Pedagogic and Didactic Manual for Teaching Prosociality in Primary School

With financial support from the
Daphne III Programme of the European Union

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PEDAGOGIC AND DIDACTIC MANUAL
FOR TEACHING PROSOCIALITY
IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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Table of Contents
1 Prosociality against violence ................................................................................................ 4
1.1 Defining prosociality ..................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Prosociality in the changing scenario of education ...................................................... 6
1.3 Pedagogic relevance of prosociality................................................................................... 9
1.3.1 How educators can be active in promoting prosociality ................................................ 9
1.4 Preventing violence through building a prosocial environment ..................................... 11
2 The Prosocial Peace Code................................................................................................... 14
2.1 The Code ..................................................................................................................... 14
2.2 The importance of the reference values..................................................................... 16
2.2.1 Values in the world .............................................................................................. 16
2.2.2 Our common values............................................................................................. 20
2.3 Highlights..................................................................................................................... 22
2.4 Values vs Educational Axes ......................................................................................... 25
2.5 Prosocial applying keystones ...................................................................................... 27
2.6 How to use the Code as an educational tool .............................................................. 31
3 The Educators Caring Communities (ECC).......................................................................... 32
3.1 What are the ECC and what is their role in the perspective of prosociality............... 32
3.2 The meaning of the re-construction of the educational community ......................... 33
3.3 How to rebuild the Educating Community ................................................................. 35
3.4 Main strategies for the ECC implementation ............................................................. 38
4 Teaching Prosociality: from pedagogic literacy to didactic methodology ......................... 39
4.1 How and where to teach Prosociality......................................................................... 39
4.2 The role of the school staff motivation....................................................................... 41
4.3 Three propaedeutic activities ..................................................................................... 42
4.4 The operational didactic protocol............................................................................... 43
4.5 Welcoming spaces and activities ................................................................................ 44
4.6 The Listening Points .................................................................................................... 46
4.7 The setting of the classroom....................................................................................... 47
5 The Prosocial Educative Tools ............................................................................................ 51

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5.1 What are the Prosocial Educative Tools ..................................................................... 51
5.2 Methodologies and activities...................................................................................... 53
5.3 Some Tools for each prosocial area/keystone............................................................ 56
6 Assessment instruments of prosociality and group dynamics........................................... 98
6.1 The Moreno Sociogram............................................................................................... 98
6.2 The drawing of the class............................................................................................ 101

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1 Prosociality against violence
1.1 Defining prosociality
The term Prosociality is the specular definition of what in psychology is defined as prosocial
behaviour meant as the set of actions that benefit other people or society as a community or a
group of people characterized by the act of helping in which the helper does not benefit from the
result of his/her actions.
As a consequence, the “Prosocial behaviour” can be defined as voluntary actions intended to help
or benefit another individual or group of individuals without any expectation of a benefit return.
While these actions benefit the recipient, they can also be costly to the giver. One is thus faced
with the decision to help others at the expense of oneself. When considering prosocial behaviour,
the external, explicit actions are emphasized; as opposed to the internal, implicit motivations for
those prosocial actions. Prosocial behaviour entails both the physical and mental amelioration of
others.
Along this idea of pro-social behaviour resides the concept of prosociality.
The scientific basis are well defined by the so called “game theory” that can be considered one of
the greatest contributions of experimental economics.
This theory is the development of experimental protocols (“games”) that measure human
preferences in a standardized fashion. These games can be used to measure differences between
individuals, contexts and cultures at behavioural level, providing a valuable complement to self-
report surveys. Instead of merely asking someone about the importance of helping others, for
example, an experimental game reveals whether they actually do help others in situations that
involve real financial loss and gain.
In practical terms, when an individual has to face an economic challenge, he/she is naturally
pushed towards equilibrium.
This equilibrium is reached when the challengers are next to be satisfied by their own positions.
The characteristic of the cooperation is the term that can be defined as social capital to be
referred to the benefits that can be obtained from social relationships, similar to financial capital,
physical capital (e.g., a dwelling) and individual capital (e.g., an education). Those tangible
substances namely good will, fellowship, sympathy, and social intercourse among the individuals
and families who make up a social unit....The individual is helpless socially, if left to himself.... If
he/she comes into contact with his/her neighbour, and with other neighbours, there will be an

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accumulation of social capital, which may immediately satisfy his/her social needs and which may
bear a social potentiality sufficient to the substantial improvement of living conditions in the
whole community. The community as a whole will benefit by the cooperation of all its parts, while
the individual will find in his/her associations the advantages of the help, the sympathy, and the
fellowship of the neighbours.
An act is prosocial when it is addressed not to a personal interest but it is done in order to
guarantee a general interest and with this act the individuals are aware to be in an area where
rules are respected (even if they are not written), commonly accepted and which guarantee the
well-being of the social group or community the individuals feel to be part of.
The prosocial acts can be defined as:
 physical and psychological help
 sharing the emotions of others (empathy)
 meta- verbal approach towards the problems of others addressed to
increase a sense of safeness
 defending the others against threats
 taking into account and appreciate differences and the points of view
of others and
In this approach the prosocial acts have to be referred to a specific Community which can be
defined as an Educating Community. The social area related to this community is given by the
assumption that all the social actors share the same educational goals. Therefore, the “educational
conflicts” are overcome or managed.

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The world is quickly
changing:
We are going in “Liquid
Modernity” (Z. Bauman)
The social composition and
relationships changes
The need for education increases
(“Learning: the Treasure Within "J.
Delors)
The educational needs are
changing
Education and
Training 2020 (ET
2020)
A strategy for an intelligent,
sustainable and inclusive
growth
3. Promoting equity,
social cohesion and
active citizenship;
1.2 Prosociality in the changing scenario of education
We live in an age of great changes
which require new educational
policies and strategies. The EU is
tackling this problem through the ET
20201
.
The present age is characterized by
“time compression”, followed by an
acceleration process and by the “reduction of physical distances” due to an efficient transport
system and, mainly, to the International web net. Communication and information technologies
are transforming the economic dynamics (especially the Internet), social rules, as well as the
culture itself which is becoming “dynamic and global” (P. Levy).
The “global village” theorized by Mc. Luan in the ‘60s is now reality. We shifted from 20th century
modernity, characterized by the adjectives “hard” and “heavy” and by “quantity” as a way of doing
things, to 21th century post-modernity, represented by “soft” and “light” ideas, pursuing the aim
of “quality”.
A.Giddens described it as the age of “extreme modernity”, whereas Z. Bauman spoke about a
“liquid modernity”, where it is possible to see the dismantling of institutions (shell institutions A.
Giddens) and “weak ties” both in social and personal context.
In order to understand the new emerging dynamics and educational needs important to define
the new role of the School as institution, it might be useful to stress the great contradictions of
our present time.
1st contradiction: Wealth and Poverty.
Wealth and Poverty, characterizing respectively the Northern and the Southern parts of the
world, are the basic socio-economic problem; but when referring to the school system and the
teaching world in particular, even the joint richness of information is opposed to the individual
poverty of knowledge.
The scientific research makes knowledge obsolescent within three/four years, so that,
consequently, a person feels unfit to the society of Knowledge. The easy-to-use technology and
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Decision of the Council, from May 12th 2009, regarding strategies about the European cooperation in the
fields of teaching and education (ET 2020) [Gazzetta ufficiale C 119 del 28.5.2009].

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the iconic language are conquering more and more space in our everyday life and causing a
cultural impoverishment (the poor language used in TV programs is a typical example).
In such a structured context it is easy to understand how little use has a conservative-
communicative school.
Although the picture doesn’t appear good, the emerging of a series of new needs is setting the
school in a new central position. Today, the need of learning to learn is evident right from the
beginning of one’s education, in order to acquire the right skills to “learn” all lifelong (LLP UE).
Therefore, the priority seems to be the
creation of a new teaching-learning
environment.
However, the shortening of physical
distances against the increase of cultural
distances is one of the main key points in
this innovation: fast global contact given
by Internet clashes with the great
migratory streams, therefore there
doesn’t seem to be enough time left for
mediation. This forced living-together
often drives to cultural opposition, more
than to inter-culture. In this context, on
one hand we have social tensions (rising
fundamentalism), and on the other the
need of an inclusion-educating program
based on the great value of universal
brotherhood.
Standardization and loneliness, typical
of the world of global communication and hi-tech mass media, are the main contradictions of our
society and cause tensions in sharing the “main values of a common civil life”. Overcoming these
contradictions means uniting our “I” and our “WE”, in order to gain autonomy through liberty and
creativity, to realise how building ties with other people is a matter of responsibility and
acknowledge the sustainability of our actions in the environment. Therefore, our society needs a
new type of school which works on both educating and creativity and teaches responsible
relationships with one another.

