course, you will learn more about how to integrate the values
of peace in school policies and programs.
There are many methods for integrating peace values into the different
aspects of the teaching and learning process. Peace education is a pathway
you can use to integrate the values, knowledge and skills critical to the
building of a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school. It
is a powerful tool that will help your students and teachers become more
aware of their role in achieving a vision of peace. Peace education seeks
to transform peoples’ mindsets, attitudes and behaviors that have either
created or exacerbated conflicts (Castro & Galace, 2008). You can think of it
as a vehicle that will help you get to where you want to go. However, even
with a vehicle, it will be quite impossible for you to get to your destination
if you don’t know where you want to go in the first place. Before you
begin your journey, you must have a destination in mind. In this case, your
destination is a vision of peace that you can work to achieve.
Can you think of your own “peace destination” for your school? The
story in the next section might give you some ideas for your own vision of
peace.
Let’s Study
Read the article below about the Global Peace Festival that was held in the
Southern Philippine island of Mindanao in September of 2008. The article
talks about children from different cultural groups getting together in order
to learn about each other’s beliefs and practices and to develop a common
understanding of what kind of future they want to build together.
Global Festival Spawns New Hope

For Peace In Mindanao Region
Amidst the ceaseless struggle between the Philippine government and armed
groups in Mindanao, a new hope for peace is dawning in this “Promised Land,”
as it is often called.
This developed after the Global Peace Festival (GPF) was successfully held in
Cagayan de Oro City despite postponements following the advice given by top
government officials and members of the academe in connection with the peace
and order situation in the island.
Organizers said that their GPF partners – governors and mayors, heads of
different government organizations (GOs) and non-government organizations
(NGOs), youth sector and particularly the Philippine Department of Education
(DepEd) in Mindanao – had prepared for months for this gala event and were
determined to hold the festival no matter what – they saw this peace festival as
one of the last remaining rays of hope.
From September 19 to 21, 2008, the GPF in Mindanao was finally held where
a series of leadership conferences, community service projects, and other peace
initiatives were organized.
Organizers said tens of thousands of people celebrated, rather than fought over,
their religious and ethnic diversity.
The festival gathered indigenous tribal chieftains from 55 different tribes

making it the most diverse representation of indigenous peoples ever assembled
on the island.
The GPF vision was “One Family Under God.” The event was co-chaired
by Dr. Haja Esnaira Estrella Abid-Babano, DepEd Region X Director, and
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula.
The GPF was jointly sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Office of the
Mayor, DepEd, the Fourth Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, and the
Universal Peace Federation.
“The Peace Village is a novel idea. It brings Christians, Muslims and Indigenous
People together in a living/learning environment. Three times a year, 2,000
people come to the Peace Village and live together in this community for four
days.” Babano said.
“They will immerse themselves in each other’s cultures, to learn the traditions
and religious values of the others,” Babano added.
Tubod City, where the Peace Village was located, is 250 kilometers from
Cagayan de Oro City and Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo came to lend his full
support for the event.
This event also launched what is now called the Mindanao Peace Initiative
(MinPI).
“Without a doubt,” said Dr. Robert Kittel from the United States of America
who has lived in Asia for more than 30 years and is Director of Peace Education
for GPF, “this initiative will create a strong social impact to revive the peace
process in Mindanao.”
The article you just read is an example of how it is possible to bring people
together to discuss peace and to work together to create a better future for
everyone. But think about this: how is it possible that people from different
cultures will work together if they have diverse perspectives?
What do you think you need for all stakeholders to work together? You can
write your answers in the space provided below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
If you answered that all stakeholders need to have a shared vision of peace,
that’s exactly right! The Global Peace Festival was a venue for youth to
come together and learn about each other. At the end of the festival, they
have met new friends and have committed themselves to peace building.
More importantly, they have worked together to develop a shared vision
of peace that all the cultural groups could commit and give importance to.
This shared vision of peace incorporates the aspirations and ideals of all
the stakeholders, so everyone SHARES in it. All groups have a SHARED
responsibility to make it a reality, and if they do make it happen, then they
SHARE in its success.
In the previous section, we spoke about the importance of having a “peace

destination,” and how any map will not be effective if we don’t know what
we want to achieve. When we have a shared vision of peace, everyone
understands and travels towards the destination.
Think of your own vision of peace for your school. Imagine what it would
be like if everyone in your school lives a culture of peace and respect for
diversity. Think about what your school would be like if everyone lives the
principles of peace.
In the spaces provided below, describe your own vision of peace for your
school. Think about what the school will be like and write down your
thoughts below.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Were you able to think of a vision of peace for your school? When you
have a clear vision of peace that you can commit to, this will guide your
actions and plans for integrating peace education in your school. In the next
section we will discuss a framework you can use to integrate the values and
principles of peace and respect for diversity in your school.
Let’s Study
The picture below is a depiction of the traditional method of moving
a house in the Philippines known as bayanihan. “Bayanihan” is from the
Filipino root word “bayani” or hero. In “bayanihan”, many people volunteer
to lift a house for free - a heroic deed - and carry it to its new location. You
may have experienced this, or have seen this in your community.
When you think about the “bayanihan” method of moving a house, one
thing that will probably strike you is the fact that the house is moved
“whole.” The people moving the house support the different sections and
are able to move the entire house from one point to another. You cannot just
move one wall and expect the house to reach its destination. You cannot
just move one of the posts that support the house and expect that the house
will move smoothly.
Similarly, the creation of a culture of peace in your school requires a holistic

approach. Once you know your destination, you have to make sure that
aspects of the teaching-learning experience are focused on teaching peace
values and principles.
Below are the different aspects of the teaching-learning experience. For
each of the aspects below, think of how you can integrate peace principles
and values in your own school. You can write your answers in the spaces
provided after each question:
How can you integrate peace education into the classroom?
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How can you integrate peace education into the materials used for
teaching?
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How can you integrate peace education into the support and counseling
for students?
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Were you able to think of ways to integrate peace education into the
different aspects of the teaching-learning experience in your school? If you
were able to think of specific ways to integrate peace education in your
school, that’s excellent! Read on to learn more about the different ways of
integrating peace education in your school.
Let’s Read
Integrating Peace Education into the
Teaching-Learning Experience
Here are some ways you can integrate peace education into the different
aspects of the teaching-learning experience. Your answers may be similar
to the ones written below.
Integrating Peace Education Into Classroom Dynamics
Some ways that you can integrate peace education into the classroom is by
modifying teaching-learning methods, using techniques that are cooperative,
participatory, dialogical, and experiential. You can use reflection and
sharing to help students take different roles in conflict situations. You can
also use different types of material like music and stories to illustrate the
different values and principles of peace.
Integrating Peace Education Into Materials Used For Teaching
You can promote peace education by making available peace-related

