Using the School Resource Guides

Sample of Suggested Strategies for a Comprehensive Conflict Management Plan

 
1. Conduct assessment/survey of administrators, staff, students, parents
(ESG:502-506)(Refer to High School Guide for detailed assessment information)
a. Map out safe and unsafe areas of school and areas of significant and little conflict (consider student input)

2. Examine school policies and procedures to determine if they are consistent with effective conflict management strategies.

  • Mission statements (HSG:40)
  • Codes of conduct/discipline procedures (ESG:453-469)
  • Collaborative efforts and team building (ESG:473-488)
  • Consider student input
    i. Student Council: Student bill of rights (MSG:497-499)

3. Encourage buy-in from as many parties as possible (administrators, staff, teachers, students, parents, etc.)

  • Find research on how learning of these skills benefits teachers and students
    i. Example:
    1. Reductions in classroom management time
    2. Improved grades and proficiency scores, etc.
  • Develop procedures for school-wide knowledge, support, and modeling of appropriate conflict management strategies

4. Provide as many people as possible with tools to address conflict in their environments
a. Teachers

  • Provide training in conflict management and use of resource guides
  • Offer in-service workshops on conflict management
  • Provide teachers with strategies to prevent and intervene with conflict in classrooms (Refer to "Other Classroom Strategies" and "Strategies to Assist Teachers"sections of outline for specific suggestions)
    1. Examples:
    a. Class meetings
    b. Classroom problem-solving
    c. Conflict resolution corner
    d. Peaceful days bulletin board
    e. Peace flag
  • Provide teachers necessary support to encourage their efforts
    1. Example: ability to communicate effectively with other staff, administrators, etc.
  • Train teachers how to integrate conflict management activities into their curriculum
    1. Linking activities to academic subjects (MSG:315-318)(ESG:6-11,93,94)
    2. Book Guide Chart (ESG:264-350)

b. Administrators and Staff (Bus drivers, Coaches, Cafeteria staff, other support personnel)

  • Provide training in conflict management
  • Provide with strategies to prevent and intervene with conflict
  • Provide necessary support to encourage their efforts
    1. Example: ability to communicate effectively with other staff, administrators, etc.

c. Students

  • Involve students in decision making regarding classroom and school policies and procedures
  • Train students in conflict management skills (preferably from the teacher... teacher should model skills)
  • Provide students with opportunity to practice skills in the classroom.
  • Create a "place" for students to safely resolve conflicts
  • Students plan activities, assemblies, projects, etc. that relate to conflict management
    Create peer mediation program (MSG:9,10,466-477) (ESG:250,518-527)

d. Parent/Community

  • Inform parents about conflict management efforts in your school
    1. send letters/use parent conferences to inform
    2. Create school activity, brochures (student created), etc.
    3. Offer parent/community trainings
    4. Family Resource Centers can provide information

5. Form a committee to examine grant and other funding possibilities

6. Find ways to incorporate conflict management strategies into already existing activities

  • Examples:
    i. Sports workshops
    ii. Drama, Art, Music activities
    iii. Column in school newspaper

7. Create new activities that incorporate conflict management strategies

  • Example:
    i. Peer mediation
    ii. Peer conflict management trainers

8. Provide incentives to students, staff to keep program going

  • Examples:
    i. Certificates and recognition for students/staff that are effective conflict managers
    ii. Peace flag

9. Prepare a Conflict Management/Violence Prevention Week for the school and/or classroom (ESG: 489)

10. Publicize your efforts in school, local newspapers, newsletters, etc. (ESG:495-498)

11. Create small intervention groups and/or support groups for students in need of assistance with anger management, problem-solving skills, etc.

12. Consider using conflict management strategies with students in detention, in-school suspension, etc.

13. Network with other schools implementing conflict management programming

14. Create a tool to assess your school’s efforts

Compiled by: Kim Strong Lytle, Conflict Resolution Services, Hamilton, Ohio 1999.

Back to Ohio K-12 Conflict Management Resource Guides

Back to Schools Main Page

 

State Home Page | OCDRCM Home  | The Commission | Updates | Useful Resources
For Schools | For Courts and Communities | For State and Local Governments | Write to us