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When we talk about interpersonal boundaries we refer to an ever changing “liquid society”, where
old certainties such as State-Nation, family and job are no longer part of it and long term plans are
less appealing.
The “carpe diem” strategy is the easiest answer to a world with no values and finding one’s
identity is getting more and more difficult and at the same time necessary.
The definition of who we are is described by the tension between the presumed adherence to
virtual communities, where telephone books are turning into friend-circles, and the solidarity of
the individual reduced to a simple consumer and object of consumption (Z. Bauman).
Since the school environment is the main socializing player it bears the responsibility to promote
socially-integrated behaviour models functional to social and personal wellness, through an
International systematic action: the so desired
“Emotional Literacy”.
Berne says that “Individual behaviours depend mainly on the representation we have of ourselves
and other people and on the way we are seen by other persons” and Buber (1957) argues that:
“…members of human society shape their qualities and personal skills according to different scales
of values; a society is as human as its members confirm their qualities to each other”.
Therefore, the guiding criterion is the approach
to a civil life-in-common as an educational
process, aimed to sharpen mentality and accept
both oneself and the other along the relational
axes. All educational processes shouldn’t be
isolated from the ordinary learning process but
be included in every moment of school life. The
key-issue, starting from a constructivist point of
view, is to propose an interactive process so
that people can learn from each other. J. Bruner
states that: “it is typical of Man’s nature to start
a community where learning is the fruit of a
mutual
Exchange”. This brings a change in the relationship teacher-student and within the student group
itself; it is evident how a new method based on action, examples and identification is becoming
very important. In this context, techniques have to be active, dynamic and convivial. In the field of
peace and democratic life-in-common, play is doubtless the most important strategy. By playing,
life experiences can be gradually converted into true knowledge useful to establish contacts with
R. Plutchik's Map of the emotion

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other individuals and interact in the community, to gain self-confidence and mould one’s identity,
to learn to think it over and plan possible future projects. In Winnicott’s work “Playing and reality”
Playing is an ever creative experience ... an essential way of life…while playing both child and adult
can be free in using the whole personality and only by being creative the human being can discover
himself; playing is the basis of cultural experience.
M. Montessori, Bruner and Piaget had already underlined the importance of playing in the psyco-
physical development of children for living experiences which gradually become authentic skills.
To create a positive relationship habitat it is therefore essential to re-discover ourselves in a
person-structured community: teachers, students, school staff, parents who agree in carrying out
a common educational project, according to shared values, based on a productive pedagogical
agreement (co-responsibility agreement) involving also the territory.
The scheduled activities follow the threading line widely recognized by psychologists and
pedagogues (Rogers, Maslow, Piaget, Bruner, Montessori, Winnicott …) for building a peaceful
behaviour useful for both individuals and the society.
The above mentioned macro-social picture highlights the need of re-building the “educating
community”, a need felt also by our territory as “micro-social dynamics”.
1.3 Pedagogic relevance of prosociality
Many educators are seriously concerned about bullying and aggression. It is equally important to
nurture positive alternatives—children’s prosocial feelings and behaviour toward others - to the
“invasive” images of violence and aggression proposed by the media.
The answer to this general attitude can be promoting Prosocial behaviours which can also include
cooperation, including others in play, giving a compliment, and comforting a child who is upset.
These behaviours have to be characterized by voluntary will. If children are forced to “be nice and
to share” or told to “say you’re sorry,” then their behaviour is not voluntary and cannot be
considered prosocial. The prosocial approach entails and highlights that a child’s prosocial
development can be actively promoted without being forced.
1.3.1 How educators can be active in promoting prosociality
Educators can promote prosocial development by building secure relationships, creating
classroom community, modelling prosocial behaviour, establishing prosocial expectations and
supporting families.

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The pedagogic areas of relevance are:
a -The Classroom is a place where it is easy to be happy
When teachers intentionally create secure relationships, making the children feel safe in their
classroom, they can contribute positively to their well-being. Children who are brought up in a
prosocial family usually are more caring with their peers. There is good evidence that young
children who have warm relationships and secure attachments to their parents and teachers are
more likely to be empathic and prosocial (Kestenbaum, Farber, & Sroufe 1989; Zhou et al. 2002;
Campbell & von Stauffenberg 2008), probably because children are more likely to notice and copy
the behaviour of adults to whom they feel a close connection.
Regarding the experience and the role of the teachers, whether or not a child’s parental
attachment has been secure, when teachers have warm, secure relationships with the children,
those children show more empathy and behave more positively toward others in the classroom.
(Pianta & Stuhlman 2004; Spinrad & Eisenberg 2009).
Teachers can develop positive and prosocial relationships using different “small” pedagogic
strategies (mostly intuitive): responding sensitively to children’s everyday needs, interacting in
emotionally supportive ways, listening and conversing with sincere attention.
b – The origins of the Community are in the classroom (from the classroom to the educating
Village)
The first step towards rebuilding the “village” - meant as a system of caring relationships - is to
create a caring community of learners. Just as warm educative relationships produce children’s
prosocial skills, being a member of a close-knit learning community can also favour children’s
prosocial development.
Humans are social creatures, and even subtle changes in children’s social environments can make
them more aware of their connection to the group.
“There is some evidence that children who spend time with very prosocial classmates are likely to
become more prosocial themselves; over time, they come to adopt the more helpful, caring norms
of their peers” (Eisenberg, Fabes, & Spinrad 2006).
However, it is usual to observe the situation in which the less-prosocial children tend to spend
their time with one another, thus having fewer opportunities to learn from more-prosocial
classmates.
It can be suggested to the teachers to intentionally counteract the separation of less prosocial
children from the more prosocial by pairing and mixing up children for various activities (Bodrova

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& Leong 2007), creating more ways for children to experience prosocial and empathic behaviour of
others.
c - Learning prosocial behaviour form the adults: examples
If an adult is prosocial and responsive, children are especially likely to notice and imitate aspects of
their behaviour. Thus, teachers who have those characteristics have a good chance of prompting
children’s empathic, helpful, caring, generous behaviour by demonstrating that behaviour
themselves. Opportunities present themselves every day: helping a child put on a new jacket that
buttons-up differently; expressing loving concern when a child’s parent has been ill; and offering
some materials that will help a child finish a project. To highlight this modelling, teachers can
comment on what they are doing and why (“Do you have a problem with that. How about if I help
you? It makes me happy to help children out when they need it.”). Teachers can also promote
these skills by modelling kindness and consideration in their interactions with colleagues and
families.
d - Be clear with children (in our community prosociality is expected to be our way to interact
with others)
Children are more likely to develop empathy and prosocial skills if adults make it clear that they
expect (but do not force) them to do so. Polite requests for children to be helpful and generous
are effective and often necessary prompts for prosocial behaviour (Eisenberg, Fabes, & Spinrad
2006).
Sometimes adults may think that they should articulate more their requests, but children—
especially toddlers—may need clear prompts or cues.
In many cultures, including most non-Western ones, children are often expected to do real work
that helps the family, care for brothers and sisters, even share their toys with brothers and sisters,
and generally be more cooperative members of the community. Teachers may notice differences
between the behaviours that emerge from families’ culturally influenced prosocial expectations
and may see these behaviours reflected in children’s pretend play and interactions with peers.
When a class includes children who are growing up within such cultures, other children may have a
chance to learn more cooperative and caring ways of relating to their peers.
1.4 Preventing violence through building a prosocial environment
Our society more and more shows alarming signs about aggressiveness and violence.

