Peacebuilding Workshop Curriculum

for UMC Children’s Ministries

of Liberia Annual Conference at

Brighter Future Children’s Rescue Center

in Buchanan, Liberia

and

Children’s Empowerment and Support Program

In Kakata, Liberia

Facilitators: Kelly Hill and Janjay Innis

Email: kellydhill@gmail.com, jinnis@bu.edu

Facilitated for 150 participants aged 10 to 26 in Buchanan, Liberia.

Facilitated for 40 participants aged 16 to 43 in Kakata, Liberia.

Table of Contents:

a. Observation Day

i. Icebreaker

b. Workshop Day 1

i. Team Building

ii. Identity

iii. Conflict Resolution/ Communication Styles

c. Workshop Day 2

i. Circle of Reconciliation

d. Workshop Day 3

i. Power, Change and Peacebuilding in Society

ii. Artistic / Therapeutic Response

iii. Closing Ritual

Observation Day:

Icebreaker

Icebreakers will set the mood for the activity planned. Ice breakers are important because there is

much power in self-affirmation. Calling children, adults, all people who have gone through

trauma by name is powerful as their uniqueness and self-worth is validated. Ice breakers will set

the tone for most of the dialogue that will take place as it creates a safe environment where

everyone can get a chance to be themselves.

Games include but will not be limited to the following:

Jump in Jump Out

A group activity where the group gathers together in a circle and together they chant.

“Jump in Jump Out, Turn yourself around, jump in, jump out, [introduce yourself].”

The group then remains silent and one person in the spotlight says.

“My name is _______ (says name)

And I’m/ a ______ (says a positive adjective about themself )

Gonna be a _____ (same adjective as above)

For the rest of my life

Circle repeats (for the rest of his/her life)

Repeat chant until everyone in the circle has had a turn.

Notes from BFC: Due to the large group of students at BFC (over150 students), this activity did

not work as well as desired. The activity lasted too long and some of the students lost interest.

We hope this activity will work better in Kakata where there are fewer students, and all of the

students are girls.

Notes from Kakata:

Parachute

Notes from BFC: Due to the large group of students at BFC, students had to take turns using the

parachute. However, we had not practiced using the parachute for some time so were unable to

make the mushroom shape. We hope to improve upon this activity in Kakata where there are

fewer students.

Notes from Kakata:

Workshop Day 1:

Teambuilding, Identity, and Conflict Resolution

Teambuilding Human Knot

Objectives:

1. To learn aspects of teambuilding and teamwork.

2. To learn to communicate using body language and nonverbal listening skills

Instructions:

In the Human Knot activity, students stand in a cluster close together and grab hands with other

students. They must hold hands with two different people. Once everyone is holding hands, the

students must attempt to detangle themselves without letting go until they are standing in a

circle.

Discussion questions on teamwork:

What strategy did you use to decide what the team should do next?

Was there a person that emerged as a leader?

Did your team have to make compromises?

What if one person had decided he/she didn’t want to work with the team? Could

you have accomplished the task?

Questions on how this exercise applies to real life:

In what areas of your life do you act as a teammate or group member?

What can we learn from this activity that applies to working in groups?

What makes a good teammate?

When working in teams, how do we all decide what strategy we are going to use?

Is it important to work as a team, or can we all make our own decisions all the

time?

How can you all be better teammates at home? At school? In your sports?

Source: http://infusionomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/6-8-Human-Knot.pdf

Notes from BFC: This activity seemed to be easier to understand for older students, rather than

younger students to do. Only a few groups were successful in untangling their ‘human knot.’

However, the challenge it presented seemed to be a good learning experience for all of those

involved.

Notes from Kakata:

Identity

Identity Logo

Objective:

To help students consider the many factors that have shaped who we are as individuals who are

unique.

Instructions:

1. Make logos which represent “who they are, what makes you who you are, or a symbol or

symbols that represents you.”

2. Students should gather in small groups with trainers to explain their identity logos to one

another, and why they drew what they did.

3. Back in the large group, a few students can share to the entire group the identity logos

which they drew.

Notes from BFC: In this activity, many students drew pictures of maps of Liberia. Many students

identified which counties their parents were originally from. Many students drew pictures of

family members who were dear to them. One student drew a picture of an orange tree to

represent that she and her family were vegetarian.

Notes from Kakata:

Conflict Resolution/ Communication Styles

What type of Conflict Resolution Animal are you?

