Abstract

This study examines the presence of peace education in Jordan and England from the perspective of teachers. It adopts a qualitative research approach by interviewing a sample of 80 teachers, both female and male, from English and Jordanian secondary schools. Results indicate that peace education is a vital part of scholarly life in both countries. In England, teachers supplement peace education by cooperating with international organizations and by teaching human rights issues in subject areas such as geography, citizenship, history, English literature, and religion. To promote peace between cultures, teachers in England educate students about diverse religions by hosting events on religious occasions, such as the Islamic Eid and Ramadan, and by arranging international food festivals. Furthermore, teachers in England arrange field trips to areas with cultural minorities so that students may experience other lifestyles and traditions by, for example, dining at nonEnglish restaurants and visiting mosques, churches, and temples. Nevertheless, results also show that teachers in England discuss military conflict with students in a very limited way. Meanwhile, Jordanian teachers educate students about the values of tolerance in a practical way by hosting activities inside and outside the classroom for subjects such as Islam, citizenship, Arabic, English, literature, and history. Jordanian teachers implement different pedagogies to promote cultural tolerance among students, such as by teaching students about human rights, encouraging students to express their views and feelings regarding all issues without feeling restricted, and discussing problems with teachers and classmates inside and outside the classroom. Jordanian teachers also organize a range of activities to promote human rights, religions, and cultures.