materials in the classroom and in the school library. You can also use
existing materials and resources in new ways to encourage consciousness
about peace and respect for diversity. You can designate special areas or
zones in your school as peace zones where certain rules or principles of
peace are strictly followed.
Integrating Peace Education Into Support And Counseling For Students
You can integrate peace education into the support and counseling structures
for students. Out-of-classroom student activities can help in the learning
and appreciation of peace. You can create special programs or events in
your school to highlight peace and challenge the obstacles of peace, like
denial of human rights, prejudice and discrimination, the proliferation of
weapons, and other forms of violence such as poverty and disease.
The ways of integrating peace education into the different aspects of the
teaching-learning experience may be completely new to you and the
teachers in your school. It is crucial that you, yourself, are convinced that
these can be done. Which of the ways cited do you find most challenging?
How can you address these challenges?
The next section will provide you with a framework you can use to
introduce peace education in your school. Read on to learn how to utilize
this framework effectively as you plan the integration of peace education
in the teaching-learning experience at your school.
Let’s Read
Building a Culture of Peace in School
Many scholars and peace practitioners agree that the most effective
way to create a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in the
school is to involve the entire school, engaging all the learning areas and
stakeholders. Navarro-Castro and Nario Galace (2008) identify the “whole
school approach” as important because a consistent message of peace and
peace values integrated into the different aspects of the school and the
community will help strengthen the learning for the students, as well as other
important stakeholders. In addition to this, the school may become a point
of leadership in promotion of peace when the social, political and economic
environment that the school operates in is conducive or supportive of the
school’s initiatives (Navarro-Castro and Nario Galace, 2008). In cases like
this, all the more should the school play a leadership role in encouraging
peaceful practices and attitudes. The school can draw in stakeholders like
parents, families, the local government, and the community so that they,
too, are made more aware of issues and possible courses of action through
increasing involvement in the school programs.
What does it mean to adopt a “whole school” method for developing peace
in your school? There are several perspectives that describe strategies for
teaching and learning that are compatible with peace education. Navarro-
Castro and Nario Galace (2008) identified five different approaches under
the whole school method of peace education:
Holistic
The holistic approach is an inclusive strategy where the focus goes beyond
facts and concepts, and gives learners the opportunities to examine their
own attitudes and perceptions about peace, and to commit themselves to
becoming active instruments of peace. The three goals of holistic peace
education are the following:
• Building Awareness - focusing on an awareness of the roots of

conflict and violence, as well as building an awareness of the things
that promote peace and help it to grow
• Building Concern - focusing on the development of the values of

empathy, compassion, hope and social responsibility, which follow
from an awareness of the things that promote peace
• Call to Action - resolving to change personal mindsets and attitudes

and living out these changes through action - doing something to
resolve violent situations
These three goals of peacebuilding provide you with the basic framework
you need in order to develop effective programs and initiatives to develop a
culture of peace in your school. As you can see, they deal with the cognitive,
affective and behavioral dimensions of the teaching-learning process.
Can you think of specific activities for the holistic method that you can
introduce in your school? Write your answers in the space provided
below.
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Participatory
Participatory education involves giving learners the chance to ask questions,

share and work with each other, which is important in developing different
perspectives. In participatory education, the teacher acts as a facilitator,
and should encourage learners to discuss their opinions and belief in an
atmosphere of respect. The important factor in participatory education is
that even if the teacher holds strong views about an issue, she or he should
be able to respect the views of the learners. Furthermore, the teacher
should encourage the students to take an appropriate course of action after
expressing these views.
Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school that
follow the participatory method? Write your answers in the space provided
below.
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Cooperative
Cooperative education gives learners the chance to work together, which

can help improve relations among students. It can also help minimize
divisions between cultural groups and can increase understanding and
respect for one another. Cooperative education also gives learners the
opportunity to practice problem-solving methods of conflict management.
Because each member of the group helps in achieving the group output, it
facilitates teamwork and becomes a good opportunity to develop openness
to dialogue when problems arise.
Can you think of specific activities you can introduce in your school
that follow the cooperative method? Write your answers in the space
provided.
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Experiential
Experiential education is structured in such a way that the learners learn

not from the traditional teaching and lectures, but through processing of
experiences. Learners are given activities in which they may be asked to
role-play, or build things together, then are asked about their experiences.
It is learner-centered rather than teacher-centered. It allows learners to
generate concepts and ideas rather than simply take in information from
the teacher. This strategy helps facilitate the development of new ways of
thinking in learners who can develop new perspectives and ways of doing
things. New perspectives and ways of doing things are important if we
want to move away from the old systems that promote and create violence
and conflict. Discovery learning is important as it helps to empower the
students – a skill necessary to help build a culture of participation and
peace.
follow the experiential method? Write your answers in the space provided
below.
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Humanist
A humanist classroom allows learners to be accepted for what they are.

The focus is on the social, personal and affective development of the learner
through focus on the self and self-esteem. In the humanist approach, the
goal is to develop within each learner that sense of being valuable and
gifted. A positive self-image is the basis for an individual’s willingness to
take action and work for change. Also, if you feel that you have a lot to give,
you will be willing to share this with others. In the humanist approach,
teachers usually encourage sensitivity, care and respect for one another, no
matter how different each person is.
follow the humanist method? Write your answers in the space provided
below.
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Of the five approaches discussed in the previous section, which one do
you think would be the easiest to implement in your school? Which of the
approaches would require additional learning and practice on the part of
the faculty? Write your answers in the space provided below.
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Were you able to identify the approaches that you can begin using to
integrate peace education in your school? Were you able to identify the
ones that you need to develop further?
The approaches discussed in the previous section are fundamental tools

you can use to build a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your
school. By utilizing these five approaches, you can help create a teaching
and learning environment that will transfer the skills, knowledge and
values that are critical to reaching your shared vision of peace.
Let’s Read
Schema of Knowledge, Skills and
Attitudes/Values for Peace Education
What are the key knowledge areas, skills and attitudes/values that need
to be integrated into the curriculum? Below is a schema of knowledge,
skills and attitudes/values that are important to peace education. Study
the diagram and think about how you can integrate these areas into your
school’s curriculum. You will learn more about how to integrate this
schema into your school’s programs, policies and initiatives in the second
PEACeXCELS module, Promote Peace and Respect for Cultural Diversity
in Schools and Communities.
The schema shows you that developing a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity involves many aspects of the teaching learning experience.
It includes key concepts, values and skills essential to the building of peace
within and in the larger spheres of human interaction. It is, all at once,
skill-based, knowledge-based, and deeply rooted in the attitudes and
values of the students. For the knowledge aspect, it is important that the
curriculum touches on concepts of peacebuilding, like introducing students
to the concept of holistic peace through cooperation, well-being and just
relationships. It should also introduce the causes of conflict and violence,
and peaceful alternatives like disarmament, tolerance, nonviolence, respect
for human rights and sustainable development. It is critical that these
concepts are introduced and discussed in the classroom, so they can take
root and grow into values and beliefs that the students can act on.
Values are also a critical component of peacebuilding and should be

integrated in the curriculum, as well. Instilling a sense of self-respect
and respect for others, as well as a greater concern for the world and the
environment are necessary for peacebuilding to become a way of life for
everyone in the school. Through a range of learning activities and programs,
students, teachers, and parents can learn the value of cooperation, openness,
tolerance, and the power of a positive vision.
Attitudes / Values
1. Self-Respect
2. Respect For Others
3. Gender Equality
4. Respect For Life / Nonviolence
5. Compassion
6. Global Concern
7. Ecological Concern
8. Cooperation
9. Openness & Tolerance
10. Justice
11. Social Responsibility
12. Positive Vision
Skills
1. Reflection
2. Critical Thinking & Analysis
3. Decision Making
4. Imagination
Knowledge 5. Communication
1. Holistic Concept of Peace 6. Conflict Resolution
2. Conflict & Violence - Causes 7. Empathy
3. Some Peaceful Alternatives: 8. Group Building
Disarmament
Nonviolence - Philosophy & Practice
Conflict Resolution, Transformation and
Prevention
Human Rights
Human Solidarity
Democratization
Development Based on Justice
Sustainable Development
Figure 1: A Schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values

