How to Teach Kids Conflict Resolution Skills in the Classroom

Fighting shouldn't be an option when it comes to conflict.

Whether it's wanting to spend time with someone who wants to be alone, or an argument over which television channel to watch, conflict resolution can help kids avoid handling situations negatively. Teaching children how to manage conflicts now will help them solve similar situations when they become adults, and it will make your current work environment less stressful if the kids are able to catch on. Effective conflict management is a skill that many people will never possess.

Instructions

1. Tell the students they have choices in each conflict. The options include attacking, standing up for themselves or giving in, according to staff at Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility. Teach them to be assertive by saying "no," for example, and by telling them to stand up for what they believe.

2. Advise the children to come up with an assertive response that fits the situation. For example, if someone wants to play with the child because he is leaving for vacation but the child wants to be alone, saying "no," would come across as rude; however, if the child explains why he can't visit at that moment, the friend might understand.

3. Ask two students to participate in a role play. For example, Molly wants John's pencil because she doesn't have one, so she takes it from him. He is left with no pencil. Ask the class for John's options. He can get angry, be complacent or be assertive. The class should choose "assertive." John can explain to Molly why he deserves the pencil more, and if she doesn't give it back, he will get the teacher to give it back to him.

4. Instruct the students to find the problem in the conflict. Teach them to attack the problem but not the person. The children should listen to each other and care about the other person's feelings, while taking responsibility for how they behave.

5. Teach the students a four-step easy lesson: "Stop," to take control of themselves; "Say," what is causing them grief; "Listen," to the other persons words; "Think," about a solution to the problem. Tell the students to ask for someone's help to resolve the conflict if the other person is unwilling to be reasonable.

References

• Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility: Be Strong, Be Mean, or Give in
• Farm Hill Elementary; Great Teaching Ideas; Jan DeMontigny
• GoodCharacter.com: Working Out Conflicts