TeachAde

mread

Christmas time. It's the season of giving, of spending time with family and friends, and of sending wishes of "Peace on Earth". It is the wish of "Peace on Earth" that sixth grade pursued. One of our 6th grade team members found an interesting history behind the song "Let There Be Peace on Earth", a song known and sung by many. She approached the other 6th grade teachers about sharing the song's history with the students and teaching them the song. She found a web site that actually played the song, so we could sing along with it if we so desired. Both Team B and Team R were in agreement that this was an excellent idea.

During the first and second weeks of December, FLEX class teachers shared the history of the song with their students. "Let There Be Peace on Earth" was written in 1955 by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, a husband and wife songwriting team. Their purpose for writing the song was to share their wish for world peace and what they believed every person could do to create it. Their song was first introduced to a group of 180 teenagers selected from their high schools to attend a weeklong retreat in California. These students purposely came from different cultural, economic, racial and religious backgrounds. The goal of the retreat was to create understanding and friendship through education, discussion groups and by living and working together in a camp situation. One summer night, this multitude of youth gathered atop a mountain, formed a circle by locking arms and sang this song of peace. When the retreat ended, the sentiment of this wish for peace did not remain on top of that mountain. These inspired teenagers shared this song. It didn't stop with their families, friends, churches, etc., but took flight like a dove and spread to many countries, even to the far ends of the earth in darkest Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Teachers chose a variety of ways to convey the message of peace inspired by this song. Along with sharing the history, some teachers held a discussion about peace and what we can do to help the world be more peaceful. Even though the world seems troubled right now, and there's not much we can do about that, we can carry the words of the song in our hearts and make a difference in our homes, classrooms, and our school. Some classes actually formed a circle, linked arms and sang "Let There Be Peace on Earth" just like the teenagers did in 1955. It was our hope that many students would be inspired by the words and do their best to help their world be more peaceful.