Peace and value education: a comparative understanding from Montessori and Freire

Abstract: The thesis entitled ‘Peace and Value Education- A comparative understanding from Montessori and Freire’ is an effort in knowing the foundation of peace and value education via possible application of the ideas from Maria Montessori and Paulo Freire. The context of work is around the experience of the author while working with concepts and practices from ‘peace classes’ provided by the association- Education Globale et Développement asbl. These peace classes are the weekly activity sessions organized all through the year in various class groups mainly in primary schools from different provinces of French speaking region of Belgium. Those relevant concepts and practices from Montessori and Freire which directly or indirectly are either applied or have their potential for application is analyzed here. The beginning is made conceptualizing and understanding peace and value concepts, its education and requirement in present social context. Thereafter, Freire and Montessori are analyzed by presenting briefly their lives, explaining one of their books each and upon that their individual and later their complementary and shared comparative relevance towards peace and value education. This analysis is supplemented with relevant concept and practice examples from the organization of peace classes. The taken research question of ‘What is the foundation of the work of peace classes whose aim is to develop peaceful, morally developed individuals who are active promotors of peace in order to develop a peaceful, united and progressive world?’ Montessori and Freire are analyzed to see how their approaches can help us to answer this research question. Whether young people or adults from Montessori or Freire respectively, the central understanding gained in relevance and harmony with peace class objective is that- to progress people have to become the conscious subjects of their own development. Educators should themselves go through this conscious transformation in order to bring the same in their population. The question in relevance to peace classes is often the attitude of teacher or educator in the schools which is in disharmony with the objective and state of mind for peace classes and which requires being more positive thereby encouraging young people and adults in their conscious development. Peace within and without an individual and group are the twin facets of the same peace and value education objective. Cooperative learning approach is the suggested methodology in harmony and as a mean in best fulfilling this objective applying it both within and without the class-room context at individual and collective dimensions including family and community. A positive and encouraging attitude for young people and for educators towards themselves is found to be the key in arriving sufficiently fulfilling this goal.