Nobel Idea: Ellen Casey teaches her students to give peace a chance.

[1 December 2006 - Teacher Magazine] The 1st grade teacher’s inspiration came in 1997, when she heard the Dalai Lama speak at a gathering of teenagers in Denver. As the Tibetan religious leader -- whom the Chinese forced into exile in 1959 -- emphasized the importance of peaceful conflict resolution, Ellen Casey recognized a learning opportunity for her students. "Peace, tolerance, and nonviolence should be a part of life when children are very young," says Casey, who works at Steele Elementary School in Colorado Springs. She began teaching her students about the Dalai Lama -- asking them, for example, whether they think he is angry that the Chinese invaded Tibet. The lesson: It's OK to feel anger, but not to act on it. More