Objective:

1. The purpose of the activity is to have participants recognize how they personally engage

with conflict.

2. To understand our own strengths and weaknesses in communication with others.

Instructions:

1. Introduction:

“Is conflict good or bad? [discussion] Conflict is not necessarily a good or bad thing

in our life. Conflict is a normal and inevitable part of our everyday lives. Because

each of us is unique individuals, so naturally as we interact and be in relationship with

one another, we will come into conflict. The way we engage conflict determines

whether it becomes a positive or negative force in our lives.”

o Example 1: Nuclear energy can be used as an atomic bomb and as a clean,

renewable energy source.

o Example 2: Two roommates get into conflict with one another due to cultural

differences in eating food. In one scenario, the roommates could get into a

fight, and one would be left without a place to live. On the other hand, if the

roommates talk to one another about why they do not like or what is

intimidating about the other culture’s food, students may find out that they

like some food from the other culture, and may be able to benefit from sharing

and cooking food for one another.

“In the previous identity logo activity, we learned that each person’s identity is

different and unique. We also all deal with conflict in different ways. By learning

about our personal conflict resolution and communication styles, we can better ensure

that conflict does not become a destructive force in our lives.”

“Each person deals with conflict in different ways. Some people react to conflict

aggressively, they have to dominate the outcome. Some people hide or run away

from conflict because they are too scared to deal with it. Others do not hold on to

their own views or perspectives, and are instead easily swayed by others to change

their mind. They make compromises too quickly in order to please others and to

avoid conflict. Others approach conflict with curiosity, confronting the conflict

carefully, with many questions.” “Today we are going to talk about different styles of

engaging with conflict. No one style is right or wrong. How we each engage with

conflict is different because each of us is a unique individual. By understanding our

own ways of engaging with conflict we can better understand our own strengths and

weaknesses in communication.”

2. Discuss four different styles of conflict resolution/ communication which the animals in

this activity represent. Possible interpretations:

Fox = confrontation, curiosity

Lion = fights, dominates

Turtle = hides, scared

Chameleon = compromises, changes to environment

3. Small Groups:

a. The trainers each hold a sign with a different animal image/ name. Ask students

to go stand under/near the sign with the animal that corresponds to the way the

participant responds to conflict.

b. In each small group, the trainers should facilitate a discussion about why each

students has in common with the animal’s conflict resolution styles, and how they

are different from other animals. Sample Questions

1. What do you have in common with this animal’s conflict

resolution style?

2. What are the strengths of this conflict resolution style?

3. What are the weaknesses?

4. How can we improve upon these weaknesses?

4. Large Group:

a. Have one spokesperson from each group share back with the group what they

learned about their conflict resolution and communication styles.

b. After all four small groups have finished their discussion, remind participants that

everyone reacts to conflict in different ways and that no one way is the right or

wrong. We can all improve our conflict resolution and communication styles by

learning about more our own identities.

Source: http://epc.ucsc.edu/UserFiles/File/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20Conflict%20Resolution.pdf

http://reflectionsanddeflections.blogspot.com/2010/09/animal-conflict-resolution-styles-

which.html

Notes from BFC: This activity worked very well at BFC, in spite of the large group. The use of

the animals as symbols representing different styles of conflict, and the combination of small and

large group allowed the concepts to be repeated and learned over time. The students actively

engaged one another in the large group discussion, and incorporated learning in day 2 and 3 of

the peacebuilding workshop.

Notes from Kakata:

Closing Prayer

Together in Love

Let us be

Let us be together

Let us be together in love

in respect

in honor

in appreciation

in wonder

in joy

Let us be together in harmony

Let us be together in unity

with peace

with hope

with charity

with compassion

with justice

with mercy

Let us be together with gladness for all that makes us human, striving to be and becom more than

we are, to become more human, more merciful, justice-seeking and loving.

Fill us with the spirit of love, of hope, of justice.

Let us be

Let us be together this day and all the days to come.

Blessed Be.

---Susan Shuchocki Brown

Adapted from “For Praying Out Loud: Interfaith Prayers for Public Occasions” by L. Annie

Foerster

Workshop Day 2:

The Circle of Reconciliation

Preparing to Teach the ‘Circle of Reconciliation’

Goals:

1. Understand the personal and communal aspects of The Circle of Reconciliation process.

2. Reflect upon their own journeys in The Circle of Reconciliation, and acceptance of their

own position in the process.

