The Global Peacebuilding Center at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) works closely with educators, supporting their efforts to engage students in peacebuilding activities in the classroom and beyond.
Our Peacebuilding Toolkit for Educators and other resources are designed to equip middle school and high school educators to introduce peacebuilding concepts and skills to younger audiences.
The Global Peacebuilding Center has hosted a number of groups of teachers for recent programs onsite and has worked with others at venues around the United States and beyond through distance learning. More than 1,400 educators have participated in workshops and briefings designed to support their efforts to bring peacebuilding into the classroom. The Global Peacebuilding Center also works with college instructors in coordination with USIP’s Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding, which has long-standing ties to higher education.
Webinars for Educators
Archived
- "It's Never Too Early! Engaging Upper Elementary Students in Conversations and Actions for Peace." Program Office Megan Chabalowski and special guests Jill McManigal (Kids for Peace) and Sarah Lavezzo (elementary school teacher) explore what it means for children to be peacebuilders, educator resources for this age group, and other creative ideas for engaging children in learning about and taking action for peace. (May 2016)
- "Teach Peace: Developing Youth's Knowledge and Skills for a Globalized World." Program Officer Megan Chabalowski discusses the work of the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Global Peacebuilding Center and explores ways to teach peacebuilding concepts and skills to youth to prepare them for a global world. This webinar was hosted by the Global Education Conference. (November 2015)
- "Speaking Their Peace: Personal Stories from the Frontlines of War and Peace." We spoke with author and USIP acting vice president Colette Rausch about what readers can learn about war and peace from her new book, a collection of interviews from eleven conflict zones around the world. Visit the book's website here. (May 2015)
- "Women Tackling Terrorism: A Conversation with Dr. Kathleen Kuehnast about Gender and Peacebuilding." We celebrate Women's History Month with this webinar highlighting the important role women are playing globally in preventing violent extremism and the radicalization of youth in their communities. (March 2015)
"Why I Teach Peace(building)"
- Read the stories of four outstanding educators from across the U.S. on why they teach global themes of conflict and peace and the impact it has on their students.
USIPeace Teachers Program
- The USIPeace Teachers program offers a select group of U.S. teachers the opportunity to work closely with each other and with USIP over the course of a school year.
Sucess Stories
- Read the experiences of educators who have used our Peacebuilding Toolkit and how this resource impacted their work.
Recent Programs for Educators
Some of the programs for educators conducted in 2014 and 2015 include:
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Throughout winter and fall 2015, the Global Peacebuilding Center welcomed groups of teachers visiting Washington, DC, with Close Up’s Washington Teacher Program. These teachers from across the U.S. and other countries receive a workshop on USIP and on teaching international conflict management and peacebuilding.
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In February, Program Officer Megan Chabalowski discussed teaching peacebuilding at a "learning station" DC Public Schools (DCPS) teachers participating in the Embassy Adoption Program's Professional Development day.
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In February, Program Officer Megan Chabalowski hosted a booth at IREX's Global Education Resource Fair and the DC Public Schools Partnership Fair, engaging educators from the DC area.
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In June, the Global Peacebuilding Center held a workshop at the International Conference on Conflict Resolution Education in Washington, DC, attended by teachers from across the country.
- In August, Program Officer Megan Chabalowski hosted a webinar for educators, co-facilitated with high school student Raja Ramesh, for the International Baccalaureate Mid-Atlantic (IBMA) Summer Academy on utilizing Global Peacebuilding Center Resources in the IB classroom.
- Director Ann-Louise Colgan traveled to Chicago, IL in August to participate in Perspectives Charter Schools' Annual Professional Development Training Day as the keynote speaker. She spoke on the importance of peacebuilding education and held a workshop for 300 teachers and school administratos from 5 area charter schools.
Educators are encouraged to engage in online discussions about key topics through our Educator Forum.
To arrange a visit and a program for your group, or to learn more about the programs we offer, please contact us at buildingpeace@usip.org.