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Violence is the most primitive and irrational answer to the inability in running and canalizing one’s
own reactions, provoked by emotions such as rage, dissatisfaction, repression, frustration,
resentment, etc. It is synonymous with the inability in communicating in a civilized way, it means
that instinct prevails over reason. Violence depends on the values and lifestyle changes in today’s
society.
However, from a genetic point of view, people can’t be changed in only one generation. Their
education has changed. It is the personal growth process induced by the present society that
makes us less and less competent in emotions and relations.
Often in schools the problem of violence is approached from a repressive point of view. Services
and activities are organized to “remove” aggressiveness from bullies. The problem is that these
teenagers are lacking in emotional and relational competences. For example they can’t practice
empathy: “to walk in someone else’s shoes”.
Therefore, it is necessary to prevent and not to treat. Interventions are difficult. Our experience
says that the “gym of emotions” is necessary since nursery school and that the emotional and
relational competences will grow in people who are willing to get to know each other. (J. Delor).
Emotional switches will be functional and effective for those teenagers who have these
competences structured in themselves.
From our experience and research (Salfi, Monteduro 2004) it emerges that interaction between
two people can take place following a series of dynamics:

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STYLE MEANING EFFECTS ON SENDER EFFECTS ON RECEIVER
AGGRESSIVENESS Behaviour to get a personal
object that does somebody
harm.
Satisfaction
Self esteem
Self-uncontrolled
expression
Scorn of other people
Sense of fault
Humiliation
Offence
Frustration
Mistrust
Fear
Counterattack
Removal
Refusal
COMPETITIVENESS Two people pursue the same
aim.
Satisfaction
Self esteem
Self-acceptance
Dissatisfaction
Sense of inferiority
Frustration
Rage
Avoid the competitiveness
ASSERTIVENESS Pursuing a personal object in
the respect of the other
person.
Self-satisfaction
Self esteem
Right self-expression
Self-acceptance
Self-satisfaction
Self esteem
Self-acceptance
Opening
PASSIVENESS Behaviour of renunciation or
submission to somebody’s will.
Humiliation
Anxiety
Inhibition
Self-refusal
Self-disesteem
Disesteem with the other
person
Sense of fault-rage
Self-affirmation that does
somebody harm
Disease
Removal
PROSOCIALITY Behaviours that, without
external recompenses, favour
other people and increase the
possibility in generating a
positive reciprocity and solid
relations, defending the
identity, the creativity and
implicated individuals’
initiative. (Roche)
Self-satisfaction and
with others
Self esteem
Self-acceptance
Self-satisfaction
Self esteem
Self-acceptance
Opening
Approach
Positive feelings with oneself
and others
Prosocial behaviour is different from other styles listed in the above table since it is the only one to
bring positive effects both on the sender and on the receiver. Moreover, it distinguishes from
solid and altruistic acts because it refers to actions directed to help or profit individuals or groups,
without waiting for external rewards. Pro-social actions allow experimenting the benefits of these
behaviours and the author feels his/her own competence and effectiveness, to the advantage of
self-esteem. For this reason, the ultimate end of a pro-social behaviour is not generating “good
Samaritans” or heroes, but helping the other to enter upon and maintain positive interactions in a

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continuous way. The aim is creating a social cooperation where to own and needs of others are
given the same importance.
2 The Prosocial Peace Code
2.1 The Code
Prosocial behaviour means positive actions that benefit others, prompted by empathy, moral
values, and a sense of personal responsibility rather than a desire for personal gain.
The school's role in building students' prosocial skills is fundamental, but also the involvement of
the community and of who, aware or not, can have a lasting influence on the students' social
growth (sport trainer or coach, neighbours, members of religious organizations….). In order to
teach and model social skills, the Prosocial Peace Code represents a list of rules and behaviours
generally accepted by the members of the community and contained in a specific agreement,
created in order to prevent social disorders and violence. These plans are addressed to all the
social groups that are involved (directly or indirectly) in the education of the children. The Code
defines the fundamental principles that can drive pro-social actions addressed to students,
teachers and all the “communities of educators” and underlines what is positive of the other and
what can enhance mutual comprehension.
In the age of an “educational emergency” the Code can be a valid tool for the creation of a path
towards the reconstruction of an “Educational Community”, in order to realize that it is possible
to find a “Treasure within Learning” (J. Delors).
The code embeds the emotional and relational skills which are fundamental tools for preventing
violent behaviours and for helping our children to become active and responsible European
Citizens.
The process towards the creation of the code can be summarized as follows:

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The definition of the Prosocial Peace-code (PPC) stems from the definition of the reference values-
frame, which defines the belonging to a community in an ever quickly changing world. To have an
effective educational action the PPC will be then structured and communicated according to some
educational axes shaped on the characteristics of in-learning subjects.
The Values
-
-
-
Peace
Democracy
Unity
Solidarity
Tolerance
Inclusion
Environmental
Sustainability
The“Pro-social
Peace code (PPC)”
2 Listen to us
3 Let’s make the peace way
5 I am you – you are me
6 Everybody’s got a special talent
7 Don’t worry, say sorry’
8 Get@cclimatized
Preventing violence
Develops inclusive
growth
The
values
…
The
Educational
Community
generate
the“Pro-social
Peace Code”
The
Shares
Frame the
community
generate
the“PPC”
generate
the“PPC”
Equality
Brotherhood
Freedom
Hyman Dignity
1 Greeting is great!
4 The word is a sound,
the example is a thunder
Define a new concept of
(intercultural) dynamic
community :
Shared and practiced
values define the
community (Who is “us” /
who is the “other from us”)
Rebuild the educational
community:
• To answer to the
emergency education
(emergenza educativa)
• To build social inclusion
Common framework
Analysis and comparison of
social change in the contexts
of the various partners:
•Share the analysis method
•Do analysis
•Share results
(integrated in WORKSTREAM 1)
“To educate
a child
it takes a
village”:
(African proverb)
The “Peace code” as an
educational tool:
• ... doesn't make it static
• … but makes it as an active
tool for accelerating the
belonging dynamics
dinamiche di appartenenza
(Australian experience)
Preventing violence
Develop inclusive
growth
The world
is quickly
changing:
…
educational
strategies

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2.2 The importance of the reference values
Is it possible to educate without a value picture of reference?
Our experience brings us to the statement that in the global, cosmopolitan society (A. Giddens)
we are building, the community cannot be defined by religion, neither by skin colour or physical
characteristics, but it is the sharing of values that shapes us all. Moreover, being the community
the educating subject, the shared values, which determine it, are the starting point to plan the
educational process.
We could imagine education as a trip, undertaken by the in-learning subject, using the tools of
“assimilation and accommodation (Piaget), on his own nature and culture (J. Bruner).
The traveller will surely go faster if:
 he/she is guided/ supported by the educating community which proposes a destination
(the goal , in this case, is represented by the cosmopolitan global society (A. Giddens);
 the way is marked by pole stars, found in the moral values of the “community” (Z.
Bauman) we long to reach.
In a liquid society (Z. Bauman) with such weak boundaries, as the present one, to recognize and
share the value picture is essential in order to catalyse the educational process. Without any (or
few) reference values we find ourselves in n “educational emergency” and just wonder around
without a destination. Values are emotions’ children (D. Goleman). For example, it is possible that
those who are very empathic in the in-learning age, will have great values in solidarity and
brotherhood.
Is it possible to define a number of shared values to orient the educational process?
The school or other educational institutions, which operate in the National, European or
International context, and which consider values as ideas, principles of their mission, can refer to
some basic Right texts.
2.2.1 Values in the world
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason
and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. ”
(Universal declaration of Human Rights, Preamble)
The first value is surely the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the
United Nation General Assembly in Paris on 10th December 1948. The Universal Declaration was

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the result of the UN Charter itself (San Francisco, June 26th 1945, 51 states) . In this document the
member states expressed their commitment in preserving International peace and safety,
developing friendly and cooperating partnerships with each other, encouraging the respect
towards men’s rights and basic liberties without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status.
Adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN provides an equal standard for every
country.
States engage in assuring all persons, rich or poor, strong or weak, men or women the same
treatment. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Everyone has the right
to life, liberty and security of person; everyone has the liberty of expression; no one shall be
subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; everyone has the
right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals; all are equal before the law and
are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law, everyone has the right of
movement, to have a nationality, to get married and build up a family, to have equal wages for the
same work.
Although the declaration is not a binding act, it has a great moral importance since it has been
adopted by many countries. The UN adopted also numerous international treaties, among which
the most important are the two International Treaties:
The first one refers to economic, social and cultural values; the second one deals with political and
civil rights. The Declaration, the Treaties and optional Protocols build up the so called International
Charter of Human Rights. (cfr. http://www.un.org/fr/rights/overview/index.shtml )
We should consider here that in recent years, according to several authors among which Antonio
Cassese, the Universal Declaration does not consider the plurality of the original aspects of a
culture. For example, the African communities, or those from Asia.
We should find the courage to live and to educate
towards mutual sharing which is the basic paradigm
of openness and giving to the other; this would
be a revolution both in interpersonal dynamics and in
the establishment.
(Ricoeur, 1997)

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In Paris, in September 19, 1981, the UNESCO declared the Universal Islamic Declaration of Human
Rights followed by the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1980). Both documents reflect
the understanding of Islamic people and community. The first article of Cairo’s declaration states:
(a) All human beings form one family whose members are united by submission to God and
descent from Adam. All men are equal in terms of basic human dignity and basic obligations and
responsibilities, without any discrimination on the grounds of race, color, language, sex, religious
belief, political affiliation, social status or other considerations. True faith is the guarantee for
enhancing such dignity along the path to human perfection. (b)All human beings are God's
subjects, and the most loved by Him are those who are most useful to the rest of His subjects, and
no one has superiority over another except on the basis of piety and good deeds.
On March 8, 1999, the General Assembly adopted the “Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” (Resolution 53/144). This document is important since
it reasserts the importance of international cooperation and its main aim is to bring to the global
attention the issues of rights and the responsibility of individuals, group and official bodies in
promoting and protecting freedom and universal human rights.
Article 15 says:
The State has the responsibility to promote and facilitate the teaching of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at all levels of education and to ensure that all those responsible for
training lawyers, law enforcement officers, the personnel of the armed forces and public officials
include appropriate elements of human rights teaching in their training programme.
And article 16 says:
Individuals, non-governmental organizations and relevant institutions have an important role to
play in contributing to making the public more aware of questions relating to all human rights and
fundamental freedoms through activities such as education, training and research in these areas to
strengthen further, inter alia, understanding, tolerance, peace and friendly relations among
nations and among all racial and religious groups, bearing in mind the various backgrounds of the
societies and communities in which they carry out their activities.
How then do teachers, educators and whoever is responsible for education in general act as
defenders and institutional promoters of human rights, in particular those of children since they
are both students and persons?