Materials Needed:

1. Large flat white shower curtain, or poster

2. Paper

3. Drawing materials (e.g. crayons, markers, color pencils)

4. Permanent marker

**The educator should draw a large version of the Circle of Reconciliation on the shower

curtain, bed sheet or poster. This will be an instructional tool used later during the lesson. The

large Circle of Reconciliation on the poster/bed sheet can be laid out on the floor as an

instructional visual aid when lecturing about the Circle of Reconciliation, and students can sit on

it as they talk about their processes in the Circle of Reconciliation.

The Lesson Plan (in brief)

The lesson plan has four primary components: (1) a lecture introducing the Circle of

Reconciliation as a model for processes of personal, interpersonal and community peacebuilding;

(2) a discussion centering on the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), exploring how this

Bible story can be read through the lenses of the Circle of Reconciliation; (3) a artistic project

giving each student an opportunity to reflect upon the Circle of Reconciliation within a conflict

in each of their own lives – which they are currently experiencing or had already experienced;

and (4) sharing stories and reflecting upon the multiple processes of reconciliation at work within

the student community.

1. Introducing the Circle of Reconciliation.

Introduce the Circle of Reconciliation to students as a process of personal, interpersonal, and

community reconciliation and peacebuilding. One must break out of the inner circle of violence

and revenge in order to begin a process of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. The process is

not uni-directional, and people may fall into the inner circle of vengeance and violence at any

time. The key is understanding that we have a choice, and realizing that we are all on a process –

not stagnant beings – that there is hope for transformation, regardless of how slow we may seem

to be moving.

Circle of Reconciliation

1. Trauma healing is both a decision and a process

2. Trauma healing is not unidirectional

3. The key is that we have a choice meaning that we are the ones to decide if we

want to heal our trauma and embark on the journey of forgiveness and

reconciliation. – from Amela Puljek-Shank)

Recognizing Trauma: the “Inner Circle”1

1. Realization of Loss

o Filled with the fear of realizing the horrible truth mixed with the fear of looking

into the future

o Overwhelmed to imagine life without that which we lost

o The more dramatic and sudden the change is, the greater the sense of loss

experienced

2. Denial and the Suppression of Grief/Fears

o Trauma destroys our sense of security in the world; denial allows us to let in only

as much pain as we can tolerate at one time

o Denial and suppression are common survival mechanisms which help us pace

ourselves through the process of adjusting to catastrophic loss

o In trying to avoid pain, we do everything to not get deeply into the grief or

confront the fears of past and future

o Circumstances in many conflict situations are usually not favorable for the time

needed for lamenting and mourning.

3. Anger: “Why me?”

o Allowing oneself to feel the fury of hate and anger, especially when one has been

abused, violated or severely wronged, is often a healthy part of the recovery

process

o Feeling anger toward the perpetrator(s) may be the only resource available that

allows some personal respect to be maintained.

o Anger turned inward is often evidenced by the question: “Did I do something to

cause this?”

4. Desire for Justice/Revenge

o Punitive justice may turn into a quest or crusade for revenge

o While rage and revenge fantasies appear initially to bring relief, the opposite is

true. Repetitive revenge fantasies actually increase the victim’s torment, making

the survivor feel like a monster—-‘just like them’ (Herman)

5. Telling and Re-Telling the “Right” Conflict Story

o Creating myths/heroes that play well in the revenge conflict story

o Writing a history that supports the “ingroup” (victim’s group) and demonizes the

“outgroup”(offender/enemy group)

o Placing the blame entirely on the “other” so victim needs to take no responsibility

6. Act of “Justified Aggression”

o Victim becomes the aggressor who victimizes and continues around the inner

circle again, now as the aggressor but believing self to still be victim

1 http://www.emu.edu/cjp/publications/beyond-september-11th/2001/at-the-fork-in-the-road/

Reconciling Trauma: the “Outer Circle”2

1. Mourning and Expressing Deep Grief

o Knowledge that grief experienced does dissolve over time

o Often a fear of being overcome if one allows the tears to flow

o Seeing some glimpse of new life even as the ashes are brushed away

2. Accepting Loss and Confronting Fears

o Survivors need to (1) separate themselves from the events that have happened to

them; and (2) integrate the events into their lives

o Integrating the grief and pain by deciding to heal, believing and understanding

what happened and trusting yourself

o Deciding to remember and move on

3. “Why Them?” Re-humanizing the Enemy

o Moving from total victim self-absorption to some recognition of the other

o Curiosity about how the “other” got involved; seeing the common humanity in

the other; the survivor begins the slow transformation and may even feel the

hidden pain of the abuser.

