Beliefs

It is difficult for students to

take different perspectives
about current wars without
being exposed to them in a
classroom setting or
through literature. Because
students often only see one
side of the war through the
media or their families, it is
important to introduce
ideas to students about war
through literature.

The books that are most

beneficial to students
understanding of war and
violence express the wide
affect they have across
humanity that lasts for
several years.

Principles
Although children usually
understand all sides of
historical wars, they have
trouble understanding that
there are people going
through wars today in
other parts of the world,
because they only see and
know what is going on in
America. For example, in
my interview, the children
understood the different
sides and perspectives of
the Civil War, but when
asked if they knew any
wars currently going on
overseas they had trouble
answering. -Beccas
interview

Practices
In a classroom, I would
make sure to teach about
wars that occurred in the
past, but also be sure to
introduce students to the
idea that wars are not
purely a historical concept,
and that they are going on
today. I will teach through
literature that take
perspectives of the
countries America fought in
various wars, as well as
literature that describes
wars going on today that
America is not involved in. I
will emphasize the idea
that wars can still be going
on even though they are
not happening in your own
country.

Within the books, The
In the classroom this belief
Faithful Elephants, and
can be translated into the
The Wall, interviews
need to regard the impact
conducted, it is obvious
of ones actions. A teacher
that war can cause pain and has the responsibility to
anguish to more than the
stress the ripple effect of
soldiers and government
our actions and how they
directly involved. In The
can be mirrored when
Wall its very clear that
looking at war. So many
children generations after
wars are started by
war feel the absence of
disagreement of few and
grandparents and great-
turned into massive loss of
grandparents, and can
life that affect countries for
struggle to understand why generations. In class it is
other kids have these
important to show students
family members and they
the impact they can have
dont. The Faithful
either positive or negative.
Elephants extends the

effect to animals, debatably
the most innocent parties
in war, and how their loss

of life seems to devalue any

war.

The curriculum that is
Through literature, children
taught at the elementary
can begin to learn about
level leaves out books
different conflicts that have
about war and violence,
occurred throughout
because these topics are
history, and discussions can
seen as too mature for
be had about these events.
them. However, it is
Critical questions can be
important that children
asked, such as why the
begin to learn about these event may have occurred,
atrocities so that they know why it was bad, and what
why they are wrong and
can be learned from it.
how we can learn from

them.

Read books to students

such as The Wall by Eve
Bunting, which begins to
teach children about
conflicts in the past and
how humans have been
able to move on and
improve their lives after
these events.