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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