Classroom codes of conduct can improve students' discipline and promote school culture conducive to children's moral growth. Developing a code of conduct follows the procedure given below.

Discusses with the students the need of having a code of conduct for the class, and get their consent.

Group the class and request each group to prepare the code, according to their own needs. It should be able to guide students' behaviour in the classroom and schools.

When the groups have completed their drafts they present them to the class.

Following each presentation a short discussion is held to get feedback in order to improve them.

Appoint a committee to prepare the final draft from the drafts submitted by the groups. Once they have prepared it the teacher can refine it through editing.

The code should be simple and brief.

Let the committee present the draft and get the consent of the class. Display the code of conduct in the classroom.

Once a week, say, every Friday the teacher should conduct a progress review of the conduct in the class.

2. Developing a school discipline guide

School discipline guide is a policy like document that recommends standard conduct for the students in school. It is a detailed research paper like document that proposes standard conducts in various conflicting situations arising in school.

A team of teachers, appointed by the principal, develops the document. They do a close study of the factors leading to problem behaviour. They interview teachers, student prefects, students and parents and study the past school records of the disciplinary actions. They look into the causes, trends, backgrounds, and situations leading to the problem behaviour of students and also to positive behaviour.

Then the team analyses and recommends action at various levels of the school.

The document brings into focus the responsibilities of all levels of the school community, beginning with the class teacher developing and maintaining discipline in school. It recommends actions to parents as well. More importantly, it gives clear guidance to students on right behaviour in various situations, e.g. a What to do when a teacher is absent in a period?

What to do when you find something valuable within the schoolyard?

How to behave in the playground?

Code of conduct developed from the guide could be exhibited in appropriate places such as the school corridor, science lab, playground, etc. The recommendations and standards given in the document legitimize good conduct. Based on the guide, the principal assigns duties and responsibilities to class teachers, subject teachers, divisional heads, deputy principal, management committee and parents. However the guide should be positive and user-friendly in its approach. Mostly it is a visionary guide from which codes of conduct could be drawn at all levels.

In the preparation of the guide all levels of the school community should participate so that all of them feel responsible and remain faithful to it.

3. Practices for developing self-esteem

Peace education stresses the need of improving children's self-esteem in school.

The school has to find many creative strategies and practices at all the levels for it. In the attempt the school can implement various methods of identifying students' potentials and promoting them further through various methods of rewarding, encouraging, guiding and facilitating. For instance:

Selecting the best students, weekly, termly and annually (The school announces the areas of selection, e.g. academic performance, special talents in art, drama, music, leadership, problem-solving, helping behaviour,) This can take interesting forms such as selecting the school scientist, engineer, mathematician, artist, actor, orators, etc. Selections can be done through exhibitions, competitions, classroom evaluations and so on.

Awarding badges, certificates, and prizes,

Arranging special occasions for display of talents

Recognition in the morning assembly.

4. Using special activities and exercises for developing peaceful competencies

These type of activities have been discussed at length in the previous chapter, they need no elaboration here. One of the indicators of the school practising peace education is the constant use of active and participative learning methods in lessons. There is a wide range of learning activities available to teachers to suit all age levels of students. These activities may be used for

Starting the day with a moral or spiritual thought provides inspiration, This can be done at the school level in the morning assembly by giving a short talk on a topic related to character building. Both the teachers and students can deliver such talks. Alternatives such as listening to recorded songs and short talks; reading from literature could be used for change.

A simple practice at the classroom level: Start the day by putting up a motto on the wall in front of the class. Discuss briefly the message in it. This daily activity could be assigned to students as well.

6. School /classroom wallpaper

A wallpaper in a class or school, is useful in many ways. It can provide currently important news and other information to students. They can improve their skill in creative writing, by contributing essays, short stories and articles to it. The paper could be produced in many different and interesting ways such as on themes, on subject bases and so on. As a policy, the paper can take peace as the central concept. An appointed committee can work as the editors' board.

7. Displaying peace mottos

Having peace mottos displayed in the school plant, classrooms, corridors, and garden acclimatize children to peace attitudes and values. Gradually they begin to appreciate such life guiding moral sayings. They may remember such sayings throughout their lives. The school hall can be given names of values, e.g. Hall of Compassion, Hall of Joy. Constant exposure to peace thoughts helps internalize such values.

8. Peace day/ week

The school can organize peace days or weeks with a view to raising awareness on peace. Select a currently significant theme and draw a programme for the day or week. Themes on environment, social justice, inner peace, non-violence, human rights and problems of globalization will be useful to students. Seminars, lectures, discussions, art exhibitions, debates and drama can be organized under the selected theme. Such a programme should have a community peace-building activity so that it has a practical value.

9. Appointing class mediators

A class mediator or peacemaker is a student who is appointed to resolve conflicts in the class. Conflicts are referred to him or he will mediate when necessary in the conflicts arising in the class. This makes them understand that students in the class bear the responsibility to resolve their conflicts At the same time students appointed as mediators will improve skills in conflict resolution. In mixed schools a class may have two peacemakers, a girl and a boy.

The selections should be made by the consensus of the whole class. By rotating the position monthly or quarterly more students get the opportunity to practise conflict resolution. However on the appointment, they need to be given a basic training in it. Awarding a special badge is necessary for the formal recognition of the position.

However the peacemaker should be a friend of a class rather than a formal leader. The conflict is referred to the class teacher only if the collegial mediations fail. In addition to the role of mediators, they can also act as peer counsellors to those colleagues, who have varied problems. Children need a supporter who will listen to their problems and with whom they can discuss them in confidence. The peacemakers' performance will depend upon the kind of training given to them by the school. Therefore the school has to give effective training.

10. Appointing a peace committee

The peacemakers in the school could form a committee, which can draw, organize and run peace programmes for the whole school. For instance, they can organize the peace week for the school. This is a good means of handing over the responsibility of peace work to the students themselves.

11. The morning assembly

Morning assembly provides a good stage for developing peace vision and attitudes in the school community.

Given below are some ideas to enrich it.

Children need a lot of socializing experiences. School linking programmes provide opportunities for them to meet, build friendships, share and get together with other school students. These programmes can be organized at school level, grade level, interest group level and student club level. On such occasions children can organize various educational, cultural, environmental, and community developmental activities.