o Realizing that not punishing the “other” does not mean forgetting what happened,

but rather recognizing that we can never truly get even and that an inner peace

comes when we give up trying

o Seeing the Divinity in the enemy*

4. Moving Beyond Tolerance

o A beginning baby step of trust beyond a willingness to just co-exist

o Finding a survivor mission—some meaning in the ashes

5. Choice to Forgive; Commitment to Take Risks

o Not at all forgive and forget

o Ability to transform the impulse for revenge into a search for something larger

o Realizing that nothing we do to punish another person or group will heal

ourselves

o Seeing that this frees us to put to better use the energies once consumed by

holding grudges, harboring resentments and nursing unhealed wounds

6. “Re-Writing” History, Negotiating Solutions and Joint Planning

o Revising the trauma story to be both honest and constructive

o Walking through history together, openly examining wounds on all sides, sorting

out truth from falsehood and recognizing mutual responsibilities

o Sincere apology, symbols of repentance and an open confirmation of good will

o The trauma prisoner/survivor needs to make some sense out of the suffering—“to

find some purpose and meaning in the suffering” (Frankl, Man’s Search for

Meaning, 1959)

7. Establishing Justice That Restores

o Restorative justice which focuses on relationship and restitution

o Restoring victims as well as offenders to the community

o Repairing the social injury and right relationship

8. Moving Toward Reconciliation and Trauma-based Conflict Transformation

o Does not mean that I forget what has happened—or condone it in any way.

Forgiving and forgetting is precisely what has disallowed many from achieving

true forgivingness

2 Nancy Good, “At The Fork in the Road: Trauma Healing,” 2001.

http://www.emu.edu/cjp/publications/beyond-september-11th/2001/at-the-fork-in-the-road/

2. Facilitator (Kelly) Shares Their Story

Notes from BFC: At BFC, I (Kelly) was the facilitator who shared my story of my journey

towards reconciliation. When I shared my story, I wondered whether my story would help the

students better understand the circle of reconciliation due to the different cultural contexts in

which we lived. I also wondered whether my own experiences of healing and reconciliation

would be considered smaller matters, compared to the experiences of the war or its aftermath

that some of the students had experienced in Liberia. However, through the course of sharing

my story, both students and teachers were very engaged with my story, with many of them

empathizing with me, and asking me for more details afterward. In the evaluations, many

students who had said that understanding the lecture on the Circle of Reconciliation was difficult

indicated that my story had helped them to better understand the Circle of Reconciliation.

Notes from Kakata:

3. Discussion about the Prodigal Son

1. Read the Prodigal Son Story together (Luke 15:11-32).

2. Three students and a narrator read the parable on the following page, while three

other students act out the role-play.

3. Interview the students who are performing the role-play regarding their location

within the Circle of Reconciliation.

4. Discuss with the class where they saw the characters engage in the Circle of

Reconciliation in the role-play.

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother (Luke 15:11-32)

Narrator: Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his

father,

Son 2: “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.”

Narrator: So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered

all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute

living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he

began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who

sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the

pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said,

Son 2: “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am

dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned

against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of

your hired hands.’ ”

Narrator: So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him

and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the

son said to him,

Son 2: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called

your son.”

Narrator: But the father said to his slaves,

Father: “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and

sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of

mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”

Narrator: And they began to celebrate. ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came

and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked

what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted

calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in.

His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father,

Son 1: “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never

disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might

celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your

property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!”

Narrator: Then the father said to him,

Father: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and

rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been

found.” ’

Notes from BFC: In this activity, students from BFC engaged actively in the role-play and the

following discussion. Both the actors and audience members were able to see various ‘Circles of

Reconciliation’ in the story of the prodigal son. (There was not enough to do this activity at the

Kakata workshop.)

4. Drawing our Stories.

1. Instruct the students to create a drawing that represents their location in the

process of The Circle of Reconciliation in a (current or past) conflict their own

lives and their journey within that process of reconciliation.

2. Allow for at least 20 minutes for students to engage in the drawing of their

pictures, in order for students to tap into their creative unconscious.

