The article presents 10 tips for developing an effective conflict resolution program that provides students with the necessary skills to work issues out peacefully between themselves. Conflict resolution warmup activities from classroom teachers and a guide to conflict resolution resources and programs are also included. (SM)

A peer mediation program in a suburban elementary school was studied to determine the types of conflicts, the strategies used in conflict resolution, and the types of resolutions at school and at home. Comparisons of 144 program students with 83 untrained students revealed significant impact of peer mediation. (SLD)

Discusses five variations of staff splitting, a psychological process that starts with seemingly innocent comments that fester in the subconscious of others, leading members of the staff to seek evidence of inconsistencies and individual differences. Provides explicit guidelines and insights about how to turn staff splitting into an opportunity…

Links pedagogical theory and practice through a description of teaching-research activities and critical pedagogy in a southern inner-city elementary school classroom, focusing especially on African American students. Recommendations are made for teaching and using critical pedagogy in the schools. (SLD)

Suggests that children can learn to successfully resolve problems by age four. Describes two interpersonal problem-solving thinking skills (alternative solution thinking and consequential thinking) which, if used by children, facilitate better adjustment and greater social competence. Teaching children problem-solving techniques, or how to think,…

In the cooperative controversy technique, two opposing sides are clearly drawn over a single issue, and learners on both sides cooperate to understand both sides and arrive at a personal position. Students respond enthusiastically to the exercise, are helped in exploring emotional responses to issues, and learn how, not what, to think. (MSE)

This article describes a school-wide violence prevention program at one Oregon middle school. The school implemented the Second Step curriculum, which teaches students nonviolent alternatives to address conflict and concepts of empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management. The process used to select, implement, and evaluate the…

Institutional approaches to alternative dispute resolution can offer students and faculty a safe, non-judgmental environment for addressing disputes and promoting campus civility. Issues discussed include ways to promote an institutional atmosphere of civility; creation of structures for conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution; use…

Describes three academic group activities used with children or adults in adventure-, challenge-, and experiential-education settings (including classrooms). Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, instructions, ideas for post-activity group processing and reflection, and follow-up activities.…

Presents three scenarios that pose obstacles to teacher-librarian instructional consultation. Each situation is analyzed and draws on teacher planning research. Practical approaches for instructional collaboration are offered. (AEF)

Describes a social problem-solving process to resolve interpersonal conflicts between young children. Gives techniques for teaching the process, advises on getting started in the classroom, and identifies situations for using the process. Suggests that classroom climates improve as incidences of aggression and victimization decrease and positive…

Teacher strategies to prevent or deal with conflict with parents or students include practicing assertive communication, validating feelings of others, recognizing barriers to effective communication, developing trust in relationships, and practicing collaborative problem-solving strategies. If educators have the tools to manage conflict, they can…

This article presents the results of an evaluation conducted by two middle school counselors, in collaboration with university researchers, to assess the effectiveness of a classroom intervention designed to impact academic achievement. The intervention utilized was a standardized conflict resolution curriculum, which then was linked to…

Youth violence is widely recognized as a critical social issue in the United States, and many approaches to prevention have been developed in recent years. Emerging research suggests that only approaches that are deeply embedded in cultural, community, and organizational contexts are likely to be powerful enough to have a meaningful collective…

In 1989, President George Bush met with the nation's governors and the foundation was laid for the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" (signed into law March 1994). The act provides funds to underwrite states' development and implementation of content and performance standards and associated assessment methodologies directed toward helping…