NCJ Number
188161
Journal
Juvenile Justice Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 21-29
Date Published
June 2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This discussion of education about conflict resolution explains four approaches to this form of education, the components of a program to provide conflict resolution education, and the concept of the peaceable school.
Abstract
Schools currently rely almost exclusively on arbitration to resolve disputes between youth. A 1996 report from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Department of Education noted four basic approaches to conflict resolution education: process curriculum, mediation program, peaceable classroom, and peaceable school. The components of an authentic conflict resolution education program include a set of problem-solving principles, a structured process of problem-solving strategies, and a set of foundational abilities that youth need to resolve conflicts effectively. Problem-solving principles include separating the people from the problem, perceptions, emotions, communication, and a focus on interests and not on positions, the invention of options for mutual gain, and the use of objective criteria. The structured process uses six steps and one of three strategies: negotiation, mediation, and consensus decision making. Particular attitudes, understandings, and skills are also important for conflict resolution. Students and teachers in peaceable schools approach conflicts, including conflicts that are labeled misbehavior, as an opportunity for growth. The process of creating the peaceable school enables both educators and students to gain life skills that benefit them at school, at home, and in the community. The best programs will do more than reach the individual child; they try to improve the entire school setting to create a safe community whose members embrace nonviolence and multicultural appreciation. Note and 9 references