Notes from BFC: In this activity, students drew pictures of different conflicts and traumas in

their lives. Some students’ pictures represented trauma, separation from families, and poverty

as a result of the war. Others drew pictures of conflicts that they had had with their friends, or

how BFC had helped to change their lives for the better. Many of the students seemed to enjoy

having the opportunity to draw their stories. Some students indicated that they felt some

vulnerability during this activity, but many of these students also indicated in their evaluations

that the facilitators had provided a safe space for exploring these stories.

Notes from Kakata:

5. Sharing our Stories

1. Invite a group of 5 students at a time, to share their stories and/or their drawings

as they relate to the processes of reconciliation in their own lives represented in

their drawings as they feel comfortable.

Give enough waiting time for students who feel comfortable to open up

and share. Don’t be afraid of the silence, and don’t pressure students to

share. The deeply personal aspect of sharing one’s stories necessitates that

teachers gently care for their students when engaging these moments.

In order to prepare students for sharing their stories, teachers should make

sure students know well ahead of time that they may be expected to share

their stories, and clarify that students what they feel comfortable sharing.

2. After each student shares their story, use the liturgical tool of Call and Response.

One: For the dark and lonely times in our journey,

All: Grant us courage.

One: For new life, healing and reconciliation:

Grant us hope.

3. At the end of the activity, invite students to come together for a closing ritual,

such as a prayer or song such as “Amazing Grace.”

Notes from BFC: During the sharing portion of the activity, 5 students shared to the entire

group their drawings. Students ranged from experiences with the war, poverty, raising ones

siblings as a teenager, and their experiences with BFC. The students who volunteered to share

their stories were very open and passionate about their experiences, and the audience listened

intently and thanked each student who shared with a loud applause .One facilitator (Janjay)

shared a drawing of where she was in the Circle of Reconciliation. The combination of hearing a

story (Kelly’s Story) acting out a story (Prodigal son Story) and seeing a visual ( Janjay’s

picture),helped the students better understand the Circle of Reconciliation and identify where

they were in the process.

Notes from Kakata:

Closing Prayer

Prayer for Desert Times

THE JOURNEYS OF OUR LIVES are never fully charted.

There come, sometimes, to each of us, deserts to cross,

barren stretches

where the green edge on the horizon may be our destination,

or an oasis on our way,

or a mirage that beckons and will leave us lost.

When fear grips the heart, or despair bows the head,

may we bend as heart and head lead us down to touch the ground beneath our feet,

and scoop some sand into our hands,

and receive what the sand would teach us:

It holds the warmth of the sun when the sun has left our sight.

as it holds the cool of the night when the stars have faded.

And hidden among its grains are tiny seeds, at rest and waiting.

Dormant, yet undefeated. Desert flowers.

They endure.

Moistened by our tears,

and by the rain that comes to the end even the longest drought,

they send down roots, and they bloom.

Oh, may we believe in those seeds,

And the seeds within us.

May we remember in our dry seasons

that we, too, are desert flowers.

Amen.

--- Margaret Keip

From “For Praying Out Loud: Interfaith Prayers for Public Occasions” by Annie Foerster

Workshop Day 3:

Power, Change and Peacebuilding in Society

Power

Change

Peace

Building

“What does PEACE look like?” – Activity

Objectives:

1. In this activity, students will imagine and use their bodies to show what peace currently

looks like in their country and what peace can look like in their country.

2. For students share their understanding of peace in Liberia today, and to imagine what

they can do change their local communities and lives.

Instructions:

1st Round - What does the state of peace look like in Liberia today?

1. The facilitator should prompt the students by encouraging them to think about “what is

the current state of Liberia?” “Although country of Liberia was in war for many years,

violent conflict has ended, and Liberia is said to be in a state of peace. What does this

peace look like in Liberia today? Even though Liberia is now in a state of peace, is there

still violence, poverty, and emotional harm happening in our communities? How is

power being exercised? What is the state of peace in Liberian society today?

2. Facilitator: “Now that we have pictured what the current state of Liberia is, we will create

this picture with our bodies. First, we need three volunteers. The three of you will create

a picture through acting silently without words, what peace in Liberia looks like today.”

3. Students are given time to act out their “picture” of Liberia.

4. Instructor should invite students, as they feel called, to “enter” the picture and add their

own understanding to the “picture” of peace in Liberia.

5. The facilitator should give time for all or most of the students to also be a part of the

picture of peace in Liberia.