(Castro and Galace, 2008)
Finally, in order to take action on their peace-oriented values and beliefs,

students should have critical skills that will help them act in accordance with
their values and beliefs. Some of these critical skills are the following:
Reflection - Using reflective thinking to deepen the learners’ understanding

of themselves and their connection with other individuals
Imagination - Learners can use imagination to develop new paradigms or

models of reality
Communication - Using effective communication skills, like the ability

to express ideas clearly in a non-aggressive way and the ability to listen
attentively and with empathy, especially to those who differ in terms of
culture
Conflict resolution - The ability to analyze conflicts in an objective manner
and determine possible nonviolent solutions to the problem
Group-building - Working with one another, despite differences, to achieve

common goals through the assumption that everyone has something to
contribute and everyone is part of the solution no matter how different one
might be.
The Schema of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes/Values can help you assess the
changes and modifications that need to be made to the curriculum and
it will also help you determine the roles that a teacher will play in this
effort. By involving them in the process and giving them the support they
need to follow through on these modifications, you are doing your part
as a school head in the development of a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity in your school.

If you review what you have learned in Lesson One and Two of this module,
you’ll see that the journey you have taken has begun first in the self, and
then has moved outwards to involve different stakeholders. In order to
encourage change on a larger scale, it was necessary for you to first reflect
on your own attitudes and beliefs, and find out which areas you need
improvement on. You first needed to become open to new perspectives
before you encouraged others to be open to new ideas, as well.
In the same manner, it would be helpful for each teacher to go through

the same journey that you went through. If you review the schema we
discussed in the previous section, you will notice that many of the elements
are individual values and skills. If you take the skill of communication,
for example, you will find that in order to be able to teach people how to
communicate properly, you should be able to do so yourself. The same
goes for the other skills, attitudes/values and knowledge - it is easier to
impart these to others if you, yourself, practice them and make them part
of your life. So it is important that teachers receive enough guidance and
support in their own efforts to create a culture of peace and respect for
cultural diversity in your school. Also, being the primary contact of the
students, if they know the concepts, live the values, and practice the skills
needed to build peace, they can also impart this to their students through
their example.
Also, living the principles of peace involves continuous improvement. You

must constantly look at your own perceptions, attitudes/values and beliefs
to check if they promote or hinder the building of a culture of peace and
respect for diversity.
Let’s Remember
In this lesson you learned about the role of peace education in building a
culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school. Peace
education is a powerful tool in promoting respect for others, promoting
human rights, and celebrating cultural differences. There are many
approaches you can use that are compatible with peace education. Each
one can be used effectively to provide students with opportunities to
discuss and internalize the concepts, values and skills that will help
build a culture of peace and respect for diversity in your school.
If you look back on your journey through this module, you will see that
you started the first step with examining yourself and making a personal
commitment to peace and a respect for cultural diversity. The next step
was to involve others and bring ideas of peace to your teachers and
students. Finally, you learned of a holistic approach to peace education
that you can use to build a culture of peace in your own school.
Let’s review what you have learned in this lesson. Answer the following
questions. You may write your answers in the spaces provided after each
question.
1. Peter is a school head who is committed to developing a culture of peace

and respect for diversity in his school. He has prepared a plan for the
integration of peace education in his school and he would like to extend
his efforts to the community, as well. What conditions in the community
that threaten peace should Peter address in his programs?
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2. What do peace practitioners consider as the most effective way to create

a culture of peace and respect for diversity in the school?
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3. What different teaching/learning strategies are compatible with peace

education?
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You may compare your answers with those in the Key to Correction on pages
140-142.
Feedback
ready to move on to the next module.
review that part of the lesson to refresh your knowledge. This quick review
will help you prepare for the assessment at the end of the module.
Congratulations, you have almost completed Module 1 of PEACeXCELS!

In the following sections, you will be given a chance to assess what you
learned in this module. You will also have the opportunity to rate yourself
in the different areas discussed.
Let’s Sum Up
In this module, you began an exciting and meaningful journey towards
peacebuilding. You began by examining your attitudes towards war
and armed conflict, and their causes. Lesson One emphasized the
importance of being aware of our own perceptions and attitudes towards
war, conflict, and members of cultural groups other than our own. As
a school head and leader, it is important for you to first reflect on your
own identity. You should examine and appreciate your own cultural
background, values and beliefs. You should also be aware that your
values and beliefs can affect your perceptions of others from different
cultural groups. With that knowledge, you can become more conscious
of how you react to different people and you can develop openness and
understanding for people who share values and beliefs that may be
different from your own.
Aggression is not inherent in human nature. Remember the statement of

UNESCO that war is constructed in the minds of individuals, so it is in the
minds of individuals that the defenses of peace should be constructed.
As an individual, you can develop a new way of thinking about peace.
You can make it a part of your life, and live out its principles every
chance you get. As a school head, you can inspire others through your
actions as a peace builder and bring different groups together in peace.
Because peacebuilding is a very challenging initiative, you will need
the support of these different groups working together to fulfill a vision
of peace that you all share. The teachers in your school can provide
you with the support you need to implement changes and programs
that will develop a culture of peace in your school. You should think
about peacebuilding as a “whole school” approach. The whole school
approach involves integrating the knowledge, skills and attitudes/
values related to peace into every dimension of the teaching learning
experience. This includes integrating a peacebuilding framework into
the classroom, the curriculum, school programs, and interaction with
parents and other groups outside the school.
Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in

your school can be challenging. It is not easy to evaluate policies and
programs on your own. It helps if you have a good criteria and a good
framework to guide you in assessing what changes need to be made in
your school. Teachers play a critical role in supporting peacebuilding
initiatives as well. They are the primary contact of the students in
the classroom and are role models that can encourage peacebuilding
through their own actions. They are the ones who will directly integrate
the knowledge skills and attitudes/values into the curriculum and in
their teaching.
Building peace in your school is a worthwhile effort to undertake. By

now you may have realized that, as a school head, you can make a
significant contribution to building peace in various spheres of human
interaction. Creating defenses of peace in your school and your
community is just the first step. If the community becomes a model
for peace, then other communities may follow. If you believe that one
person can bring change to the community, then you can definitely
make that change happen!
How Much Have you Learned
Let’s find out how much you have learned from this module. Answer the
questions below.
1. Give a comprehensive definition of peace.
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2. What are three ways of dealing with conflict and which of the three
ways is the most effective method of resolving it?
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3. As a school head, what can you do to protect and promote human rights
in school?
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4. What is structural violence, and how, as a school head, can you help
address it in your school?
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5. Identify possible strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for

diversity within you and among the teachers and students in your
school.
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7. What are the integral knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that will
guide you in the implementation of peace education in your school?
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8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by
identifying your own strengths and areas for growth.
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Feedback
Compare your answers with those on pages 142-145. Since the answers are
in essay form, they may not be exactly the same as yours. As long as the
thoughts expressed are similar, you may give yourself a point each.
If you have answered all the questions correctly, that’s great! That means
that you have learned much from this module. You are now ready to
proceed to Module 2 to learn more about promoting peace and respect for
cultural diversity in your school and community. If you got some items
wrong, study this module carefully one more time. Focus on the topics you
missed and revise your wrong answers.
How Do You Rate Yourself Now?
Congratulations! You have done well in finishing this first module in the
PEACeXCELS flexible learning course. You have no doubt gained many
insights on how to cultivate peace and a respect for cultural diversity in
your own life and in the lives of the teachers and students at your school.
As a final check, return to the Self-Rating Competency Checklist on pages

