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Conflict
Management Education: Essential Skills for Living "Conflict resolution programs within the schools are an integral part of eliminating violence and developing communication skills that will last a lifetime." -Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General Ask the average person to define conflict, and the answer is generally war, fights, arguments, and disagreements. Ask the individual who has received conflict management/dispute resolution skills training, and the answer will be that conflict provides us with the greatest opportunity to learn, to see beyond our limited personal experience, to connect to others, to recognize our potential, and to collaborate in generating new solutions to old problems. Conflict management skills education is based on scientifically tested theories about human behavior and the ability to change. Practitioners in the field of conflict management/dispute resolution synthesize research on programs that have been effective in teaching decision-making, communication techniques, trust-building, rational thinking, anger management, and negotiation to build a curriculum that prepares individuals to solve their own problems. KnowConflict, a recently incorporated business that delivers training programs over the Internet, is committed to setting the standard for conflict management education. Where better to start demonstrating that commitment than in the nation's public and private school systems. One need only turn to recent events to see the need for violence prevention and the development of conflict management skills with young people. The KnowConflict Educational Programs will provide subscribers with exciting, interactive lessons on managing conflict and resolving disputes. What follows is a brief overview of the specific areas in which students are trained. RATIONAL THINKING: The student gets into a scuffle with peers in the school corridor, and winds up on the floor. He is angry and embarrassed. Is it rational to think that the only option he has is to get some buddies together after school and jump the guys who pushed him down? Clearly, there are other options, but unfortunately the schools around the country are seeing examples of this kind of behavior (or worse), and there is a demonstrated need to learn how to think about all the actions that could meet the student's interests and resolve the problem. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: A high school junior receives a poor grade on a test, and recognizes that she may lose the opportunity to get a job if she doesn't improve her grades. Does she approach the teacher, and angrily denounce his teaching methods, saying he's making life tough for her? This is not the only option, however, many students indicate that they just don't know how to talk to their teachers. They say teachers won't listen, but is it because the students don't know how to communicate in conflict situations? ANGER MANAGEMENT: The chemistry teacher has spoken to one of the students about being late for class on several occasions. The student sullenly retreats to the back of the classroom, and refuses to respond when the teacher calls on him. The student is later caught placing broken glass in the parking lot in front of the teacher's car. Clearly, a passive aggressive expression of anger is taking place. Road rage, employee sabotage of employer goals, and family violence all point to a need for better anger management. DECISION-MAKING: The father of a freshman student continually calls the assistant principal to make complaints about the amount of homework assignments his son must handle when the son is clearly a star athlete on the school's football team. When the principal talks with the son about managing multiple responsibilities, the student says he's quit the team. Good decision-making? Did this student define his problem and weigh the consequences of alternative solutions to it? Making thoughtful decisions is an important component of managing conflict. NEGOTIATION: Getting more of what you want without trampling on the rights or interests of others is what conflict management and dispute resolution is the goal. Looking for the "win-win" outcome, learning that compromise is not a dirty word, recognizing the varying perspectives of others, and that no one has a corner on the truth can lead students of all ages towards creating a better life. KnowConflict programs teach principled (interest-based) negotiation along with the component skills addressed above. It is frequently said that children are our future, and in those children's lives, conflict is now! High school students need the opportunity to develop skills to negotiate through life's crashing waves and muddy waters. They need to swim among sharks, avoid being bitten, and find there are better options than to bite. Conflict management education must become a component of every child's school experience, and KnowConflict's mission is to see that the highest quality, tested principles of education are used to teach these skills.
References Deutsch, M. The Resolution of Conflict: Constructive and Destructive Processes, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1973 Johnson, D.W. and Johnson, R. T. Cooperation and Competition: Theory and Research. Edina, Minn.: Interaction, 1989 Boon, S. D. and Holmes, J. G. "The Dynamics of Interpersonal Trust: Resolving Uncertainty in the Face of Risk." in R. A. Hinde and J. Broebel (eds.) Cooperation and Prosocial Behavior, Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 1991 Fisher, R., Ury, W., and Patton, B. Getting to Yes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981 Krauss, R. M. and Deutsch, M. "Communication in Interpersonal Bargaining." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1966, 4, 572-577 Weitzman, E. A. and Weitzman, P. F., Problem Solving and Decision Making in Conflict Resolution, in Deutsch, M. and Coleman, P.T., (eds.) The Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Jossey-Bass, Inc., 2000 Johnson, D.W. and Johnson, R. Creative Constructive Controversy: Intellectual Challenge in the Classroom, Edina, Minn., Interaction, 1995 Mischel, W. and DeSmet, A.L., Self-Regulation in the Service of Conflict Resolution, in Deutsch, M. and Coleman, P.T., (eds.) The Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Jossey-Bass, Inc. 2000 Sandy, S. V. and Cochran, K. M. The Development of Conflict Resolution Skills in Children, in Deutsch, M. and Coleman, P. T., (eds.) The Handbook of Conflict Resolution, Jossey-Bass, Inc. 2000
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