Tools for Managing School-Based Conflicts

• NCJ Number: 152395
• Author(s): R Compton
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 5 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Colorado; William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services; Conflict Resolution Consortium
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Edited talk given for the Intractable Conflict/Constructive Confrontation Project on November 6, 1993

Annotation

The methods of handling school-based conflicts include conflict transformation, conflict prevention, and conflict enhancement.

Abstract

Intractable conflicts in schools include parent-teacher conflicts, conflicts between staff members, conflicts involving gender issues, and conflicts related to gangs and prejudice. Conflict transformation is a way of changing a situation to shift reality. The Chicago Police Department trains its police officers to do this with a technique called "clouding." When they enter the scene of a domestic dispute they start moving the furniture around and doing completely strange things, so that the people stop fighting and ask what they are doing. Conflict prevention can happen by holding classroom meetings to establish a dialogue or restructuring a playground. Conflict enhancement involves learning how to promote controversy in cases where it can be exciting and can become a learning process. In addressing conflicts it is also important to recognize societal values that lead to conflict. These values include individualism, winning, domination, and affluence. We can avoid some of these problems by adopting Native American empowerment values, which emphasize community, mastery, independence, and generosity. The dialogue process is also very helpful.