2007 Conference Schedule 8:30-9:00 am - Registration 9:00 am - Welcome 9:30-10:30 - Concurrent Workshops 10:45-11:45 - Workshops Cont. 12:00-1:15 - Lunch and Special Program 1:30-2:30 - Concurrent Workshops 2:45-3:45 - Workshops Cont. 4:00-4:30 - Closing Keynote

Keynote Speaker - Jan Arnow

Jan Arnow is an educator, child advocate and author. She is also one of America's leading authorities on the psychology and teaching practices of multicultural education and violence reduction.

Jan began established the Institute for the Intercultural Understanding, in Louiseville, Kentucky and the No More Violence Project. She is also served as Director of Multicultural Education for the Kentucky Department of Education.

Jan speaks and counsults throughout America - from the United Nations to NPR - and helps bring insight to communities on the issues of violence abatement, muticultural education and prejudice reduction. Her "No Violence Bus Project" is an example of the creativity she brings to bear in training and educating people to adopt non-violent behaviour.

Her many publications include "Teaching Peace: Raising Kids in Harmony Without Fear, Without Prejudice, Without Violence, and Steps Along the Way: Living as Peacemakers in a Violent World. She teaches a high-school level course she designed titled "Violence: Past, Present and Future."

Workshop and Presenters (in alphabetical order)

Teaching against the ongoing backdrop of war; how to help
students understand conflicts in the Middle East - David Albert

Encouraging Student Activism; Giving students a voice in policy and politics - Rob Atkinson, Ivan Espinosa and Alyssa Burgin

Working it out: strategies for elementary-school children to resolve inner and outer conflict - Susan Ives and Ann Helmke

Language Equality and Dispelling Stereotypes at Age 4 - Joan Grace

Teaching Critical Thinking Skills - Professor William Hardt

Nonviolent/ Compassionate Communication - Brenda Hardt and Marilynn Schwanitz

Creating a Culture of Peace in the Schools - Judith Hoffhien

Telling the Truth: Empowering Students With History - John Kelley

Teaching Empathy with Examples in the Math and Science Curricula - Deanna King

Teaching Peace by Making Peace: Educators' Role in Ending Violence Against LGBT Students" - Tommie Kinney

Peaceful Vocations: Counter-Recruiting for High School Students - Kitty Case and Diane Wood

How Power and Oppression Function to Create Violence and Injustice in Schools - Tim Love and Morgan J Curtis, LMSW

The Need for Peace-filled Schools

Students cannot learn and teachers cannot teach effectively if they do not feel safe. According to the Texas Education Agencey (TEA) and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (TJPC), "tens of thousands of Texas students are referred each year for school violence."

Teachers and administrators are often frustrated with the lack of appropriate materials, lesson plans, and activities that can be incorporated within their curricula so that students can learn age-appropriate nonviolent techniques and understanding.

In 1995 the Texas Legislature, concerned about safety in school, adopted a new state policy requiring that each school create alternative education programs. While the focus of these programs has been on student disciplinary options there remains a need for comprehensive curricular approaches to the issue of violence.

Texas Educators Can Make the Difference

A primary goal of Texans for Peace is to work with educators throughout the state to make schools more peaceful and violence-free. We help educators - the ones making a difference every day in children's lives - through workshops, educational materials, and advocacy as part of our overall mission to support Texans who believe in peace and social justice.

Join with us and educators throughout Texas. (MAP AND DIRECTIONS). We'll look forward to seeing you at this important and exciting conference!