Resolving School Conflict Creatively - A Big Apple Approach


Over the past 30 years, the term “conflict resolution” has taken on deeper meaning in the educational world.  Most of its understanding derives from the idea that conflict is inevitable, and as such, as with life in general, some conflict is a normal occurrence in all schools. (Inger, 1991).
Many of the advances shown recently in the bully awareness movement can be traced back to the fundamental idea that students and teachers need to be able to work out their differences. In fact, this conflict resolution skill needs to be developed by all members of a school community. One of the more successful programs had its beginnings in New York City.
Resolving Conflict Creatively
By definition, conflict resolution is seen as a “constructive approach to interpersonal and intergroup conflicts that helps people with opposing positions work together to arrive at mutually acceptable compromise solutions.” (1991). In New York City, schools such as James Madison High School in Brooklyn are putting a new approach to work.
The program is called Resolving Conflict Creatively, or RCCP. It is a joint undertaking between the educational board in New York City and an organization called the Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR). The project started small over twenty-five years ago, with less than 20 teachers in a few schools. But, because of its success, now over one thousand teachers and close to 35,000 students from over 100 city schools have an RCCP program in place. In New York, classroom teachers set aside valuable time to institute this ten-unit lesson on diversity relations, group learning and dispute techniques into their lesson plans.
How Does RCCP Work
The 20 hours of training begins between fourth and sixth grades for those who will serve as student mediators. For a three day session, as many as 40 students from twelve selected schools around the city receive three days of mediation training. This sets the foundation of trained students needed to implement the program. After completing the program the students begin serving as mediators at various schools. Their job is strictly to work in the mediator role, listening to both disputants and facilitating communication in the conflict resolution process.
Schools have to actively use the RCCP curriculum for at least a year to be eligible for the training course.
Training for All Stakeholders
Once their training is complete, the student mediators are able to serve the population within their schools, making the program available to all students.
However, there is an added dimension to the RCCP program, that being its availability to all stakeholders of the school. Teachers, counselors, and even parents are eligible to receive training at the various “outreach seminars” offered by the qualified counselors of RCCP. The counselors apply to be involved with the program and are chosen on merit. After selection, they are trained on the same curriculum which they will teach to the young students of New York City.
Parents have also been known to work as counselors. The training involves ten 4-hour sessions with the 20 hour course included as part of the training.


References
Inger, M. (1991). Conflict resolution programs in schools. ERIC/CUE Digest 74. ERIC
       Clearinghouse on Urban Education, Institute for Urban and Minority Education: New York.
 Rifkin, J. (1991). An overview of dispute resolution in educational institutions. National
       Institute for Dispute Resolution FORUM, 1-4.

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