9-10. Review the list of competencies and place a check mark (p) in the
appropriate “POST” column that best describes your level of mastery of
each competency now that you have completed the module. Compare
your competency level before and after studying the module and reflect on
how much you have learned. You can write down your reflections in your
learning journal, or take note of it in the spaces provided below.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Your role as school head is critical in building peace in your school.

Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity has and
always will be an important goal for every school head. Understanding
the challenges and how to address them within yourself is the first step to
becoming an agent of peace. When you, as a school head, have made the
commitment to live the values of peace, you can begin to sow the seeds of
peace in your school and in your community, as well.
Let’s Apply What You’ve Learned
(Module 1 Assignment)
Module 1 Assignment Guidelines
1. Take around 30-40 minutes to think about the areas you need to improve
within yourself in terms of living the principles of peace. Think of
what your strengths are and how you can use those strengths in your
leadership role as a school head. Think also of improvements that
you feel you need to make in your perceptions and attitudes towards
people of different cultures, and what you can do to increase your
understanding and appreciation of people who have beliefs and practices
that are different from yours. Write your thoughts down in the template
provided below.
Self-Analysis Table on Living the Principles of Peace
My Strengths as How I Can Use My Strengths

a Peace Champion as a Peace Champion
My Areas for Improvement How I Can Improve Myself
as a Peace Champion as a Peace Champion
2. What did you realize from this activity about your strengths and areas
for improvement as a Champion of Peace in your school? Write a short
reflection (approximately 300 to 500 words) legibly on another sheet of
paper. Make sure you append this to your complete Self-Analysis Table
on Living the Principles of Peace.
3. Design a workshop for the teachers in your school that will train them
on how to manage conflict and challenge stereotypes and begin their
journey as peace-builders. Your workshop design should include the
following components.
Teachers’ Workshop on Managing Conflict and

Beginning a Journey as Peace-Builders
Workshop Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
Workshop Programme:
Time Activity Person Involved
Topic Outline: Conflict Management and Peace-Building

1.
2.
3.
Expected workshop outputs

1.
2.
3.
Implementation strategy for workshop learnings and outputs

1.
2.
3.
(Reminder: You should remember to include the conduct of this workshop in your
End-of-Course Action Plan which you will prepare after completing Module 2 of
the PEACeXCELS course.)
4. Submit your consolidated module assignment consisting of i) your

Self-Analysis Table on Living the Principles of Peace, ii) your reflection
paper on this analysis, and iii) your workshop design to your Flexible
Learning Tutor for review and evaluation.
Key to Correction
What Do You Already Know?, pages 7-9
1. Describe three approaches in dealing with conflict.
The three approaches in dealing with conflict are:
Avoidance - One way of dealing with conflict is through avoidance. We can

choose to walk away if we feel that the issue is not that important to us, or if
we feel helpless and do not believe that we can improve the situation. You
can also choose to avoid conflict if you feel that by doing so you can gain
composure and self-control when the situation is tense or full of emotion.
Momentary avoidance can help us regain our objectivity so we can deal

with the conflict in a more positive manner. If we avoid conflict too long,
however, it can also become a refuge where we go to escape facing the
problem. This prevents us from really solving the concern.
Aggression – Another way of dealing with conflict is aggression. Aggression

can be manifested in conflicts when parties become physically or verbally
hurtful, loud, sarcastic, directive, and domineering. Other aggressive
methods include demanding concessions and using any power to achieve
them.
Negotiation - Negotiation involves taking positive and constructive steps

to solve a dispute. In negotiation, we approach the other party with the
sincere desire to find a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution to the
conflict. Through problem-solving and negotiation, we take steps to make
sure that not only are we satisfied with the resolution, but the other party
is as well.
2. Which of these three approaches is considered the most effective? Why is it an

effective approach for resolving conflicts?
The problem-solving or negotiation approach is a constructive method of

solving conflicts. It is a constructive method of resolving conflicts because
its objective is to explore options and not to secure one’s position. There is
openness to the ideas and opinions of others and the goal is to listen and
understand the feelings and needs of the other party. Using this approach
increases trust between the two parties.
3. As a school head, how can you promote and protect others’ rights in school?
As a school head, you can promote and protect others’ rights in school
by first making sure that the students and teachers are all aware of the
concept of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
is a good starting point in the promotion of others’ rights in school. By
creating venues to discuss and practice the promotion and upholding of
human rights every day, you can help build a school where human rights
are respected and upheld by all members of the school.
4. What are some ways you can address poverty in your school?
You can address poverty in your school in many ways. One way is to help
the families of your students develop new skills and expand their present
skills. You can find resource persons to give seminars or workshops for
agriculture or other vocational skills that are in demand. By doing this,
you are helping others create more opportunities for livelihood. Another
way is to find ways to address the financial difficulties of some students
through school feeding programs, or even programs where students who
live in poverty have the chance to focus on their lessons with the assistance
of a teacher. If your school has access to resources, or you work closely
with the local government and the community, you may be able to raise
funds to help defray the costs of schooling for students who live in poverty,
so they can stay in school and be given the opportunity to complete their
education.
5. Why is it important for you to develop a mindset of peace and respect for cultural
diversity in your own life before you help others achieve this mindset?
Before we can assist others in developing a culture of peace and respect for
diversity within themselves, it is important that we ourselves have gone
through the process so we can help others who are encountering difficulties.
It’s not easy to change oneself and it takes a lot of courage to accept one’s
shortcomings. Many people feel comforted and more confident about
changing themselves when they have a guide who has experienced what
they have experienced, and has gone through what they are going through.
You can look at the situation in this manner: if you have already made the
journey, you can better guide and encourage others doing the same to keep
on trying.
Peace education is a powerful tool that can help you build a culture of peace
and respect for diversity in your school. A framework for peace education
will allow you to integrate the concepts of peace in different aspects of the
teaching-learning experience. With peace education, you can provide the
students and teachers in your school with opportunities to discuss peace
and celebrate diversity, and practice the values of peace in their daily
lives.
7. Describe the schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes/values that are integral
to peace education.
The schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are integral to peace
education involves many aspects of the teaching-learning experience.
It is, all at once, skill-based, knowledge-based and deeply-rooted in the
attitudes and values of the students. For the knowledge and skills aspect, it
is important that the curriculum touches on concepts of peace-building, like
introducing students to the concept of holistic peace through cooperation,
well-being and just relationships. Values are also a critical component of
peacebuilding and should be integrated in the curriculum as well. Instilling
a sense of self-respect and respect for others, as well as a greater concern for
the world and the environment are necessary for peace building to become
a way of life for everyone in the school. Through a range of learning
activities and programs, students, teachers, and parents can learn the value
of cooperation, openness, tolerance, and the power of a positive vision.
8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by identifying your
own strengths and areas for growth.
Building peace is a continuing process. You will always encounter challenges

