Today we celebrated our special Peace Assembly where every class brought something to share.
Year 1 and 2 showed some decorations they had made ‘ Peace Doves’ Marina, Nelisha and Jaume read the poems they had written on the back of their doves. Beautiful English and amazing poems, all three!
Year 3 had made a big dove all together and done different drawings of representations of peace and anti-violence.
Year 4 made windmills which they were using to ‘blow away’ the bad things. They explained that the windmills blew away bad feelings, or insults, or violent actions.
Year 5/6 made a large peace mandala and they decorated it with affirmations for positive things that they can do on a daily basis, such as ‘I will think before I speak’. We talked about ‘inner peace’ and the kind of circumstances, which help to create this for everyone, and how we all have a responsibility to contribute to the common ‘peace’ and be responsible for our actions.
Year 7 had prepared a video presentation about Gandhi. They explained why he is recognised as a figure of world peace. The assembly learned how he had achieved the independence of India from British rule by peaceful means. Ona explained that Gandhi reflected a lot on what he would say before he said it, and this was a good strategy for achieving peaceful outcomes. One of his sayings, which you hear everywhere today is: ‘By talking to each other people reach understanding’ or ‘hablando se entiende la gente’.
‘Vive como si fueras a morir mañana, aprende como si el mundo fuera durar para siempre.’ Other children in the assembly were asking Year 7 questions about different aspects of his philosophy, such as what some of these phrases really means. Judith explained hat through his peaceful struggle he managed to relieve the situation of poverty in India. He also improved the rights of women. There was less discrimination between the classes.
Year 7 made links between Gandhi and Martin Luther King, and explained his achievements and how they related to Gandhi.
Michelle explained that the mural, which Nursery and Reception have painted in the big patio holds two doves – favourite animals of Joan Miró but also international symbols of peace.
After the presentation we revised as a whole the values, which we transmit in our school in the way we behave. Do we always think before we act? Do we use violence sometimes to get what we want? Do we use hurtful words to give ourselves a sense of power over others? What is our responsibility towards the ‘inner peace’ that we want to create in our school.
If I witness behaviour that I think might disturb the peaceful feeling in our school. What is my responsibility? How should I act? Even if I’m not involved in something do I still have a responsibility?
Altogether we discussed our limits and responsibilities, and that ‘little voice’ that we all have inside, that tells us if something is right or wrong, good or bad… We have resolved to tune in to our ‘little voice’ several times a day. It is our good guide, and will help us to make the correct choices, for each of us, but also for the group.
Stars of the week went to Ana Sofía in Year 6, for thoroughness and dedication in her work; Jaume in Year 2 for participating and sharing creative ideas; Alison for her fantastic work this week on adjectives! Álvaro in Nursery and Reception got a star for coming cheerfully to the library now when he has to come to school early! We finished assembly with a star for Judith García for speaking really well in Spanish and Catalan with good intonation!