19
The Declaration of the Rights of the Child (November 20, 1959) proclaims that human kind has
the duty to offer children the best it can; since a child is physically and intellectually immature it
needs special care and protection both before and after birth.
This entails deep changes at educational level and
above all the quest for more coherence between
moral principles and practical actions.
(ManIntyre, 1988)
Since there are many children throughout the world who live in precarious conditions it is
therefore necessary to pay them special attention taking at the same time into consideration their
traditions and cultural values. Therefore, The UN General Assembly adopted in 1989 the
Convention on the Rights of the Child. The convention was ratified by 151 countries – except the
U.S. and Somalia. Italy formally ratified the Convention with law no. 176 – May 27, 1991
committing to adapt its legislation to the values and principles of the Convention.
Children then become a value for all the International Community.
Article 3 says: The best interests of children must be the primary concern in
making decisions that may affect them. All adults should do what is best for children. When adults
make
decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children. This particularly applies
to
budget, policy and law makers.
According to article 28 States Parties recognize the right of the child to education, and with a view
to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular
make primary education compulsory and available free to all.
Article 29 proclaims that States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
(a) The development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their
fullest potential;
(b) The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the
principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;

20
(c) The development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language
and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from
which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;
(d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding,
peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious
groups and persons of indigenous origin;
(e) The development of respect for the natural environment.
And article 30: In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of
indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who is indigenous shall not be
denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own
culture, to profess and practice his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.
January 25, 1996, in Strasbourg, the European parliament organizes the UN European Convention
on the rights of children. In 1978 (October 15) the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights was
proclaimed in Paris. Also nature and animals have rights; animals should be understood, respected
and loved right from birth.
Article 1: All animals are born equal and they have the same rights to existence.
Article 2
a) Every animal has the right to be respected.
b) Man, like the animal species, cannot assume the right to exterminate other animals or to exploit
them, thereby violating this right. He should use his conscience for the service of the animals.
c) Every animal has the right to consideration, good treatment and the protection of man.
(Source,http://www.un.org/fr/documents/udhr/; http://www.un.org/fr/events/humanrightsday ,
http://www.unicri.it/ )
2.2.2 Our common values
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all
countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the
rule of law and cultural co-operation. It was founded on May 5, 1949 with the Treaty of London
and has 47 member states.

21
The headquarters of the Council of Europe are in Strasbourg, France.
The aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the
purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage
and facilitating their economic and social progress. Its actions are not binding and have to be
ratified by all the Member States.
Among its aims are the safeguarding of human rights, parliamentary democracy and guaranteeing
rule of law, developing a European identity based on shared values which transcend cultural
diversity, concluding European agreements in order to harmonise social and legal practices of the
Member States. The Council of Europe has nothing to do with either the Council of the European
Union or the European Council, which are both EU bodies.
The world is the space in which we express
our identity.
(Tonino Bello)
The European Union is founded on values regarding the respect of human dignity, freedom,
democracy, equality, rule of law and the respect of human rights – also those parts of an ethnic
minority. These values, proclaimed in articles 1 and 2, are common to all Member States.
Moreover, society of each Member State is characterized by pluralism, non-discrimination,
tolerance, solidarity and equal opportunities for women and men. These values are especially
important since they are the preliminary requirement for joining the EU (as stated in article I-58)
and because their breaching could entail the suspension of the right of being part of the EU (article
I-59).
The Treaty which adopts the UN Constitution signed in Rome on October 29, 2004 includes the
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and a set of new values such as human
dignity, equality, rights of ethnic minorities.
Article I-1 Establishment of the Union. 1. Reflecting the will of the citizens and States of Europe to
build a common future, this Constitution establishes the European Union, on which the Member
States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common. The Union shall coordinate
the policies by which the Member States aim to achieve these objectives, and shall exercise on a
Community basis the competences they confer on it. Reflecting the will of the citizens and States
of Europe to build a common future, this Constitution establishes the European Union, on which
the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common. The Union shall

22
coordinate the policies by which the Member States aim to achieve these objectives, and shall
exercise on a Community basis the competences they confer on it.
Article I-2 The Union's values The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity,
freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of
persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in
which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women
and men prevail.
2.3 Highlights
The spiritual and cultural heritage of Europe is based on a combination of Greek philosophy,
Roman law, Christianity, humanism and the Enlightenment. Spiritually, The European common set
of values and thinking are based on a unique mutual exchange and influence of three approaches:
the Franco Rationalistic, the Anglo-Empiric, and the German-Idealistic.
Freedom, human dignity and responsibility and solidarity are the central values that the
democratic institutions seek to protect and strengthen. All those elements are part of the common
spiritual and
cultural heritage.
The European Union is based on values - such as the respect for human dignity; fundamental
rights, including the rights of communities and families; freedom, democracy, equality, and the
rule of law. The member states' societies - in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance,
justice, solidarity, responsibility and gender equality prevail - share these values.
The European integration process has to overcome the artificial concept of nation-statehood by
putting the principle of subsidiary into political practice. Europe also needs to strengthen its
naturally and historically developed communities in which find their roots and to which they feel
they belong. By doing so, the principle of subsidiarity can lead us to the realization of Europe as a
"community of communities".
Let’s shapes the values:
Freedom

23
It is said that freedom involves three aspects: a person must be able to make a choice, must not be
prevented and must be able to act. More specifically we can refer to freedom of movement,
freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of opinion and expression.
Democracy
In a truly democratic society the majority of the population plays an active rather than a passive
role. Democracy is also a social arrangement in which the rights and obligations of individuals are
understood and respected. The term 'democracy' is often equated with political liberalism, thus
making it synonymous with fundamental rights, such as freedom of religion, of speech, of
association, and equality before the law.
Human dignity and respect of human rights
All human beings have the right to be respected and treated fairly, regardless of their race, gender,
origins, social status, language, religion, political opinions, age, and health. The European Union
respects fundamental principles for the safeguard of human rights as well as fundamental
freedoms as guaranteed by the European Convention, (which was signed in Rome on November 4
1950)and also as foreseen by common Member State constitutional traditions, such rights being
the founding principles of the communitarian law. The European Constitution explicitly supports
the rights of persons belonging to minorities.
The Constitutional State (Rule of Law)
The rule of law implies that a government may only exercise authority in accordance with the
nation’s laws.
Solidarity
The European Union promotes solidarity inside its borders, providing support to disadvantaged
people and areas, and outside its frontiers contributing to the fight against poverty in the weaker
countries.
Tolerance
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us
pardon reciprocally each other's folly – that is the first law of nature. This is what Voltaire writes

24
about tolerance in his 'Philosophical Dictionary. Human beings have different genetic inheritances,
environment conditions and cultural identities. Although some differences are positive, others
might not be to our liking. We need to understand that social life obliges us to tolerate even things
we do not like, and that this is to our advantage. The only way to live in peace with others is to
learn to accept differences. But what is the limit of tolerance? If someone comes in the room and
starts smoking, should you be tolerant? And if you go to another country do you have to accept
the local customs? What if they are against your principles? In a democracy, the majority decides.
So how do minorities ensure that their views and values are respected?
Equality
“In the state of nature...all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society
makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law." (Charles de
Montesquieu, political philosopher) The principle of equality was established during the
Enlightenment. Today, it forms part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 1 reads
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights".While in principle we are all equal,
in reality we can see so much inequality around us.
Peace
Philosopher Immanuel Kant already taught us that peace should not be confused with a mere
"temporary absence of war" more than two centuries ago. Real peace is "the impossibility of war"
and it may be achieved through the complete removal of war threat. But this goal will be reached
only when conflicts will no longer be resolved through the use of force but on the basis of law.
All this would become possible only if world nations created an international organisation (the UN
- United Nations - may be considered a first step in this direction) and if they decide to give it the
power to settle disputes, making of it a venue for justice for all nations, a place like the court for
citizens within a single country. The Italian Constitution (article 11) repudiates war and accepts
limitations of sovereignty in order to be part of international organisms which promote peace and
justice among Nations.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is Burma's pro-democracy leader and a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
She said: "It is now widely seen that peace should be more than the mere absence of war: it
should be a positive force that counters violence as a means of resolving the problems of human
society. Justice should not only aim at controlling the negative traits in human nature, it should
work to promote a sense of fairness, compassion and universal brotherhood". The European