6. Discussion afterward. “What did you see in this picture/ scene of Liberia?” Everyone

who wants to should have an opportunity to explain what they were portraying or what

they saw that was interesting in the representation of peace in their society.

7. The activity is then repeated to show what the students want to see peace in Liberia look

like, and what they can do to create peace in Liberia.

2nd

Round – What do we want peace in Liberia to look like?

3rd

Round – What can we do to create a Liberia that looks like the peaceful Liberia that we want?

Source: Adapted from an activity in Dr. Courtney Goto’s Creative Pedagogy class.

Notes from BFC: Although students were at first timid to volunteer to be a part of the activity,

this activity in the end was successful and lively. The students adapted the activity from working

silently, to coordinating in small teams who did planned role-plays together about what “peace”

looked like in Liberia. A number of different topics were addressed in the role plays including:

education, corruption, physical abuse, drinking/ smoking, night clubs, religion, church,

friendship, conflict resolution, etc.

Notes from Kakata:

Human Barometer – Taking a Stand on Controversial Issues

Objective:

The barometer teaching strategy helps students share their opinions by lining up along a

continuum to represent their point of view. It is especially useful when trying to discuss an issue

about which students have a wide range of opinions. Engaging in a barometer activity can be an

effective pre-writing exercise before an essay assignment because it gets many arguments out on

the table.

Instructions:

Instructor reads a statement and learners are permitted to react immediately and silently by

walking to the area of the room that matches how they feel about the statement read. There are

five areas that one can gravitate toward: strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly

agree. Once students have found a place, they must remain standing there. Instructors will then

ask a few people to respond to the statement and explain why they chose to stand where they are.

1. Preparation: Identify a space in the classroom where students can create a line or a U-shape.

Place "Strongly Agree", "Strongly Disagree" and “Neutral” signs at opposite ends of a

continuum in your room. Or, you can post any statement and at the other end of the line post

its opposite.

2. Contracting: Set a contract for this activity. Since it deals with students literally putting

themselves and their opinions on the line, it has potential for outbursts which result from

some not understanding how classmates can hold whatever opinion they hold. Reiterate your

class rules about respect for the opinions and voices of others, and call for them to be honest,

but not insulting. Re-address ways to constructively disagree with one another, and require

that when offering their opinion or defense of their stance, that they speak from the "I," rather

than from an accusatory "You."

3. Formulating an opinion: Give students a few minutes to reflect on a prompt or prompts

which call for agreement or disagreement with a particular statement. Often Facing History

teachers have students respond to the prompt in their journals.

4. “Take a Stand”: Ask students to stand on the spot of the line that represents their opinion -

telling them that if they stand on either extreme they are absolute in their agreement or

disagreement. They may also stand anywhere in between the two extremes, depending on

how much they do or do not agree with the statement.

5. Explain positions: Once students have lined themselves up, ask the students to explain why

they have chosen to stand where they are standing. Encourage students to refer to evidence

and examples when defending their stance. It is probably best to alternate from one end to the

middle to the other end, rather than allowing too many voices from one stance to dominate.

After about three or four viewpoints are heard, ask if anyone wishes to move. Encourage

students to keep an open mind; they are allowed to move if someone presents an argument

that alters where they want to stand on the line. Run the activity until you feel most or all

voices have been heard, making sure that no one person dominates.

6. Debriefing: There are many ways you can debrief this exercise. You can have students to

reflect in their journals about how the activity changed or reinforced their original

opinion. Or, you can chart the main for and against arguments on the board as a whole-class

activity.

Human Barometer Questions:

1. Liberia is a beautiful country

2. Palm Butter is the most delicious Liberian dish.

3. Centers like BFC make a difference only at the individual level.

4. Women can be powerful leaders; just as effective as men.

5. Liberians should do more for themselves and not depend on outside or foreign assistance.

6. When someone upsets you, it is better to walk away and not say anything at all than to

confront them.

7. Individuals themselves, not communities (environments) are responsible for the good and

bad outcomes of a person.

8. Building Liberia is the responsibility a job for the educated only.

9. People who did not experience the worst of the civil war have no business talking about it.

10. If you forgive someone it means you should forget about what they did to you.

11. People who end up in jail or on the streets are there because they did not listen to the advice

of others.

