A qualitative study of classroom culture in two elementary environments in which teachers who identify themselves as peace educators are implementing peace education practices with first grade children

This study involved two early childhood peace educators and their classrooms. The objective was to learn about ways they educated for positive peace. It explored factors that influenced teacher commitment to peace education. Classroom observations were done to learn if unique characteristics could be identified to describe practice that demonstrated education for positive peace.; The teacher in case study one identified strongly with her Hawaiian cultural background. Reproducing the sense of family she remembered from elementary school, became an important component of her classroom practice. The teacher, who attended public schools, chose to work at a small private school with multi-age classrooms because its philosophy was consistent with her beliefs.; The teacher in case study two expressed no particular ethnic identity but she identified strongly as a Roman Catholic. Ensuring that children were not subjected to teasing was an important component of her classroom practice. The teacher, who attended parochial schools, chose to work in a large public school with self-contained classrooms because she liked the children who were mostly part-Hawaiian.; Data were collected through initial quasi-structured interviews with each teacher to ascertain their beliefs about peace education and about the role their cultural backgrounds played in forming those beliefs. Naturalistic classroom observations were conducted. Field notes were transcribed and coded. Data were clarified through informal conversations and follow-up interviews.; Interactive patterns of behaviors that emerged in both classrooms were analyzed as: caring and cooperation, community, sharing of power, and conflict resolution. Caring and cooperation included children offering assistance in academic and social situations. Community referred to a sense that the classroom was a safe place emotionally and physically. Teachers shared power by giving children a voice in decisions that concerned them. Conflict resolution involved the use of problem solving skills including appropriate language.; The data provide two portraits of how peace education might be approached in primary classrooms. Both concentrated on the quality of lived experience rather than on introducing curriculum. The study showed that peace education can be addressed by two different teachers in different settings and still produce similar results of positive, non-violent behavior.