Conflict and disagreements are always going to happen. It is something that can not be avoided and does not always have to be negative. Conflict can cause growth and the understanding of new perspectives. However, when our students do not have skills to properly handle conflict it often becomes confrontation and disruptive outbursts. When we approach conflict as a natural part of our community and establish proactive ways to handle it we have the potential to lessen disruptive arguments and help students learn valuable life skills that deal with de-escalation and conflict management. One strategy to support this concept is to teach students self regulation skills and to give them specific and appropriate ways to handle frustration in your classroom. The resources found in the self regulation strategies section can be worked into your typical classroom routines and procedures.  This empowers students to resolve their conflict in an acceptable manner and also alert you that they are frustrated without disrupting instruction. 

 

Peer to peer conflict is important to address proactively, but so is the conflict that arises from defiant or disrespectful behaviors. We can establish community agreements concerning respectful behaviors and discuss what is acceptable, but there will always be moments when this is violated. We can not control the actions of others, but we can control our responses. One of the resources linked below gives specific and effective strategies for dealing with defiant behaviors. 

 

The resources listed below support managing conflict through de-escalation skills, dealing with defiance and conflict management activities.