25
Union pursues the goal of peace promotion through its foreign and security policy and through the
placement of its military forces at the disposal of peace keeping and peace enforcement
operations. A mission in the Republic of the Congo has just been accomplished with the support of
the EU army while EU soldiers are currently present in Bosnia Herzegovina on an on-going mission.
Source: http://www.centroineuropa.it/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=122,
http://futurum2005.eun.org/ww/it/pub/futurum2005/values/values.htm
2.4 Values vs. Educational Axes
For the realization of the Peace Code, each value can be shaped into educational axes. The
educational axes are learning/educative vehicles in order to experience, actualize and practised
the values.
Among the four pillars of education stated in the report “Learning: the Treasure Within”, of the
International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, chaired by Jacques Delors we
have:
- learning to know, that is acquiring the instruments of understanding;
- learning to do, so as to be able to act creatively in one’s environment;
- learning to live together, so as to participate in and co-operate with other people in all human
activities;
- learning to be, so as to better develop one’s personality and to act with ever greater autonomy,
judgement and personal responsibility
The Commission has put greater emphasis on the one that it proposes and describes as the
foundation of education: learning to live together.
The educational axes are practical and real educative elements that can enable children to acquire
the skills essential for
- creating awareness about the importance of living in harmony with each other and with the
environment;
- developing the skills of interpersonal communication in order to promote understanding,
acceptance and tolerance;

26
- enabling children to give and receive;
- creating awareness of solidarity and human relationships.
The educative axes are based on a variety of approaches, techniques and resources to ensure that
they are taught in the most meaningful and effective way.
In the following table the Values are shaped into educative axes:
Reference Values Educational Axes
(oneself and the other)
Human dignity:
-Liberty
-Unity
- Equality
-Respect
-Diversity
Welcome & Recognition of the other
Development of one’s personal and social identity (relational)
To experiment Freedom through self-consciousness
Human dignity:
-Liberty
-Unity
- Equality
-Respect
-Diversity
Education for a civil and democratic life in common.
Unity
Solidarity
Inclusion
To develop:
-Loyalty
-Responsibility
- Empathy
Human dignity:
Uniqueness of the person
Diversity as a richness
To accept one’s mistakes and those of others.
To take advantage of problems in order to become a better
person.
(defeat management)
Respect for other persons and things.
(own and of the others)
Environmental care
Develop the sense of common good
Willingness to share and care

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2.5 Prosocial applying keystones
The Educational Axes become the basic element of the Peace Code. Therefore, the process for
the realization of the Code translates the values into a “conduct code” which implies ideas,
principles and actions through which the values can be embedded in the educational process.
The code indications are then converted in applying keystones, easily understandable by the
children in a very empathic and emotional way.
The following table shows the process through which the educational axes become keystones.

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Reference
Values
Educational Axes
(oneself and the other)
Code Applying Keystones
Human dignity:
-Liberty
-Unity
- Equality
-Respect
-Diversity
Welcome & Recognition
of the other
Development of one’s personal and social
identity (relational).
To experiment Freedom through self-
consciousness
To enhance people’s behaviour
To recognize the other
To listen actively to ourselves and the others
To enhance our own identity
To enhance identity of others
1 Greeting is great
2 Listen to us
Human dignity:
-Liberty
-Unity
- Equality
-Respect
-Diversity
Education for a civil and democratic life in
common.
To practice civil and democratic life in
common
To give others and the situation the right time
To reflect the thoughts of others
4 Let’s make the peace way
3 The word is a sound, the example is a
thunder
Unity
Solidarity
Inclusion
To develop:
-Loyalty
-Responsibility
- Empathy
To develop Loyalty , Responsibility, Empathy
to prevent violent behaviours, accepting
difficulties and the happiness of the others
5 I am you – you are me
Human dignity:
Uniqueness of the
person
Diversity as a richness
To take advantage of problems in order to
become a better person.
(defeat management)
To take advantage of problems in order to
become a better person.
6 Everybody’s got a special talent
7 Don’t worry, say sorry!
Respect of other
persons and things.
(own and of the
others)
To practice environmentalist behaviours
aimed at the respect of everyday life objects,
and also of the animals
8 Get acclimatized

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The applying keystones are:
GREETING IS GREET
Greeting is a healthy, simple foregone sign and therefore it is sometimes forgotten. It is a sign that makes
who gives and who receives feel good. Our cities, more and more “anonymous and liquid”, are populated by
people who do not know each other; even just a greeting sign is enough to establish a link, a reciprocity. <Be
kind with people that you meet going up, because you will meet them going down> (W. Miener)
LISTEN TO US
Listening is an exchange: listening to other people could seem useful only for them, but when you become a
good listener, you are also helping yourself.
Listening benefits are various: you show respect, you build relations, you can generate new ideas, you found
confidence between parties.
“When you listen, stop every other activity. Give the other all your attention and stare at him while he is
speaking”.
LET’S MAKE THE PEACE WAY
Perhaps it is impossible to love everybody, but you can be kind with everybody and express, with a sign, a
thought, an action, your attention.
Good manners are at the heart of intelligence, the scent of civilization. They weren’t invented by chance, but
to live together with others, without striking each other (E. Loewthal).
THE WORD IS A SOUND, THE EXAMPLE IS A THUNDER
The writer D. Lawnolte wrote, “ Children learn what they live”.
Our society is lacking in positive influential reference models. School shouldn’t just teach, but it must also
offer a good education.
I AM YOU - YOU ARE ME
Empathy is the ability to recognize emotions and feelings. It means perceiving somebody else’s inner world
as if it would be ours, with the awareness of its uniqueness, compared to our points of view.
“Empathy is the main inhibiter of human cruelty” (Goleman).
EVERYBODY HAS A SPECIAL TALENT

30
Everybody has positive qualities. It is important to help children and adults… to discover, cultivate and
develop them. Feeling esteemed helps to achieve trust in oneself, avoiding aggressiveness in order to make
one’s way in the world.
DON’T WORRY, SAY SORRY
“Practice makes perfect”, the saying goes: these words are often forgotten. We must consider mistakes as
learning moments, as a step towards the object. The possibility in making mistakes and mending them,
without a negative feeling, strengthens self-esteem and trust in one’s own abilities. Present society aims at
denying the possibility in making mistakes thus causing frustration.
GET @CCLIMATIZED
The virtual and electronic world reminds us that “We are the earth, people, plants and animals, rains and
oceans, the breathing of forests and sea flux” ( Earth Charter EARTH SUMMIT , ONU ,1992).
Earth is the mother environment we should understand, love, respect and preserve, since it is the home of 7
billion people. These inhabitants bring economic and social problems and they should learn to share the
planet’s wealth and difficulties. Helping a child to respect the environment he/she lives in is the first step to
educate in taking care of our planet.

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2.6 How to use the Code as an educational tool
'Education is an important element in the struggle to help our children and people rediscover their identity
and thereby increase self-respect. Education is our passport to the future.’
Malcolm X
Values are intrinsic to all learning and education, whether at school, at home or in any other place children
live. Values must be experienced and the keystones can be a values-based virtual box for this exploration.
For these reasons a values-based atmosphere has to be created.
That means making some preparatory actions such as the creation of welcoming spaces and activities, the
setting of the classrooms in a prosocial way, the work on techniques such as active listening, methodical
work on greetings, on respecting roles, on positive evaluation of the others.
The educative approach has to be experiential, participatory and flexible, allowing and encouraging the
practice of the values. The pro-social educative approach must also be used systematically.
For the description of a series of prosocial educative tools please see chapter 5.
The tools contain practical values activities, prosocial games and a range of methods for teachers, educators,
facilitators, parents and caregivers to help children to explore and develop the eight keystones of the Peace
Code with their related values.
Through these tools children can see the values “at work” and they become the actors of the Peace Code in
action. Children can also practice the value in a very empathic and emotional way.