that you will have to overcome in your goal of building a school that is
committed to peace and respect for diversity. To meet those challenges,
you must also continually improve yourself and become a more effective
agent of peace. You should always look at your own strengths and areas
for improvement as a school leader and agent of peace. Improving yourself
may mean many things. It could mean making a renewed commitment to
your efforts in learning about other cultures, or it could mean looking for
materials and resources on Peace Education that you can use in crafting
programs and initiatives for your own school.
Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict
Let’s Try This (Activity 1.2), page 24
1. What is the source of conflict regarding Letty’s idea?
There was conflict between Letty and some teachers because there was
resistance to the idea of integrating children from the shelter into the
classrooms. The teachers did not share Letty’s views on allowing the
children into the classroom. Many teachers were even resistant to the idea
because they were concerned that it would become a problem.
2. Is it possible for Letty to resolve this conflict? How might she solve the
conflict?
Yes, it is possible. Letty has several options for solving the conflict. She
can talk to the teachers and try to convince them to accept her plan, or
she can try and avoid the conflict by dropping the plan altogether. Each
option carries certain consequences. Letty must weigh the options before
she acts.
How Much Have You Learned?, pages 51-53
Compare your answers with the ones written below. Your answers may
not be exactly the same as the ones below, but the ideas may be expressed
in a similar manner.
1. Areva has three options for dealing with the conflict between her and Porntip.
She can deal with the conflict in one of the following three ways:
a. Avoidance – Areva can choose to avoid the conflict with Porntip by

avoiding the conflict. She can refuse to deal with Porntip, or discuss any
resolution to their disagreement. While this may help reduce tensions
between Areva and Porntip, the longer it takes for a resolution to be
discussed, the more difficult it may become to resolve the conflict.
b. Aggression – Areva can choose to deal with the conflict aggressively.
She can try to force Porntip to solve the conflict and accept her position. If
Areva uses this method, she risks creating more tension between her and
Porntip. Dealing with conflicts aggressively can destroy trust between the
conflicting parties. In this case, Porntip may feel that she is being pressured,
and may become even more defensive – to the point that she will no longer
trust Areva to act fairly.
c. Negotiation – Areva can choose to deal with the conflict through problem
solving and negotiation. When emotions are calm, she can sit down with
Porntip and work out a solution that is acceptable to both of them. Areva can
build trust by listening to Porntip’s side, and trying her best to understand
why that particular project is important to Porntip. Then she can explain to
Porntip what her reasons are for choosing that program. Together, they can
discuss different alternatives that will achieve their objectives and improve
the school.
2. If Areva wants her anger to cool down before she resolves the conflict, what
might be the best approach?
If emotions are running high and Areva wants to bring her anger down
first before trying to resolve it, she can choose to avoid the conflict for a
while. Avoiding the conflict will allow both parties to think through their
arguments, and possibly determine how best to approach resolving the
conflict. However, there is a risk that if Areva continues to avoid the conflict,
it may become more difficult to resolve it. If one or both parties avoid the
conflict for a long time, the parties may feel that there is no willingness on
the part of the other to resolve the conflict. One party may perceive the
other as not caring about the tension between them, and this may further
break down trust and willingness to resolve the issue.
3. In general, what is the most constructive way of resolving conflicts? Why is

this considered the preferred method for resolving different types of conflicts?
In general, the most constructive way of dealing with conflicts is the

problem solving or negotiation approach. This is an effective way to
resolve problems because it is founded on a sincere effort to find a solution
that is best for both parties. With the problem solving approach, you listen
with the intent of finding out the fears and concerns of the other party, and
working to find a solution that addresses both your fears and concerns, as
well as those of the other party.
4. Jati is a school head who would like to make sure that his school promotes and
protects human rights. What are some ways he can achieve this?
Jati can make sure that human rights are discussed, promoted and respected
in the classroom and in different venues in the school. By integrating the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other important human rights
documents into classroom discussions, and by involving the school and
the community in programs that will promote human rights, Jati can help
build an awareness of human rights. Jati can also help build commitment
from the students, teachers and community members through programs
like plays, cultural events, human rights conventions or community forums
where the students take the lead.
5. Should we accept that war is part of human nature? Why or Why not?
We should not accept that war is a natural part of humanity. The Seville
Statement on Violence, drafted in 1986 by scientists from different fields,
declares that war is not an inherent part of human nature. One of the
propositions of the Seville Statement on Violence is that humans do not
have a violent brain. We are capable of choosing how to react to certain
situations. Most of the time, we act based on how we have been conditioned
and socialized. It is important to remember that we choose our actions.
They are not chosen for us. If this is the case, then, we can choose a path of
peace in the same way as we choose a path of war.
As a school head, you play a very important role in making sure that the
cycle of violence is challenged through consciousness-raising and modeling,
so it is critical that you are able to manage conflict well. If wars begin in
the minds of men, as the head of your school you are in the perfect position
to create minds devoted to peace in your students, the teachers, and the
community.
6. What are some of the conditions that may threaten peace and respect for cultural
diversity in one’s community?
Peace and respect for cultural diversity may be threatened by systems or

structures in society which deny others their rights and are accepted as
natural. This is referred to as structural violence. For example, poverty can
be regarded by many as a reality of life, and indifference to this fact may
help perpetuate this kind of structural violence. Poverty denies individuals
the right to education and a standard of living that are necessary for them to
live in dignity. Some of the causes of poverty due to structural violence may
also be viewed as a violation of human rights. Corruption in government
can deny resources to projects that might be used to develop infrastructure
or livelihood that will raise income levels in communities. The exclusion
of certain cultural groups from opportunities and involvement is also a
violation of human rights.
7. Elma is a school head who is trying to make her teachers aware that we can
violate the rights of others in our words, thoughts and actions. What examples
can she give to her teachers that illustrate how we might violate the rights of
others in this manner?
Elma can explain to her teachers that there are many ways we might
violate the rights of others with our own thoughts, words and actions. In
our thoughts, we can violate the rights of others by perceiving them as
different, and undeserving of the rights as defined in the UDHR. We can
also violate the rights of others when we show intolerance for the culture
or opinions of students and teachers from different cultural groups, or
express our prejudice of another’s religion, values or beliefs. One example
of this happening in school is when a student is denied the opportunity
to participate in leadership or academic activities simply because his/her
values and beliefs are not respected by the majority.
Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace
Let’s Try This (Activity 2.2), pages 64-66
Your answers may not be exactly the same, but as long as the ideas expressed
are similar, give yourself a point for each.
1. Can you identify some stereotypes that Ludinio’s classmates might have had
about him?
Ludinio’s classmates had the perception that all Lumins are quick to anger
and violence. Berto may have looked down on Ludinio because Ludinio
was from a minority cultural group. Berto may have also thought that the
Lumins were not intelligent and were even primitive, based on stories.
Even Analiz, the teacher, shared some of the stereotypes that students had
about Lumins. She revealed her biases in her comments about how the
Lumins are quick to anger, which was an unfair generalization.
2. What was the cause of conflict between Ludinio and Berto?
Ludinio felt tension because Berto was not treating his culture with respect.
Berto showed intolerance towards Ludinio’s culture by making jokes about
an important Lumin legend. Also, it may not be obvious, but the other
students who were laughing at Ludinio because of Berto’s jokes were also
showing disrespect for Ludinio’s culture. Because of this Ludinio felt anger
and frustration swelled up inside him.
3. How did it escalate and what was the end result?
At first Ludinio was trying to ignore Berto but he would not stop, even if
Ludinio asked him to do so. Berto made the situation more tense when he
began to poke Ludinio and continued to make fun of the Lumin legend.
Finally, the students who were watching them made the situation worse by
laughing at Ludinio. In the end, Ludinio may have felt that the only way to
stop Berto from teasing him may have been to punch him. Ludinio chose
to deal with the conflict through aggression.
4. Which of the stereotypes do you think were reinforced by the incident?
Because Ludinio chose to handle the conflict agressively, the stereotype

