Intervention(s)
MFC offers specialized in situ training to enhance teachers’ competencies to promote education for peace and citizenship competencies on students. It also aims to strengthen Education Secretariats to institutionalize those practices at the local and department level.
The program comprises three phases (1) classroom, (2) school and (3) community:
1.The first phase starts at the classroom level, analyzing current pedagogical practices of teachers and promoting effective tools to develop citizenship competencies on students.
2.The second phase focuses on working on institutional management practices at the school level in order to assure that all spaces available at the school are effective opportunities for students to experience democracy along with other members of the school community.
3.The third phase further extends the exercise of citizenship to Education Secretariats and other plausible public and private allies, focusing on social mobilization and participatory practices, which aim is to establish links of collaboration between different members of the communities.
Each phase contains three main cycles: (1) understanding the context, (2) training and assistance, and (3) articulation. The first two cycles relate to specialized teacher training and classroom strategies, and the last one has a broader objective, which is to apply this knowledge beyond classroom environments, and strengthen the work conducted by teachers in the classroom at the school and community level.
Some of the primary topics that are discuss during the training are the following:
1) Education for peace and human rights: it highlights the relevance of acquiring values and developing attitudes, skills, and behaviors that lead to more inclusive and cooperative environments. In addition, it focuses on how to consider conflict as a mechanism for positive change, advice on how to handle conflicting situations in the classroom, and abilities necessary to achieve it.
2) Socio-emotional, cognitive and communicational abilities: how to identify, manage and learn from our own emotions -and others’- to ensure favorable interpersonal relationships, not only with students, but also with all school employees. It also puts emphasis on understanding other people’s circumstances, by developing empathy and mutual understanding.
3) Pedagogical style: education for peace’s approach centers on encouraging structured pedagogical practices that stimulate student’s participation in class. In order to achieve that, teachers have to prepare in advance the class’s structure and the main goal of every activity. Thus, preparation goes beyond “annual planning”; every day and every class must be carefully analyzed in order to achieve its higher ends.
4) Class planning: offers support and suggestions for class activities that promote citizenship competencies, such as collaborative strategies, conversations, ethic, and citizen’s fundamental values.