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Teach Conflict Resolution Skills

Teach Conflict Resolution Skills

Why should I do it:

  • Many students lack basic skills necessary for solving and resolving daily conflicts with other students, adults, authority figures, etc
  • Enables and empowers students to be more independent and highly functioning
  • Reduces teacher’s time “putting out fires”
  • Increases instructional time
  • Promotes maturity
  • Improves self confidence
  • Reduces tattling, bickering, and disruptions

When should I do it:

  • Conflict resolution skills are good to teach all kids in your classes at the beginning of the year and then again once a month to keep the strategies fresh in kids minds
  • When students bicker, argue, and fight a lot
  • When you lose time due to student conflicts and disagreements
  • When a student is being suspended a lot due to fighting and conflicts with students and adults
  • When students have trouble compromising, taking turns, sharing, etc

How do I do it:

  • IMPORTANT NOTE!
    • At the Tier 1 Level, think of doing conflict resolution lessons and interventions for the whole class or groups
    • At the Tier 2 level, think of doing conflict resolution lessons and interventions for groups and individuals
    • At the Tier 3 level, think of customizing specific conflict resolution lessons and interventions for specific students
  • There are many skills and strategies for teaching kids conflict resolution, many of which can be found and explored below under support & resources
  • These lessons and ideas for teaching the skills, found below, can be done with individual students, a small group, or the whole class
  • Conflict resolution skills should be taught and revisited on a regular basis and should include role playing to practice the skills
  • When students fail to use the taught skills, have them reflect on how they could have handled the situation or conflict and role play it with them
  • Model proper conflict resolution skills for your kids with any opportunity you get, and point out to the students afterward how you used the skills

Resources & Support for technique:
(Items with footnotes link to external websites)

Footnotes:

  1. About.com. Becoming A Problem Solver. [http://clk.about.com/?zi=3/1bc&sdn=becoming+a+problem+solver&cdn=term2&tm=5&f=11&tt=22&bt=1&bts=0&st=10&zu=http%3A//specialed.about.com/library/problemsolving1.pdf].
  2. Education World. Bullying Intervention Strategies That Work. [http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues/issues103.shtml].
  3. Stiller, B., Ross, S., Horner, R. H. Bully Prevention in Positive Behavior Support. [http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/tools/pbsbullyprevention.pdf].
  4. Davis, S. A Sample Behavior Rubric: Aggressive Behavior Consequence Rubric. [http://www.k12connections.iptv.org/documents/antiBully2_DisciplineRubric.pdf].
  5. Central Elementary School. Bullying: Time To Think Reflection Sheet For Lower Elementary.
  6. Central Elementary School. Bullying: Time To Think Reflection Sheet For Upper Elementary.
  7. Shawnee Mission School District. Bully Think Sheet. [www4.smsd.org/positivebehaviorsupports/docs/Doc-87951.doc].
  8. Greene, R. W., Lives In The Balance. [http://www.livesinthebalance.org/].
  9. Ross, S., Horner, R. University of Oregon. PBIS.org Embedding Bully-Proofing in School-wide PBS – PBIS. [www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/presentations/rosshornerbullyproofing0307.ppt].
  10. Letson, T. Self-Talk Skill. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/index.html].
  11. Watson, S. Behavior Think Sheets. [http://specialed.about.com/library/problemsolving2.pdf].
  12. Source unknown.
  13. WINGS for Kids, Inc. Let Kids Fix Own Problems. [http://wingsforkids.org/files/HotWINGS-ProblemSolving.pdf].
  14. The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. (2006). PreK to Grade 2, Personal Health Series: Conflict Resolution. [http://classroom.kidshealth.org/prekto2/personal/growing/conflict_resolution.pdf].
  15. The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. (2006). Grades 3 to 5, Personal Health Series: Conflict Resolution. [http://classroom.kidshealth.org/3to5/personal/growing/conflict_resolution.pdf].
  16. Lawrence, R. Planned ignoring. [http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3060].
  17. Leston, T. Highly Recommended Bullying Links. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/links.html].
  18. Letson, T. 101 Great Comeback Lines. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/101_great_comeback_lines.html].
  19. Letson, T. Bullying Defense Skills Training. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/Bully_defense_skills.html].
  20. Letson, T. Bullying Advice. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/advice.html].
  21. Leston, T. FAQ When Your Child is Being Bullied. [http://www.bullystoppers.com/Parents.html].
  22. Herman, J. C. (2010). A Call to Stop Bullying. [http://www.qualityansweringservice.com/call-stop-bullying-answering-service].