"It went well: even the principal attended the session for the whole time, to go through the activities. He was supportive!"
Play For Peace is excited to make an appearance at the Bent Elementary School in Bloomington, Illinois. Recently, several of our trainers gave an introductory PFP session for staff, administration, and children. They hope to launch a full PFP program at the school in the coming weeks! Our own staff were thrilled by the experience: with four trainers in tow, the atmosphere was upbeat and inspirational. All look forward to working with the school again.
As one remarked: “We love how sharing the Play For Peace methodology opens up ideas for teachers, coordinators, and school administrators on how to use play as a means to help kids integrate, have fun, and create a more peaceful school." So what exactly did this training entail? Well, about 36 faculty and staff members received their initial training last week, primarily as an introduction to the Play for Peace model and to experiential learning. After introducing the model and showing a supplementary video, they spent about 1.5 hours in play, with 15 minutes or so for evaluation. At this time, the school social worker, her intern, and the playground supervisor will be the primary PFP mentors. There are now 3 days in September scheduled to introduce PFP games to the kids, providing approximately two hours of activities to each grade level.
Staff are also considering starting an “integration” program with the Kindergarteners at recess time. This recess overlaps with the Grade 5 Physical Education class, and the idea of fifth graders leading games with the toddlers is an exciting possibility. If the initial training is any indicator, we envision this to be a great success. The staff at large took the time to engage with the session. As one of our trainers remarked: "It went well: even the principal attended the session for the whole time, to go through the activities. He was supportive!"
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