The Documentary
https://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_teaching_with_the_world_peace_game

The Movie

World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements, the award-winning 2011 documentary by Chris Farina and Rosalia Films

vimeo.com/ondemand/60062

The TED Talk

“The World Peace Game is about
learning to live and work comfortably in the unknown.”

Teaching with the

World Peace Game

The Book

World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements, by John Hunter


Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell’s

Explore the possibilities of hosting a week of morning student game play and afternoon teacher professional development on your campus, led by WPG Master Class Facilitator Kevin Durden.

The experience is founded on the ideas shared by master teacher John Hunter in World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements. 

The World Peace Game®

Game Experience for Students; Master Class for Teachers

For Students: The World We Make

The Play’s the Thing

Refined by master teacher John Hunter since his first session in 1978, this experiential learning geopolitical simulation has the potential to fully engage students’ minds as well as hearts. Student participants are invited to take on different leadership positions across four countries, a World Bank, United Nations, World Court, and Arms Dealers for a whirlwind week of challenges.

Are You Ready for a Cabinet Meeting?Peer Leadership 

  • Big-picture perspective

  • Creative solutions

  • Persuasive ideas

  • Critical reasoning

  • Conflict resolution

  • Negotiation skills

  • Collaboration

Digging Deep, Rising Up

Students must:

  • Sort through chaos

  • Handle failure

  • Look within themselves

  • Reach out to others

  • Be decisive in the moment

  • Commit to positive action

to decide what course of action to take. No two games are alike, yet every time, the students’ own wisdom, creativity, and compassion emerge and save the planet.

  • “I learned that life is not always gonna be peaceful and people are not gonna give you what you want but we're not on our own.”

    Minister of Defense Bancier, 10

  • "The World Peace Game is like what can happen in REAL life."

    Prime Minister Lorick, 11

  • “You have to think of how everyone can win. You have to find another way around a situation. You experiment with your ideas and make mistakes.”

    Secretary of State Erny, 10

  • "I learned that helping people is very important and might be the ONLY thing that matters."

    Chief Justice Powell, 12

  • “When we learned that to benefit ourselves we have to benefit others I think that is when we really won the World Peace Game."

    Secretary of State Zelle, 10.

  • “What will I remember most about the World Peace Game? EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

    Secretary of Commerce Whisenant, 10

  • "I learned that it might be rough in the future but we can figure it out."

    Secretary of State Anchoori, 10

  • "I keep thinking about how you will have to interact with people to solve world problems."

    --Prime Minister Haywood, 11

  • "At the beginning of the game sometimes people were a little scared to voice their country’s thoughts & feelings. Now, I see confidence everywhere."

    --United Nations Deputy Secretary Baskhar, 11.

In spring 2021 John Hunter, designer of the World Peace Game®, certified Kevin as a Master Class Facilitator and trainer for week-long professional development for teachers interested in observing the Game to gain the experience, knowledge, and resources to bring the Game to their classroom. 

School leaders and teachers who register for the Master Class may organize and implement future Game sessions in their classrooms. This has the potential to provide a world-class 21st century skills experience to students and open new approaches to instruction and assessment to participating teachers. 

Kevin is an Independent Advanced Facilitator certified by the World Peace Game® Foundation to visit classrooms during the school year to offer 25-35 students 15-to-20 hours of gameplay during the school day in a week-long experience.

He can also arrange to be part of a school-hosted week-long summer World Peace Game® experience centered on a group of 25-35 students whose families register for a half-day cerebral activity.

In the course of more than 30 games since spring 2013, Kevin has helped students sort through chaos, handle failure, look within themselves, and reach out to others to decide what course of action to take. No two games are alike, yet every time, the students’ own wisdom, creativity, and compassion emerge and save the planet.

For Teachers: A Map and a Journey

Observing

Using John Hunter’s World Peace Game as an inspiring and challenging analogy, Master Class participants observe the Game live with students each morning.

From their at-first unfamiliar perspective at the edge of the action, facilitator trainees can take the wide view to see more of students’ interactions than if they were engaged in teaching in the moment.

By indulging in the rare experience of looking closely and listening carefully after students’ introduction to the Game’s overwhelming complexity, teachers will pick out early signs of progress, note experiments in collaboration, and witness the increasing efficacy and confidence in the young leaders at week’s end.

Exploring

Afternoons provide an opportunity for teachers to discuss facilitating the Game and to contemplate how to apply the philosophy and guiding concepts of the experience in their classrooms moving forward:

  • Student Engagement and Ownership of Learning

  • Strengths, Challenges, and Possibilities

  • Moving from Control to Structure

  • Teacher as Designer

  • Open Space Curriculum Design

Reflecting

Teachers have the opportunity to:

  • Reflect on their core educational beliefs and current practices

  • Renew their enthusiasm and vision

  • Reinvent their classroom experience for themselves and the students they serve

among colleagues gathered through a shared interest in the possibilities of the Game.

Master class participants receive a World Peace Game Foundation Facilitator certificate to be included in their professional portfolio and access to World Peace Game Foundation supporting documents, Game resources, and the invitation to join the online forum of worldwide facilitators.

  • “I feel it solidifies the philosophy and theory of Dr. Montessori. The WPG is another exciting way to encourage research and introduce students to new areas to explore and find their purpose and passion.”

    East Cooper Montessori Charter School, June 2022

  • "Students construct new knowledge and skills through 'serious games' and 'hard fun.'"

    Columbia, SC, October 2021

  • “I was at a level of 2/10 before this training and now I feel that I'm ready to try it. I have a better understanding of the goals of the game and how to better have the kids get the most out of this experience. ”

    Richland School District Two, May 2021

  • “I think as an educator it can be easy to fall down a rabbit hole and get caught up in curriculum "must do's" and "best practices" with predictable outcomes every time. This is messy and not ever the same twice, but it is real.”

    Pleasant Hill, June 2022

  • "It opened my eyes to recognizing the value of using 'Empty Space' in the classroom."

    Columbia, SC, May 2021

  • "Excellent! I loved how seeing an actual game with students to observe the team building, cooperative learning, conflict, emotions, and the possibilities of what could happen in our own classrooms."

    Mount Pleasant, SC, June 2022

  • “It was everything I thought it would be and more! I loved being surrounded by amazing, positive educators!”

    Rice Creek Elementary, October 2021

  • "In such a short time you impacted so many! The way you work with kids and adults--your patience and kindness--it was a gift to watch you teach. Thank you so much!"

    Argo Navis School, Playa Vista, CA, July 2023