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3 The Educators Caring Communities (ECC)
3.1 What are the ECC and what is their role in the perspective of prosociality
The term “educating” placed before the term Community relates to a group of social organizations (both
formal and informal) involved in an educational path.
Generally, members of this social context are adults who are educators, their role formally recognised by the
institutions (the teachers) or playing this role without having any specific institutional or legal recognition.
The target of this educational activity are young members of the community or children.
The Educating caring Community has its core in the system of social relationships in which the young interact
and from which they acquire their (also spontaneous) code of behaviour.
The relationships which develop inside an ECC are circular: all individuals exchange their experiences with
one another and in this way carry out the various tasks needed for the management of a community.
However, this system is complex but at the same time one of its positive characteristics is that each
individual is aware of the environment he/she is in. In turn, this awareness avoids educational conflicts:
those who belong to this community know their place in the system (e.g. sport trainers) since if their
messages are not on the same wavelength as those of other teachers educational conflicts may arise.
The ECC is therefore a sort of village in which bridges and roads represent social relations which have a
direct effect on a child’s education and protect him/her from the kind of violence that could arise in this
context.
Just as the tradition of the European local communities, in the educating village adults are educators and
teach young members the sets of values of their own community, exercising a permanent educative
“pressure”.
This shows the ECC to be an open system: internally it shows the dynamics of conflict and enrichment in a
relational-linguistic context; externally it involves the cooperation of traditional learning, families and the
territory.
Being part of a ‘community’ is different from being part of a ‘group’: the core of the community is the
awareness of being educators and the sequence of relations stems from participation. Participation implies
that the actors do not delegate the task of educating only to schools but operate with them in a circular way.
This perspective, the ECC I san “articulated and complex” system operating a continuous evolution in order
to be adapted to the organizational model that fits better with the role the members have in it.

33
The world
is quickly
changing:
…
The education
and training are
key factors for
personal and
social growth
The values
guide the
educational
process
“The values are
the children of
the emotions "
(D. Goleman)
“To educate a child
it takes a village”:
(African proverb)
The "peace code"
can be an
efficient tool for:
Re-building the
educational community
to improve education and
training for:
3. Promoting equity, social
cohesion and active
citizenship
3.2 The meaning of the re-construction of the educational community
Education is the activity which
aims at the development of
mental, social and physical skills.
Its etymology derives from the
Latin verb educare (to pull),
which stems from the verbs
educĕre (to take out, to get out
sth from sth else) and ducĕre (to
lead). The word education is
often considered as
complimentary of the word teaching. The difference is that: education concerns a “communicative” way of
teaching, whereas teaching includes a wider way of educating, involving techniques aimed to enhance
qualities and discover hidden talents.
To educate means “to start from” and not “to achieve something”, since the arrival point depends on the
learning subject. To educate is a way to make a person “more person”, a way towards the humanization of
individuals. To educate means supporting a person during the construction of one’s own culture.
Regarding this aspect J. Bruner pointed out that man’s evolution is composed of two “histories”: the genetic
one, which made mankind competitive and the cultural one, since every man builds his culture from the
culture of pre-existing generations.
This characteristic makes our species adaptable and allows it to be winning (or maybe loosing since, at times,
man can be its own enemy).
Thinking about it, there’s only one generation separating modern man from barbarity.
If the opportunity of educating oneself suddenly did not exist any longer man would have to start from
scratch, from the stone age, despite its self-educating skills.
Therefore, to educate means helping an individual to self-build culture, and pedagogy and didactics are the
main sciences which can achieve this goal. In order to learn we need emotional and relational competences

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and in modern day society, in which culture is dynamic and global (P. Levy), it is necessary to change the
traditional teaching approach from transitive to cooperative.
To better understand why we deem necessary
to re-build the educating community in order
to develop learning processes, we should give
a brief description of the dynamics that arise
in the educational environment.
At its centre there is the learner acquiring
information through interaction with other
learners and with the environment.
To educate a child we need a village (African
proverb); the Community educates, not the
teacher. A learner is nourished by formal
education through school, by non-formal
education through family and social
organisations etc. and by informal education
such as the environment in which he/she lives. The learner has innate learning skills (Montessor’s absorbing
mind) and finds the cooperation between teacher and educational group an incredible catalyst.
Our idea of educating community is broader than that of Don Lorenzo Milani (a Catholic priest and
pedagogue who in the 1960s promoted mutual and cooperative learning in a rural school in Barbiana, Italy)
whose ideas are central in the modern western approach to education.
Define a new concept of
(intercultural) dynamic
community :
Shared and practiced
values define the
community (Who is “us” /
who is the “other from us”)
Rebuild the educational
community:
• To answer to the
emergency education
(emergenza educativa)
• To build social inclusion
Common framework
“To educate
a child
it takes a
village”:
(African proverb)

35
3.3 How to rebuild the Educating Community
A strong need to rebuild an Educating Community is felt
both at local and global level: the school alone cannot take
the responsibility of the education of children since
nowadays they live in a complex and ever changing society.
Social elements often act in a different and sometimes even
in a contradictory way; this has a negative impact on
children.
Therefore, it is paramount to increase opportunities for
dialogue and for the search for common educative ways.
We must re-launch the idea of an ‘educating community’
(which refers to the idea of ‘belonging’) as a school and out
of school integrated educational context which can help to
develop social competences: these are in fact the dynamics
of ‘active citizenship’.
This implies that:
• teachers and school staff should have and practise a positive relational interpersonal style, a style that
arises from mutual recognition and from active appreciation of the ‘other’ (we teach ourselves);
• we should introduce methodological innovations in education in order to systematize this approach with
students, families and the local community;
• we should promote a wider dialogue between school, families and the local community in order to boost
social dynamics;
• we should design and activate pathways for personal grow through the recognition, the representation
and the handling of our emotions;
• we should promote the culture of legality through operational situations in which students can experiment
and discover the necessity of commonly accepted rules, rules conceived as ‘ordered freedoms’ and based on
two essential principles: the principle of ‘right’ and the principle of ‘duty’;
• we should extend this process from local to global aiming at constructing the ‘cosmopolitan global
community’ (A. Giddens) by promoting the values of universal brotherhood and meeting the needs for
inclusion which characterize our times.

36
Within an approach like this, it is evident that the school has to change radically: it should have a new central
position in society to
 design and develop knowledge tools which
can enable the students to understand
the natural, social, cultural, anthropological contexts
in which they will live and operate in the future;
 pursue a double formative mission both
in horizontal and in vertical continuity.
The vertical dimension expresses the need for
training that could continue for a lifetime;
the horizontal dimension points at the need
of a well-organized collaboration between
the school and extra-school educating actors;
 constantly pursue the aim of building
positive relationships, based on the recognition of everyone’s
roles and in harmony with community educational goals;
 be and act as the consciousness and the driving force of the ‘Educating Community’ to train people able
in handling their existential actions and therefore to invest in the education in order to be active citizens.

37
Therefore, the aim of prosociality includes building an Educating community BECAUSE:
 Education is not just about traditional educational problems, such as curriculum, assessment and
tests.
 SCHOOL only makes sense within the broader
context of goals that the community seeks to
reach through its trust in education
THE AIM IS TO CONNECT MORE AND MORE SCHOOLS
WITH THEIR TERRITORIES, IN ORDER TO:
 share a common value framework
 activate educational processes fully and
consciously shared
 develop the concept of ‘common interest’ at school
 raise awareness of the culture of legality, of ethics and solidarity.
 promote training,
 support projects,
 spread partnership
Foreseeable long term outcomes, as the main goal of the project’s educational process, refer to the areas
beyond the school context:
School vs. Parents and families
The interaction between the school, the families and the wider community is meant for:
Sharing of children’s educational courses
Getting involved in Action Research activities
Signing the “Patto educativo di corresponsabilità” (agreement signed by parents and school, based on
shared values and strategies)
Meetings to discuss and clarify the subjects students will face in class.