that all Lumins are quick to anger may have been reinforced in the minds of
the students who witnessed the incident. When the students told the story
of the incident to other people, many of them might have told the story in
such a way that it only highlighted the aggressiveness of Ludinio.
5. Do you think that Ms. Analiz handled the situation with fairness and objectivity?
Why or why not?
Ms. Analiz did not handle the situation with fairness and objectivity. She
showed her bias against the Lumins by refusing to consider the side of
Ludinio when he was trying to explain his situation. She immediately
scolded Ludinio for punching Berto, and did not seek to find out exactly
what happened. She also came to the conclusion that whatever Berto did,
he did not mean anything by it. This shows that she had already concluded
that Ludinio was quick to anger and that he needlessly attacked Berto.
6. As a school head, what are some ways that you can prevent an incident like this
from occurring in your school?
As a school head, you can prevent incidents like this from occurring in your
school by making your students and teachers aware that their words and
actions can violate the rights of others and cause resentment and conflict
later on. You can also make sure that the teachers in your school respect all
the students no matter what their cultural background or beliefs. Teachers
should also be objective and fair in the way they handle conflict incidents and
show tolerance and open-mindedness. Tolerance, as defined by UNESCO
(1995), is “the respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of
cultures and various forms of human expression”. Teachers may be given
training on challenging stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.
1. What role do stereotypes play in how we deal with others?
Stereotypes are models, or schema, that provide us with guidelines on

how to approach or react to familiar situations and groups of people. They
can help us choose an appropriate action based on previous experience or
information that we have about a group of people. How you deal with a
teacher who has a different cultural and religious background than your
own may be different from how you deal with one who shares your beliefs
and values. Your stereotypes will provide you with some models or ideas
of how to approach this teacher, based on a general perception of what
people from this cultural group are like. If your views are based on accurate
information and are open to change, they can help you find approaches to
dealing with people that will reduce the risk of offending them or creating
tension between the two of you.
2. What are the negative effects of stereotypes?
When we allow our stereotypes to rule our thinking and our actions, and
do not open our minds to new ways of thinking or doing things, we risk
basing our reactions to other people on limited and incomplete information.
If our stereotypes are based on negative perceptions of different cultural
groups, we will use those perceptions to decide what we will say or think
about people from these cultural groups. Think about the different types
of student groups in your school that have certain labels: honor students,
athletic, or troublemakers. If we allow our stereotypes of certain students
to control how we react to them, or how we perceive them, we may form
prejudices that will affect our objectivity. If we allow prejudice to dictate
our actions and decisions to include or exclude particular groups of people
from participation in activities or in receiving privileges, then we are
manifesting discrimination.
3. Why is it important to challenge negative stereotypes, prejudice and

discrimination?
As a school head, it is important that you realize the effect you can have
in challenging prejudice and negative stereotypes in your school. As a role
model, your words and actions become an important example to both
students and teachers. If you follow the principles of peace and respect for
cultural diversity, your students and teachers will have a powerful example
to follow.
Challenging negative stereotypes and prejudice is a critical part of building

a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your school.
Developing an appreciation for differences, and even celebrating them,
will help reduce conflicts that may arise from a lack of understanding or
sensitivity to the values and beliefs of other people.
4. As a school head, what can you do to promote respect for cultural diversity and
challenge prejudice and discrimination?
Here are some ways that you can promote the acceptance of cultural
diversity and challenge prejudice in your school:
• Examine your own biases. Do you give more favorable attention to

those who are physically or socio-economically advantaged?
• Use inclusive and/or non-discriminating language in your meetings
and in the classroom, as language shapes consciousness.
• Treat each person fairly regardless of sex or socio-economic status.
Examine yourself and check if you have a tendency to give more
compliments to those who are more physically attractive, or who fit
in your stereotypes of behavior, personality, and so on.
• Celebrate differences in the school and highlight the concept that

diversity is enriching. Encourage everyone in the school to learn
new things from one another.
• Use teaching aids that show a variety of racial and physical features,
as well as religious and cultural contexts.
• Check textbooks, references, instructional materials, and
curriculum/course outlines for biased messages about sex, race,
ethnicity and religion.
• Use stories of racial and cultural prejudice and ask the students to
take the perspective of the victims of prejudice.
• Communicate that many religious teachings, not only your own,
have ethical teachings related to peace. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism,
Christianity, and indigenous traditions, among others, teach the
values of nonviolence, respect for human dignity, compassion,
fairness, and justice.
Lesson 3: Sowing the Seeds of Peace and Respect

for Diversity
How Much Have You Learned, page 119
1. Peter is a school head who is committed to developing a culture of peace and

respect for diversity in his school. He has prepared a plan for the integration
of peace education in his school and he would like to extend his efforts to the
community, as well. What conditions in the community that threaten peace
should Peter address in his programs?
Even if there is a strong program to build peace and respect for cultural
diversity in the school, it is still important to become involved in
challenging obstacles to peace in the community. Peter can involve the
school in programs that will help challenge the following conditions in his
community:
Poverty and Hunger – poverty is an obstacle to peace because conflict

arises between those who have control of resources and those who do
not. People who live in poverty may resort to violence in order to secure
the resources they need so survive. Also, each individual has a right to a
standard of living adequate for the individual’s well-being and security.
This includes food security, or having enough to eat and to have access to
adequate nutrition. By challenging poverty in your community, you are
promoting and upholding human rights.
Discrimination – Discrimination against minority groups is one major

obstacle to peace. Peter can promote cultural understanding and tolerance
through dialogue in the community, lead by the school. He can also
introduce programs that provide the members of the community with
opportunities to learn about and appreciate other cultures.
Denial of Human Rights – One of the strongest foundations of peace is a
clear understanding of the importance of human rights, and the commitment
to uphold these rights. The school can take the lead in protecting the
human rights of every individual in the community, through dialogues
and programs in which students and teachers take the lead, the school can
become an effective promoter of human rights in the community.
2. What do peace practitioners consider as the most effective way to create a culture
of peace and respect for diversity in the school?
Many scholars and peace practitioners agree that the most effective way to
create a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in the school is to
involve the entire school, engaging all the learning areas and stakeholders.
The “whole school” approach is important because a consistent message of
peace and peace values integrated into the different aspects of the school
and the community will help strengthen the learning for the students, as
well as other important stakeholders.
3. What different teaching and learning strategies/approaches are compatible with

