Online Course: Core Skills for Teaching Peace, Conflict Resolution Education and Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom

Apply now. Space is limited to 25! Application Deadline: 24 October, 2022

Join GPPAC’s Peace Education Working Group and their special guest experts from around the world each week for the first of three, 6-week virtual/online courses for educators in a series.

Register here!

Free for applicants selected in priority status as noted below.

Timeline:

• Applications Due: October 24, 2022
• Respond to applicants by: October 27,2022
• October 28 – Selected participants are given access to the course
• Course Begins – Week 1 – Monday, October 31, 2022
• Course Ends – Week 6 – Friday, December 9, 2022

Description and Overview:

This 6 -week course is designed to provide a brief overview of the core skills we teach in the field of conflict resolution education and social emotional learning, and good practices for teaching those skills.  Each week participants will have an opportunity to practice some of the core skills and then implement a lesson plan that week with students in their classrooms and/or in their youth setting.  The audience for this course is individuals working in primary or secondary schools, from ages 5 to 17 or those working with youth in these age groups in community settings.

We know through best practice research that as educators, we need to be able to model these skills ourselves for students to learn the same skills well! The focus will be on learning and teaching the core skills, including understanding conflict, how emotions influence conflict, effective communication skills and problem-solving!  A complete set of 25 lessons for teaching these skills in your classrooms will be provided for those who complete the course with a passing grade, in addition to a certificate of completion from the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict. 

The format for each week includes:

• Readings and/or videos
• Guest presenters from the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict’s Working Group and international partner organizations including Jen Batton, GPPAC (USA); Lucy Nuseibeh, MEND (Palestine); Cheryl Woelk, Northeast Asian Regional Peacebuilding Institute (S. Korea); and more!
• Skills Practice
• Development or adaption of a lesson plan and implementation of that plan each week
• Final Project – Develop an on-line module to teach one of the core skills to youth!

Sample resources will be shared throughout the course.  Topics covered include:

• What is a Comprehensive School Program Include? Best Practices for Curriculum Integration and Stand-Alone Courses
• Understanding Conflict Skills
• Understanding How Emotions Influence Conflict
•  Effective Communication Skills
•  Problem Solving   
• Developing an On-Line Skill Building Module for Students/Youth

Each week, students will have an opportunity to engage with experts from around the world, while sharing their experiences and connecting with other like-minded educators via zoom and discussion boards via on-line platform called CANVAS. Assignments will include weekly readings, discussion postings, at least one guest via a live Zoom session. Not able to join the live session?  Students can view the recorded sessions that week via the on-line platform (CANVAS).  Facilitators will provide an overview of the course content each week in recorded Zoom sessions and be available each week to answer questions both live and via email or during an arranged Skype or Zoom session. 

All students are required to complete weekly assignments to remain in the course.  Students will be required to complete the final project in order to receive the certificate of completion from the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict. The course is Pass/Fail.

Who should apply? 

• Educators in primary and secondary classrooms
• Faculty in teacher training at teacher preparation colleges/universities or organizations
• Education department staff with Ministry/Departments of Education,
• International Governmental Organization Staff who work with youth at the primary/secondary level in the field of education, or
• Civil society staff working in education at scale (country-wide or regionally).

Language:  Participants will need to be proficient in English, both in writing and verbally. 

Technology Needed:  Computer/Tablet or Phone with Camera and Microphone enabled.  WiFi strong enough to participate in live discussions using Zoom technology and to watch videos.

Questions?  Contact Jen Batton & Lucy Nusseibeh from the GPPAC, PEWG at: gppacpeaceedcourses@gmail.com