38
3.4 Main strategies for the ECC implementation
Strategy 1. Create a Caring Community
The implementation Strategy 1 of the Caring Community aims to create a caring community working towards
involvement and inviting all stakeholders to participate in the changing process of the school. This includes
all school personnel, students, families and community. When everyone has a voice in the negotiation of the
values and the creation of the school’s action plan, this increases active involvement in the implementation
of school change and sustainability over the long term, which have a positive impact on the students’
outcomes.
Strategy 2. Give Values Voice, Hands and Feet
Strategy 2 aims at giving values voice, hands and feet through intentional interactions and use of best
practices that make the five core values concrete and visible in all aspects of the school’s culture and
climate. This includes direct teaching of the five core values in the classroom, modelling of the values by
adults, and using the school environment as strengthening of the five core values.
Strategy 3. Share Responsibility with Families, Community and Students
Strategy 3 is to share responsibility with families, community, and students for creating a School Caring
Community. While strategy 1 is about taking the initiative to reach out to and include families and
community, strategy 3 is about moving the community and the families from guests to members of the
community itself.
Strategy 4. Share Leadership
Strategy 4 is to lead the Caring Community through modelling, empowerment and shared leadership.
Whether he knew it or not, Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion to “Be the change you want to see in the world,”
is excellent evidence-informed advice for school leaders who want to positively change their school culture
and climate. This Caring Community strategy advises school leaders to model change of the core values and
the implementation strategies with students, teachers, school staff, families and community members since
it influences behavioural change in those who observe it.
Strategy 5. Empower Values With Practice and Policy

39
Strategy 5 is to empower the five core values with intentional best practices that are evidence based and
proven, along with specific policies which address the institutional factors that create sustainable school
culture and climate change. Policy puts the concept on paper so that it becomes part of practice.
4 Teaching Prosociality: from pedagogic literacy to didactic
methodology
4.1 How and where to teach Prosociality
A prosocial behaviour brings positive effects both on the sender and on the receiver.
In this framework, the school is the best ground where children and teenagers, in addition to learning
important issues for their personal development, can experience activities for building relationships both
with adults and people of their same age.
School experience can favour the development of pro-social behaviour through an intentional and
systematic education realized with specific planned curricula.
RESULTS OF PRO-SOCIAL ACTION
SITUATION
ENVIRONMENT
Social values
and rules
SENDER
PRO-SOCIAL ACTION
RECEIVER

40
However, it would be really illusory thinking you can “educate to pro-sociality” limiting and implementing a
series of didactic units, leaving unchanged the gap that distinguishes the behaviour of educator from
teaching as proposed to the pupil. The latter is constantly stimulated by the educator’s behaviour, both
directly when he/she is in relation with children, and indirectly when the pupil can observe his educator’s
interactions with other people, both in school and extra-school situations. The teacher who understands the
other’s point of view and emotions, who wants to pursue own purposes respecting others, who can voice
his/her own opinions and emotions, who creatively faces and solves his own problems, tensions and
interpersonal conflicts, who takes decisions involving a satisfaction delay, he will really increase the
probability that his pupils interiorize and have similar pro-social behaviours (emulation learning).
At the centre of a child’s learning there isn’t only the school. It is important that the values of prosociality are
found also in the environment the child lives in: family, sport association, social context, formal and informal
education. What is needed is a village (African proverb): who educates the child is not the teacher but the
‘community’.
A learner acquires his/her competences through formal education from the school and at the same time
informal education through the educational organisations in the territory (family, parish recreational centres
etc.).
Educating towards prosociality implies sharing the prosocial peace code purposes which in turn means:
- Increasing the frequency of positive conducts;
- Favouring communication and positive development;
- Developing collaboration;
- Increasing empathy;
- Developing the ability in solving problems and relational
creativity;
- Promoting an emotional “schooling”, that is the activation of a
personal growth process through the recognition, representation
and management of emotions;
- Promoting living together universal values (“values are
emotions’ children”, D. Goleman):
solidarity, peace, sociality, sharing, cooperation, respect,
reception and recognition of diversity, wealth, psychological
wellness, unity;
-developing the sense of belonging and increasing learning
competences.
Model approach
(tentativo di codice condiviso)
(a possible e-book chapter summary)
Same possible social scenes
(scenari sociali)
A new concept of community
A model to rebuild the educational
community
 Model for developing social
inclusion
 Model "code of dynamic learning
community" more suited to a
dynamic social system and weak
ties
 Prevention of violence
Education and
Training 2020
(ET 2020)
3. Promoting equity, social
cohesion and active citizenship;

41
All this aims also at training a “citizen” who accepts the challenges of the current age, towards a more
multicultural, multi-ethnic and multireligious society.
These actions allow students to know the rules on which social organizations are based and the value
frameworks.
It’s also possible to create the basic elements to understand, share, help and cooperate, according to the
fundamental values of our Constitution and the European one.
“Giving and receiving, receiving and giving” are two important actions that could be put into practice in our
society.
4.2 The role of the school staff motivation
Since the school is the centre of the prosocial process, motivation of the school staff becomes an essential
element in order to reach the educational goals.
The Prosocial Peace Code:
i. Develop professional and human competences of the school staff
ii. Give school a major role
iii. Set the school at the centre
Transition towards a ‘fluid society’ (Z. Bauman) gives young students new opportunities but at the same time
attenuates the values and the teaching practices needed to build and manage positive relationships with
others. This phenomenon has increased during recent years and has brought to an educational emergency.
In primary school, for example, there are more children who show difficulty in concentrating and paying
attention; they have also little motivation and they are so self-centred that they are unable to acknowledge
the emotions and needs of others. All this generates aggressiveness and disrespect which are the first signs
of bullying.
A traditional educational approach centres on decisiveness, rewards, punishments, compromises,
reproaching and an endless flow of words that result in a waste of time from both sides. Teachers are often
disappointed and feel they haven’t pursued the right path.
Experiences from the use of the Prosocial Peace Code can help to tackle the problem by

42
Developing educational strategies centred more on prevention. A prosocial approach allows to positively
modify relational dynamics amongst students and between students and teachers. This helps
communication and learning.
This in an important approach also in communicating with the families and the out-of-school organisations
since it allows spreading trust and collaboration. It is never easy to talk about children’s problem with their
parents without them becoming defensive.
Sharing experiences from school and out-of-school and organising them in one behavioural code becomes a
good tool to be used for educational purposes and a way to think and enrich oneself.
In other words, the Prosocial Peace Code “IMPROVES THE PROFESSIONAL LIVES” of both teachers and school
staff in a period in which being a teacher is quite difficult. It also gives the school a major role and puts it at
the centre of the community.
4.3 Three propaedeutic activities
In order to carry out a prosocial method we should take the following important steps:
a. Draw up the necessary documents for the schools in every participating country
b. Develop sharing within the educational team. Relational competences are learnt through emulation, the
educational path of PPC will not have any efficacy if not shared by the team. For instance, greeting
techniques and active listening will not produce good results if not continuously put into practice by the
school staff together with the parents and amongst parents themselves. It is therefore necessary to
develop a first level training programme for teachers to allow them to share a vision on social dynamics
as well as an educational mission thus making the best use of their professional skills.
c. Develop a communication strategy.
Another element to increase success is the implementation of a communication strategy, both internal
and external, as well as those documentation processes which are very important for both a widespread
prosocial approach and for the reaching of active involvement by an increasing number of social-
educational actors.

43
4.4 The operational didactic protocol
The didactic operational protocol is developed through a number of activities enacted before didactic
experimentation:
 how to organise the classroom
Classrooms should be organised before didactic experimentation in a “cooperative” setting rather than
in a “frontal” one. The development of the students’ sense of autonomy and responsibility is “induced”
also by how space and furnishing are arranged (this subject will be dealt with later on).
 include the Peace-Code in the curricula
This is a “kaleidoscopic” approach, the PPC represents the base on which the activities are founded.
These are moments when the themes are dealt with in a “frontal” approach (introductive lessons,
weekly meetings, etc.) but in general terms the PPC is used as an integration frame work in which
didactics are developed. The Code is present during all activities and in all disciplines. It must also be a
uniform practice for both teachers and school staff.
 kindle emotions (values spring out of emotions)
it is advisable that a structured activity be carried out for at
least some hours followed by a more comp0lex daily routine
on the subject. It would be a good practice to work for
10/15 minutes at the opening of each school day on the
welcoming of the students and on creating a good relational
atmosphere. In this way, relational competences favouring
an improvement in learning could be acquired.
The “metheomood” and “emotion” hats (see details under Didactic tools) or any other daily opening
routine can allow the teachers to quickly assess the students’ mood of the day and intervene if
necessary.