12. Hard work can help one to rise out of poverty.

13. Talking about how you were hurt in the past is not healthy.

14. It is important for offenders to be part of conversations about peace.

15. It is important that we know who is to blame for our pain

16. Those who are guilty of crimes must be punished.

17. Religion has had a positive role in peace building in Liberia.

18. If a former rebel leader says sorry for what he/she has done, we should not listen to his/her

appeal.

19. Black women should perm their hair.

20. Girls drop out of school more than boys because they do not like to learn.

21. It is okay for a man to have two wives or two girlfriends as long as he is able to support

them.

22. It is okay for a man to leave a woman if she is barren.

23. A marriage is a business partnership, not based on romantic love.

24. Women should not date men just for their money.

25. A woman is not complete without a man.

Sources: http://www.acoe.org/chavez/documents/files/10._Human_Barometer.pdf;

http://www.facing.org/resources/strategies/barometer-taking-stand-contro;

http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/facingtoday/a-toolbox-genocide

Notes from BFC: Students were very energetic about this activity, engaging even the topics

which we thought might be less controversial with strongly opinionated and well-formed

arguments. The debate regarding Liberia’s favorite food “Palm Butter” and “Liberia is a

beautiful country” were two unexpectedly heated debates! Another pleasant surprise was the

number of men who took a feminist position with well-reasoned and well-articulated arguments

with regard to women’s leadership in their country. The debate surrounding who is allowed to

talk about the Liberian civil war was also heated, and was particularly interesting, considering

my own role as an outsider coming into Liberia to do work in peace education.

Notes from Kakata:

Artistic/Therapeutic Response

Dinosaur Breathing Exercise This is a detailed breathing exercise which incorporates the use of imagination to relax. The

experience can be frightening and overwhelming. Learning to relax has been found helpful in the

reduction of post- traumatic stress. The detailed description of this activity as borrowed from. http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/edu_materials/HATS2ndEdition.pdf, is only available

in print but a short overview of the breathing involves the following.

Instructions:

Relax…

Forehead- squint eyes/ then relax them.

Jaw muscles- open mouth wide like you are yawning and then relax your mouth by

slowly closing it.

Shoulders and Neck- shrug shoulders then relax them

Arms- make a tight muscle, and then relax them

Stomach- tighten stomach by sucking it in, and then relax it

Back- touch toes to stretch back and then relax back

Legs-sit down on ground, stretch legs moving hands to toes as far as you can go.

Breathe slowly in and out, upon the direction of the leader to relax entire body.

Notes from BFC: The dinosaur breathing exercise was a great end to an extremely energetic

and at times heated day. Many of the students seemed to enjoy the breathing exercise. One

student even wrote in the evaluation. “I like the Dinosaur Breathing activity and I hope to

improve upon it.”

Notes from Kakata:

Closing Prayer

Let Us Learn Peace

Peace is more than the absence of worry.

It is the creation of safe havens for all;

It is the building of security for everyone;

It is the forgiveness of self, as well as one who would harm you.

Let us seek contentment; let us learn peace.

Peace is more than the absence of discordance.

It is the intent listening to diverse points ofview.

It is the intentional speaking of all voices,

One at a time;

It is the tension within silence that welcomes

All thoughts.

Let us seek the harmony, let us learn peace.

Peace is more than the absence of tension.

It is studying the hard lesson of letting go;

It is breathing through pain into tranquility,

It is forming friendship out of enmity.

Let us seek serenity, let us learn peace.

Peaceis much more than the absence of war.

It is observing the promised truce when anger would say”no”;

It is finding the just compromisewhen ego would say “my way”;

It is striving for reconciliation when the heart would say “revenge.”

Let us seek amity forall the earth, let us learn peace.

--- L. Annie Foerster

From “For Praying Out Loud: Interfaith Prayers for Public Occasions” by Annie Foerster

Closing Ritual

“I Believe” Sung or instrumental music plays in background as people express statements of hope for a

better future and world by saying “I believe…..”

For example, “I believe that forgiveness is possible” “I believe that the youth are the

future.” “I believe that people can change.” “I believe that I can make a difference.”

After the Words and the Music and the Gathering

After the words, a quiet.

After the songs, the silence.

After the crowd has scattered, only the trampled grass

recalls the gathering.

Peace and justice have need of you

after the words and the music and the gathering.

God grant you the depth for dedication to justice.

God grant you the will to be a solitary apostle of peace.

Amen.

---- Max Coots

From “For Praying Out Loud: Interfaith Prayers for Public Occasions” by Annie Foerster