Last weekend, like many educators across the country, I was horrified by the killing of civilians at the hands of ICE agents. I had planned to publish a post about the benefits of youth sports in Montessori, which is essential, joyful work, but after the events of last weekend, that post no longer felt appropriate.
If we are serious about peace education, we cannot ignore what is happening in the United States right now. Montessori education does not ask us to shield children from reality; it asks us to help them make sense of it, ethically and courageously.
For that reason, I am making one of my classroom simulations available for free download.
“Just Following Orders”
The simulation, called Just Following Orders, was initially designed to be used after students study the Holocaust and World War II. Shamefully and alarmingly, I believe this lesson is more relevant now than ever.
That is a damning statement in itself: a simulation meant to examine the moral failures of Nazi Germany now directly connects to the actions of our own government toward its own people.
The Research Behind the Simulation
This simulation draws from two well-known psychological studies:
The Milgram Obedience Study demonstrated that ordinary people were willing to administer what they believed were lethal electric shocks to another person simply because an authority figure told them to do so.
The Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated how quickly behavior changes when people adopt perceived roles of power and submission—guards and prisoners—even in an artificial setting.
Both studies reveal an uncomfortable truth: harm does not require cruelty as a personality trait. It often only requires permission.
How the Simulation Works
Students are divided into small groups and kept physically separate. Each group receives the same instructions from a teacher:
You are now in charge.
Your job is to get the other groups to comply.
The teacher may invent any number of neutral scenarios—walking quietly in the hallway, lining up efficiently, keeping order during transitions. Students are told they are allowed to do whatever is necessary to ensure compliance, including yelling, threatening, or even physical force.
And here is the critical detail:
They will never actually do any of those things.
After giving the instructions, the teacher remains with each group, appearing preoccupied—grading, writing notes—while the students discuss how they would enforce control. The teacher is, in reality, closely observing and taking notes.
This planning phase is where the real learning happens.
Students face the internal conflict of being asked to do something that conflicts with their moral compass. Some eagerly comply. Some resist immediately. Some are torn.
No one is harmed. No one is yelled at. But the pressure is real.
The Reveal
Once all groups are reunited, the teachers conclude the simulation.
The lesson was never about controlling classmates.
It was about how willing we are to follow orders from an authority figure.
During the debrief, without calling out any individual student, the teacher shares observations:
Were students quick to comply?
How many hesitated?
Did anyone outright object?
And then comes the moral reckoning.
Students may realize—or the teacher may gently reveal—that in this simulation, they were the ICE agents.
The dilemma is the same:
Do you carry out orders because they come from above, even when they conflict with ethics, morality, or constitutional values? Or do you refuse?
This lesson is not meant to generate empathy for ICE agents who are committing horrific acts. It is meant to show that anyone can be compelled to follow commands they disagree with when those commands are sanctioned by authority.
Why This Matters in Montessori
Montessori education is grounded in the belief that children must learn to think for themselves—to consult their own moral compass before adopting someone else’s beliefs.
This simulation reinforces that principle in a way lectures never can.
Because of the sensitivity of the topic, this lesson must be handled with great care:
Students must be explicitly told at the end of the simulation that they are never to treat one another poorly.
Particular attention should be paid to students who seemed eager to exert power.
During the debrief, without shaming, students should be encouraged to reflect honestly:
If I were quick to comply, what does that tell me about myself?
That awareness does not make a child a bad person.
It makes them a safer one.
A Necessary Disclaimer
This simulation is not suitable for every classroom, age level, or community. You must be at your best as an educator to run it well. If you are not prepared to hold space for discomfort, reflection, and ethical discussion, this lesson may not be appropriate.
But if you are struggling to find a meaningful way to connect cultural studies, character education, and today’s headlines, this simulation may be the bridge you are looking for.
Free Download
Given the current moment, I have made Just Following Orders available for free download.
Montessori peace education demands more than good intentions. It is our duty to prepare the next generation to think independently, to recognize injustice, and to resist cruelty even when it is sanctioned by authority. We owe it to our students—and to the future—to teach them how not to become complicit.