44
4.5 Welcoming spaces and activities
To create a school environment that is welcoming to families is an important element to establish
connections and relationships between the school and the parents of the pupils.
Feeling welcome at school can encourage families to become more involved in prosocial activities.
It’s also important to plan regular events to bring families and school staff together for positive interaction in
support of learning and prosociality.
Planning social events that bring together school faculty and staff with families is an effective way to create a
family-friendly school environment.
Schools can create effective ways to build a bridge connecting teachers and families. The message these
strategies convey to parents should be: “You are welcome, you are important to us, and we want to work
with you to educate your children”. An Educational Pact of Co-Responsibility between the School and the
Families should also be created.
Working Group of Parents and Teachers
Promoting a Parents active participation to the
school’s activities
Work together with Joy for a common goal
It can be an example for our Children

45
WELCOMING
The school welcomes you as you are, as a person, since before being a boy, a girl, black or white, you are unique, rich in
values and autonomy.
SETTING UP THE PARENTS’ AREA
ACTIVITY Preparing the classrooms
OBJECTIVE Foster a good climate in order to live relationships, work experiences and
learning paths positively. .
LOCATION Entrance, classrooms, corridors etc.
SCHEDULE Period preceding the start-up of activities with the students.
MATERIALS Posters, balloons, paint, carpets, cushions, etc.
DEVELOPMENT Teachers organise the rooms in order to favour a positive emotional
approach.
USEFUL TIPS All teachers should agree and be operative in the welcoming approach.
WEB Italian, PE, Arts

46
4.6 The Listening Points
The listening points are boxes into which parents, children, non-educative staff can post letters of complaint
or letters of appreciation
 the letters showing a complaint will be marked with
 the letters showing an appreciation will be marked with
The school can single out two (or more) teachers with the specific task of:
 Gathering the letters 
 Answering if it is the case 
(The folder can be anonymous or can have the name of the sender)
Close to the box, a sign can be hung in order to show the rules:
 be kind, not offensive (even if you are very angry)
 never be your letter just a tool to show your being upset, but a way to improve the school
environment
 be kind with everybody you are addressing the complains to
ANALISYS AND ASSESSMENT Teachers assess the reaching of the objectives through methodical
observation and conversations. This is achieved if the students are happy
when entering the school.

47
4.7 The setting of the classroom
According to the prosocial activities, a new approach to the school setting has to be realized.
Students need to be close enough to interact and they also need to have enough personal space to
accomplish their own tasks. Students also work more effectively in well-organized classrooms rather than
cluttered ones.
Eye-to-eye contact should be maintained, materials shared without bumping into each other, and
communication easy. Barriers should be minimized: pupils must be able to hear and see the teachers
instructions from their workstations and in the meantime they gave to be able to work and stay together.
The class set up should be flexible enough for students to work separately when necessary.
When pupils work together, within each group students still need to have a sense of personal space. Each
group member carries out a task to meet the group's common goal. Personal space gives each student
within the group room and freedom to perform the tasks.
Some basic ideas about the setting of the classroom could be the following:
- allow both group and individual work
- let all students see and hear the instruction from the teacher from their workspace
- facilitate interaction and freedom of movement by removing unnecessary barriers between students both
over and under the work surface
- any adjustments of the configuration must be simply changed by the students and teachers in a short
amount of time with little noise
- allow also students with special needs to work in the groups

48

49
Setting of the classroom and of the activity areas
The school welcomes you as you are, as a person, since before being a boy, a girl, black or white, you are unique, rich
in values and autonomy.
OBJECTIVE Foster a good climate in order to live relationships, work experiences and learning
paths positively. .
MATERIALS Posters, balloons, paintings, carpets, cushions, etc.
DEVELOPMENT Teachers organise the rooms in order to favour a positive emotional approach.
ANALISYS AND ASSESSMENT Teachers assess the reaching of the objectives through methodical observation and
conversations. This is achieved if the students are happy when entering the school.

50
SCHOOL IS WAITING: A NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS
The school welcomes you as you are, as a person, since before being a boy, a girl, black or white, you are unique,
rich in values and autonomy.
OBJECTIVE Foster a good climate in order to live relationships, work experiences and
learning paths positively. .
MATERIALS Posters, balloons, paintings, carpets, cushions, etc.
DEVELOPMENT Teachers organise the rooms in order to favour a positive emotional approach.
ANALISYS AND ASSESSMENT Teachers assess the reaching of the objectives through methodical observation
and conversations. This is achieved if the students are happy when entering the
school.

51
5 The Prosocial Educative Tools
5.1 What are the Prosocial Educative Tools
The general objectives of the tools are
a) revive the idea of “teaching community” as an integrated educational school-after school context aiming at
the development of rational competences which are the basis of an “active citizenship”. This implies a series of
intermediate results such as:
 a new interpersonal and positive approach by both teachers and school staff which stems from the active
acknowledgment and enhancement of the other (teaching ourselves);
 the introduction of new methodologies in order to make this approach systematic with both students and
families;
 the promotion of a better relationship among the schools, families and the territory in order to revive the
social dynamics of an “teaching community”;
 the setting up paths for personal growth through emotional identification, representation and
management in a socially efficient method in order to find a value framework of reference (Values stem
from emotions – D. Goleman)
 to promote the culture of legality through a series of processes in which students are able to experiment
and discover the need of shared rules meant as “orderly freedom” based on two main assumptions: “rights”
and “duties”.
b) extend this process from local to global aiming at building a “global cosmopolitan community” (A. Giddens)
and promoting the values of universal brotherhood and the need of inclusion required by our day and age;
The specific objectives of the tools are:
For the School staff
 Refine the way of relating with the team, the families and the students.
 Promote a positive relationship based on empathy, respect and cooperation.
 Create the right conditions to foster the active participation of both students and their families to
school activities.
 See oneself as a positive reference model in the school

52
For the Children:
- Emotional and relational axes
 Taking care of oneself
 Develop a good relationship with oneself and acknowledge one’s
mistakes as an experience to learn from
 Acknowledge one’s own actions and their consequences
 Promote a positive relationship based on empathy, respect and
cooperation
 Listen and respect others
 Interact through dialogue and debate
 Solve conflicts being civil
 Recognize one’s own emotions and learn how to manage them
 Learn how to transform negative thoughts into constructive ones
- Democratic participation axes
 Discover the first social rules: family, friendship, play, school
 Promote responsible attitudes towards oneself, the other, the school
 Encourage constructive debate
 Enhance team work by respecting roles
 Foster relational dynamics based on mutual respect and on peaceful solutions of conflicts
 Acquire behaviours based on legality
 Acquire awareness of equal social dignity and equality among all citizens
 Learn the rights and duties to become active and responsible citizens within the framework of the
principles defined in the Constitution
 Learn about the UN, UNICEF, FAO, EU, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Child
 Learn about the main forms of political organisations: Municipality, District, State and European Union
 Learn to respect the rules of the Highway Code and those pertaining to safety at home, at school and in
the workplace
For the Families
 Increase their participation to school activities
 Coherently practice with the school the shared educational model (also through the signing of an
educational co-responsibility pact and/or a “peace-code”).

53
For the Local community
Sign territorial pacts aimed at integrated actions of a “teaching community”
5.2 Methodologies and activities
The activities follow a general Road-map that can be summarized as follows:
1. General organisational process of the school included in the curricula
2. Setting of relational dynamics within the educational team and school board (work in progress)
3. Classroom organisation and space management:
a. Setting up a “Welcoming Area” in the schools taking part in the project
b. Setting up the classroom
c. Communication in outside locations
d. Communication in out-of-school locations
4. Methodical work on perception/recognition/relation
a. Methodical work on Greeting
b. Methodical work on Active Listening
5. Structuring activities fostering “Emotional training”
6. Structuring activities fostering the rebuilding of the
“Teaching Community”
a. Common slogans
b. School-family and pro-social activities
c. Parent and teacher training
7. Methodical external communication
8. The Peace code
a. Shared setting up of activities with families and out-of-school operators
b. Respect of shared rules
9. Graduated and shared development with the educational communities on all axes according to
the students’ characteristics and those of the community.
10. Assessment of efficiency and efficacy of education with shared indicators
11. Re-planning and modifying interventions

54
MAIN EDUCATIVE METHODS
 Simulation activities
 Linguistic-expressive activities and workshops
 Use of the circle time as a tool for self-regulation
and to develop the power of thought
 Debates in order to analyse and compare
experiences (narration and argumentation)
according to the following four steps:
o Narrate one’s own experiences
o Sharing them
o Connecting their meaning
o Extracting rules from the debate with others
 Building civil common living at school through a shared set of rules
 Gathering specific information and documentation (reports, drawings, posters, books etc.)
ACTIVITIES
 Informative lessons
 Meetings with experts and representatives from the local authorities
 Team work and simulations
 Direct experiences
 Guided tours
 Personal accounts
 Free discussions and debates of daily experiences
 Conferences and debates
 External cooperation: the Police, Local Authorities,
Civil Protection, territorial associations…
 Preparation and signing of the peace code
 Preparation and signing of territorial pacts for integrated actions by the “teaching community”
LOCATIONS
The first tool to structure the activities is the setting of the
classroom and of outside locations.

Pedagogic and Didactic Manual for Teaching Prosociality in Primary School

Pedagogic and Didactic Manual for Teaching Prosociality in Primary School

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