California State Polytechnic University, Pomona



1. Title: Interpersonal Nonviolence: Using MLK to teach conflict resolution

|Grade level |Class size |Time/Duration |

|9-12 |20-35 |1 class period |

2.

3. Subject: Social Science elective, Peer Counseling, or English/Language Arts

4. Objective: To develop conflict mediation and resolution skills in students by having them apply the nonviolence philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to interpersonal relations.

5. Summary of lesson: Students begin by viewing a short video that both engages their interest and stimulates their prior knowledge of Martin Luther King. This leads to a discussion of who Martin Luther King was, what he did, and what he believed. The students then review quotes from King in groups then share what these quotes mean. The discussion that follows should lead students to the conclusion that the principle of nonviolent confrontation can be applied to their interpersonal relations and can aid them in resolving conflict. Finally, students will apply these ideas on nonviolent conflict resolution to case studies in conflicts familiar to the students.

6. Questions to consider: Discussion questions are embedded throughout the lesson and should be considered, reviewed and expanded upon to facilitate a through class discussion of the concepts. For classes in which discussion is not flowing naturally, consider assigning thee questions as quick writes either individually or in pairs.

7. Materials needed:

a. Worksheets/textbooks The lesson works best when used as part of a larger unit on interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution. To this end, the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey (Simon and Schuster) is quite helpful. The book describes a Private Victory one must win within oneself before achieving a Public Victory with others. Teachers can parallel this with the ideas of Gandhi and King who stressed the philosophical and moral dimensions of nonviolence as a personal choice and a way of life, in addition to a practical conflict resolution strategy.

b. Primary or secondary sources “Pilgrimage to Nonviolence” essay by Martin Luther King, Jr.

8. Instructional Agenda

|Teacher instruction |

|Introduction/Hook |

|Download and play the “Conflict” video produced for this lesson. |

|Lesson/Activity |

|Begin by reviewing what students already know about Martin Luther King. In this discussion, students will probably mention the Civil |

|rights movement, peaceful protests, the “I have a Dream” speech, marches, and perhaps the Montgomery bus boycott. As the discussion |

|develops, be sure to focus on the idea of nonviolent resistance to injustice. You should include some of the following questions to |

|ensure understanding of nonviolence as a method and a frame-of-mind: |

|“How does Martin Luther King define nonviolence? What are Martin Luther King’s basic beliefs and values when it comes to resolving |

|conflict and struggling against injustice?” |

|“Martin Luther King was Christian, but he read and was influenced greatly by the writing, beliefs and methods of Mohandas Gandhi, who |

|was Hindu. What do you think this says about these two religions? What does it say about human nature?” |

|“Which of Martin Luther King’s beliefs about nonviolence in action can be used to solve conflicts between individuals? How?” |

|Divide the students into seven groups of three to five students each. Hand out one of the King quotes to each group (Attachment A) and |

|several copies of the graphic organizer (Attachment B). Ask each group to discuss and come to a consensus on the following questions: |

|What does the quote literally mean? |

|How interpreted it in the context of the Civil Rights movement? |

|How can the idea be applied to a conflict two individuals are having? |

|The teacher should do one as an example to show the students what is required for the assignment and how to use the graphic organizer |

|Give the students about ten to fifteen minutes to discuss their answers before sharing their quote and responses with the whole class. |

|As this discussion unfolds, include some of the following questions to lead students to an understanding that the principles of |

|nonviolence can be applied to their own lives and relationships. |

|“What are the most difficult conflicts that teenagers get into today? How are these conflicts usually resolved? Is everyone usually |

|satisfied with the outcome? Why or why not?” |

|“What is difficult about pursuing nonviolent conflict resolution in your interpersonal life? What are the advantages?” |

|Conclusion |

|Have the students apply the concepts of nonviolent confrontation to the case study (Attachment B) either in class or as homework. |

|Alternate case studies can be developed that reflect typical problems at your individual school. |

9. Reflection Review student responses to the Case study and lead a discussion on what students felt worked and what did not work for this lesson.

10. References of all sources

• Martin Luther King, Jr., “Pilgrimage to Nonviolence”, Strive Toward Freedom (New York: Harper & Bros., 1958), pp. 90-107

• Sean Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998)

Attachment A – Martin Luther King Quotes

1. “…while the nonviolent resister is passive in the sense that he is not physically aggressive toward his opponent, his mind and emotions are always active, constantly seeking to persuade his opponent that he is wrong. The method is passive, physically, but strongly active spiritually.”

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2. “A … basic fact that characterizes nonviolence is that is does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding.”

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3. “The end [of nonviolent resistance] is redemption and reconciliation. The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness.”

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4. “A … characteristic of this method [nonviolence] is that the attack is directed against forces of evil rather than against persons who happen to be doing the evil.”

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5. “A … point that characterizes nonviolent resistance is a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation, to accept blows from the opponent without striking back.”

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6. “A … point concerning nonviolent resistance is that it avoids not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot his opponent but he also refuses to hate him. At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love.”

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7. “A … basic fact about nonviolent resistance is that it is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice. Consequently, the believer in nonviolence has deep faith in the future. This faith is another reason why the nonviolent resister can accept suffering without retaliation. For he knows that in his struggle for justice, he has cosmic companionship.”

Attachment B – Graphic Organizer

Quote Literal Meaning

Interpreted to Civil Rights Movement Applied to Interpersonal Conflict

Quote Literal Meaning

Interpreted to Civil Rights Movement Applied to Interpersonal Conflict

Quote Literal Meaning

Interpreted to Civil Rights Movement Applied to Interpersonal Conflict

Attachment C – Case Study

You are working in a small group of four for a presentation in English class. Your teammates, Nancy, Sid and Justin, are discussing what the instructions are for the assignment. The four of you are required to read a short story and respond to some questions about the story. You sense that Justin is uncomfortable because he is not saying anything. Then you begin to figure out why: Sid keeps making comments about Justin’s glasses, mumbling about how he has to work with a “four-eyed nerd”. Nancy seems unaware, or perhaps she doesn’t care, and is beginning to get frustrated with Justin, as he is not contributing to the group. Feeling outnumbered and on the defensive, Justin calls Nancy a rude name. Sid responds by pushing Justin and telling him that he is “gonna get it” after class. Nancy calls Sid a bully and says she can fight her own battles, and then tells Justin he is a loser with no friends. Justin clenches his fist and storms off to the other side of the room. Then the teacher says to the class that you have only ten minutes left before you will have to present your responses.

1. How will you make peace within your group in the short time remaining?

2. What nonviolent principles from King are the most helpful for this situation?

3. How would you react to fix this situation if you were Justin? Sid? Nancy?

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Ahimsa Summer Institute 2005 lesson plan - Revised

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