peace education?
Holistic - an inclusive strategy where the focus goes beyond facts and
concepts, and gives learners the opportunities to examine their own attitudes
and perceptions about peace, and to commit themselves to becoming active
instruments of peace
Participatory - involves giving learners the chance to ask questions, share

and work with each other, which is important in developing different
perspectives. In participatory education, the teacher acts as a facilitator,
and should encourage learners to discuss their opinions and belief in an
atmosphere of respect
Cooperative - Cooperative education gives learners the chance to work

together, which can help improve relations among students. It can also help
minimize divisions between cultural groups and can increase understanding
and respect for one another. Cooperative education also gives learners the
opportunity to practice problem-solving methods of conflict management.
Experiential - Experiential Education is structured in such a way that the
learners learn not from the traditional teaching and lectures, but through
processing of experiences. Learners are given activities in which they may
be asked to role-play, or build things together, then are asked about their
experiences
Humanist - A humanist classroom allows learners to be accepted for what

they are. The focus is on the social, personal and affective development
of the learner through focus on the self, and self esteem. In the humanist
approach, the goal is to develop within each learner that sense of being
valuable and gifted. A positive self-image is the basis for an individual’s
willingness to take action and work for change
1. Give a comprehensive definition of peace.
Peace is not just the absence of war. It is a state of well-being wherein indi-
viduals are free from the threat of different forms of violence. We can say
that a state of peace exists when there is a respect for human rights and
each individual has access to basic services such as health and education.
We can create a culture of peace and respect for diversity in school by be-
coming conscious of the conditions that threaten peace and by challenging
them.
2. What are three ways of dealing with conflict and which of the three ways is the
most effective method of resolving it?
We can choose to deal with conflict in three ways: aggression, avoidance, or

through problem-solving or negotiation. The most effective way to resolve
conflict is through problem-solving or negotiation. This method involves
each party listening to the concerns and issues of the other and finding a
solution that is acceptable to both. By using this method, each party can
help gain the trust of the other. If one party sees that the other party is
genuinely involving them in finding a solution to the conflict, they will be
more motivated to solve the problem.
3. As a school head, what can you do to protect and promote human rights in
school?
One of the foundations of peace is upholding the rights of every person

and making sure that these rights exist and are not taken away. The school
is a critical venue to develop the awareness of human rights in society
because the children are open to ideas that can change the world. The
school environment is also a model for interaction between different
groups of people. You can introduce programs in your school that will
allow students to work with different kinds of people. `You can also
encourage the discussion of human rights in the classroom and promote
modeling of behavior through activities like plays and festivals. You can
also provide children with valuable feedback when they violate others’
rights by teaching them to respect the opinions and beliefs of others and to
appreciate diversity.
4. What is structural violence, and how, as a school head, can you help address it
in your school?
Structural violence is a condition where people suffer from violence built

into society through its social, political and economic systems. Examples of
sources of structural violence are poverty, corruption in government, and
the exclusion of certain cultural groups from opportunities.
As a school head, I can help address structural violence in my school by

first making sure that the students and teachers are all aware of the concept
of human rights. To heighten this awareness, I need to create a culture of
peace in my school to help my students and teachers understand that the
achievement of peace involves recognizing the different forms of violence
around them and preventing them from taking place by doing preventive
measures. If structural violence already exists, I can plan activities with
them that will promote peace and respect for cultural diversity. These
include the establishment of peace camps and the integration of peace
values into the different aspects of the teaching and learning process.
5. Identify possible strategies to build a culture of peace and respect for diversity
within you and among the teachers and students in your school.
You can help build a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in
your school by focusing first on your own ideas about peace. As a school
head, you must lead by example. By committing to living the values of
peace and respect for diversity, you can become a role model for both your
teachers and students to follow.
To build a culture of peace among the teachers and students in your

school, you should provide them with the knowledge and skills they
need to resolve conflicts and promote human rights. Teaching them the
different ways of dealing with conflict is one concrete step you can take.
Another would be to actively discuss what it means to protect and promote
human rights, and examine how to put that into action in all aspects of our
lives. A third strategy would be to give students and teachers a venue for
challenging poverty and conditions which threaten peace. By examining
structural violence and identifying ways of challenging it, you can build
the foundations of peace in both your students and your teachers.
Other teaching and learning strategies/approaches in building a culture

of peace and respect for diversity within you and among the teachers and
students in the school are -
Holistic – in which the school head, teachers, and students examine their
attitudes and perceptions about peace and commit themselves to becoming
active instruments of peace.
Participatory – in which the learners share and discuss their opinions

and beliefs together, and work together towards developing different
perspectives.
Cooperative – strategy gives learners the chance to work together through

cooperative education.
Experiential – in which learners learn from activities in which they may

be asked to role-play, or build things together, then are asked about their
experiences from the activity.
Humanist – which allows learners to be accepted for what they are.
The framework for Peace Education is such that it will allow you to
integrate the concepts of peace in different aspects of the teaching-learning
experience. Peace Eduction is a powerful tool for building a culture of
peace and respect for diversity in your school. Peace Education provides
the students and teachers in your school with many venues to discuss
peace and celebrate diversity, and practice the values of peace in their daily
lives.
7. What are the integral knowledge, skills, and attitudes/values that will guide
you in the implementation of Peace Education in your school?
Peace education utilizes a schema of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/

values that involves many aspects of the teaching-learning experience. It
integrates skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values that promote peace and
respect for diversity. Part of the knowledge and skills aspects touches on
concepts of peacebuilding, like introducing students to the idea of holistic
peace through cooperation, well-being, and just relationships. Values are
also a critical component of the schema and involve instilling in students
a sense of self-respect and respect for others. It also reinforces a greater
concern for the world and the environment. The elements of the schema
are necessary for peacebuilding to become a way of life for everyone in
the school. Through a range of learning activities and programs, students,
teachers, and parents can learn the value of cooperation, openness, tolerance,
and the power of a positive vision.
8. Explain how you can become a more effective agent of peace by identifying your
own strengths and areas for growth.
Building peace is a continuing process and, as a school head, you will

encounter many challenges in your journey towards peace. Many times,
the challenge will be to continually improve yourself and become a more
effective agent of peace. By looking at your own strengths and areas for
improvement, you can focus your efforts on becoming a better leader. Self-
improvement could mean making a renewed commitment to your efforts in
learning about other cultures,. You can also look for opportunities to gain
new insights into building peace through reading materials or discussions
with others. You can also use materials and resources on Peace Education
in crafting programs and initiatives for your own school.
Suggested Readings and Websites
APCEIU (2004). Learning to Live Together: Teachers’ Resource Book on Education
for International Understanding.
http://www.unescoapceiu.org/main.php
APNIEVE-Philippines (2002). Learning to be Fully Human: A Holistic and

Integrated Approach to Values Education.
http://www.unesco-apnieve.edu.au
Nario-Galace, J. (2006). Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Sourcebook.

Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.
Navarro-Castro, L. & Nario-Galace, J. (2008). Peace Education: A Pathway to a

Culture of Peace. Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.
The Hague Appeal for Peace Homepage

http://www.haguepeace.org
The UNESCO Homepage (http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=

29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html)
UNESCO APCEIU
UNESCO-APNIEVE (2005). Learning to Do: Values for Learning and Working

Together in a Globalized World.
http://www.unesco=apnieve.edu.au
Glossary
Aggression – is a method of dealing with conflicts where one of both parties
attempt to coerce the other into accepting their position.
Avoidance – is a method of dealing with conflicts where one or both parties

avoid discussing or dealing with the conflict.
Cool Down – to calm down and be more reasonable.
Conflict – is a disagreement or cause of tension between two parties that

may strengthen relationships if resolved in a constructive manner, or may
damage relationships if not handled effectively.
Discrimination – refers to actions which exclude, harm or hurt individuals

who we feel are “different” based on stereotypes and prejudice.
Human Rights – is a set of basic rights that all individuals are entitled to no
matter what their age, gender, race, religion, or state in life.
Negotiation or Problem-Solving – refers to a method of dealing with

conflicts where one or both parties seek to find a solution that is acceptable
to both parties
Peace Education – is education that examines the various forms of violence

– their root causes and effects, and explores pathways to a better world.
Prejudice – refers to feelings or attitudes about a person or a group of people

possessing certain characteristics without sufficient information.
Stereotype – pertains to opinions, thoughts and ideas about a person or a

group of people possessing certain characteristics without adequate basis.
Structural Violence – is a set of conditions promoted by a system in which

people are deprived of well-being and security by preventing them from
meeting their basic needs.
References
Abu-Nimer, M., Hartford, B., Liebler, C., McIlwaine, S. & Sampson, C. (2004).
Interfaith Peacebuilding Guide. California: United Religions Initiative.
Achieving Life Abundance.com. Website: http://www.achieving-life-

abundance.com/quotes-on-inner-peace.html [accessed March 12,
2009].
Appy, C.G. 2008. Vietnam: The Definitive Oral History Told From All Sides.
UK: Ebury Press.
Bey, T. M. & Truner, G.Y. (1996). Making School a Place of Peace. California:
Corwin Press, Inc.
CNN.com. Riots, Instability Spread As Food Prices Skyrocket (April

14, 2008). Website: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/
americas/04/14/world.food.crisis/
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Philippines: Vendettas

And Violence On Mindanao - Analysis, 24 June 2009. Website: http://
www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a433cf51e.html [accessed 17
September 2009]
Justino, P. 2008. Poverty and Violent Conflict: A Micro-Level Perspective

on the Causes and Duration of Warfare, Working Paper no. 46,
Households in Conflict Network (www.hicn.org)
Manila Bulletin. Global Festival Spawns New Hope For Peace In Mindanao
Region, December 7, 2008. Website: http://beta.mb.com.ph/
articles/193704/global-festival-spawns-new-hope-peace-mindanao-
region [accessed March 29, 2009]
The Independent. Buddhist Chief Beheaded In Revenge For Muslim

Deaths, November 3, 2004. Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/
news/world/asia/buddhist-chief-beheaded-in-revenge-for-muslim-
deaths-531842.html [accessed September 16, 2009]
Mayers, J. 2005. Stakeholder Power Analysis. Power Tools Series. International

Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK.
Navarro-Castro, L. & Nario-Galace, J. (2008). Peace Education: A Pathway to a
Culture of Peace. Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.
Nario-Galace, J. (2006). Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Sourcebook.

Quezon City: Center for Peace Education.
SEAMEO INNOTECH (2007). Policy Research on Access to Quality Basic

Education for Muslim Learners. Philippines: SEAMEO INNOTECH.
Annex A
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in

barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the
advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech
and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the
highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a

last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights
should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations

between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed
their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of
the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have
determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation

with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and
observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the

greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, Therefore, The GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common
standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that
every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration
constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote
respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national
and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and
observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and
among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration,
without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,

jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which
a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or
under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade
shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading

treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the

law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to
equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any
discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement
to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national

tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the
constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an

independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and
obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed
innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which
he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act
or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national
or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a
heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time
the penal offence was committed.
Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family,

home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference
or attacks.
Article 13
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within
the borders of each State.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to
return to his country.
Article 14
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum
from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely
arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes
and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the
right to change his nationality.
Article 16
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race,
nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.
They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at
its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the
intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is
entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association
with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this
right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his
religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right
includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive
and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers.
Article 20
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and

association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country,
directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government;
this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which
shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote
or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is

entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation
and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the
economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the
free development of his personality.
Article 23
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to

just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against
unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for
equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration
ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human
dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social
protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection
of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation
of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health
and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing,
housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to
security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.
All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same
social protection.
Article 26
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least
in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall
be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made
generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to
all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human

personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and
friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further
the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be
given to their children.
Article 27
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and
its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material
interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of
which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights

and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject
only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose
of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of
others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order
and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State,

group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act
aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
G.A. res. 217A (III), U.N. Doc A/810 at 71 (1948)

Adopted on December 10, 1948 by the General Assembly of the United
Nations (without dissent)

PEACeXCELS Module 1

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PEACeXCELS

Cultivate Peace in Oneself

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed

Lesson 1: Cultivating Peace and Managing Conflict ....................................... 13

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 13

Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace ......................................... 55

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 55

What Is This Lesson About? ............................................................................ 94

Let’s Sum Up .......................................................................................................... 120

To this end, SEAMEO INNOTECH has developed the flexible learning

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 1

Developing a culture of peace and respect for cultural diversity in your

2 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

What Will You Learn?

• Give a comprehensive definition of peace.

• Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 3

Lesson 2: When I Respect Others, I Promote Peace

4 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Lesson Focus Topics

1. Cultivating Focuses on perceptions • Examining conflict

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 5

2. When I This lesson focuses on • Understanding

3. Sowing the This lesson gives the • The different

6 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

1. Describe three approaches in dealing with conflict.

2. Which of these three approaches is considered the most effective method?

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 7

5. Why is it important for you to develop a mindset of peace and respect

6. Explain how peace education can be a pathway to peace.

7. Describe the schema of knowledge, skills and attitudes/values that are

8 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 9

Directions: The checklist below contains a list of competencies covered in

I cannot I am I can do this I can

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

10 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 11

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

Now, let’s begin!

12 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

What Is This Lesson About?

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 13

What Will You Learn?

• Assess your own perceptions and attitudes towards interpersonal

14 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

As a school head, you have most likely encountered many situations of

(a) How would you describe the conflict?

An example of what you might write down is given below:

Description of the conflict

About a year a go I experienced conflict with one of the students’

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 15

Gravity of the conflict

Cause of the conflict

Effects of the conflict

Who were involved?

Resolution of the conflict

16 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 17

18 Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools

Cultivate Peace in Oneself and Champion the Cause of Peace in Schools 19