Pedagogy of Peace: Mindful Transition Spaces for Student-Veterans in First Year Writing Classes

In “Pedagogy of Peace: Mindful Transition Spaces for Student-Veterans in First-Year Writing Classes,” I ask that composition teachers open spaces and build communities within the classroom that offer pathways for veterans to “come home.” I argue that bringing mindfulness practices into the first-year composition classroom will help to create these spaces and pathways by encouraging students to be aware of the now, of others who occupy a shared space, and of a larger community. I advocate for a pedagogy that encourages students, both veterans and nonveterans, to tell their stories and to listen carefully to the stories of others.