Children are given opportunities to explore the similarities and differences in customs, attitudes and policies of other nations and to believe in the possibility of world peace. Through clarity about our goal and perseverance in our commitment to effect peace at our school, we can dispel the discouragement that comes from the belief that violence in inevitable.
Learning the skills of peacemaking is Tonda School's discipline program.
Our students are consistently faced with having to make decisions during the school day. Part of our responsibility as adults who work at Tonda School is to assist children in making good decisions, especially when it pertains to solving a conflict.
Creating an atmosphere of acceptance and peace is possible, but maintaining it takes enormous commitment, practice and a willingness to leave old habits behind. We do not punish children at Tonda School. We do have bottom-line standard that children don't hurt each other in our school. Children know this, when someone attempts to deviate from this standard, they know that their behavior is unacceptable. We help them to "see" that there is an alternative to violence.
We create an atmosphere of peacefulness and compromises that includes the following:
Cooperation
Calmness
Willingness to work out differences
Love and acceptances
The ability to say, "I'm human. I've made a mistake. I'll try again."