LOOKING AT CONFLICT…………
Ask students to answer the following questions for HOME and SCHOOL:
1. What was the conflict about?
2. Who was involved?
3. What were the two sides / views of the conflict?
4. What was the result of the conflict?
5. How was a solution / result achieved?
6. What other solutions could have been considered to improve the outcome?
DEALING WITH CONFLICT
You have probably come across others with opinions very different from your own. How can such conflicts be resolved? You can use physical force, verbal persuasion, or consensus building. Which is best? Why?
A) Physical Force: when one person-an aggressor, takes physical action against a person to force them to accept their solution to the conflict
Problems-
Benefits-
B) Verbal Persuasion: when one person uses words to convince someone to follow their solution to the conflict; may be negative - threats, manipulation, OR may be positive - encouragement, discussion.
Problems-
Benefits-
C) Consensus Building: when all persons involved work together towards a solution that is acceptable to everyone, usually involves compromise
Problems-
Benefits-
These are some ways to resolve conflicts verbally:
NEGOTIATION- both partied discuss the issues and try to resolve differences, being careful to avoid negative, blaming language
MEDIATION- a third party helps both parties arrive at a solution to the problem
ARBITRATION- a third party is given power to decide the outcome of the conflict
· In schools, students are expected to settle conflicts in a respectful manner; some schools have trained students to settle issues; only as a last resort does the teacher become involved
· Citizens depend on government, police and the court system to resolve conflicts for them in many case
CONFLICT: Differences of Opinion
The way a person or group deals with conflict is often influenced by:
· past experiences
· their personal characteristics- age, gender, ethnicity, etc.
· and their personal values and beliefs
These differences sometimes can cause people to have very different opinions toward the same issue or conflict.
Take for example, the conflict over squeegee kids:
OPINION 1:
“I would have called-those kids who jump out at you at traffic lights and ask to clean your windshield -BUMS. They expect you to give them money! Not me, I never give them a dime. Let them get a real job like honest people, not pretend to be working while they’re just begging. I was glad that laws were passed to make what these squeegee kids were doing illegal.”
OPINION 2:
“I can understand how some people feel threatened by a kid running up to your car waving a squeegee and asking to clean your windshield. But they are trying to earn some money. I think it is a whole lot better to have these kids doing this than just hanging out on street corners. Besides if we called it something more respectable like “independent car maintenance people” we would probably be applauding their entrepreneurial efforts.”
Questions to consider:
1. What is bias? Is it always negative?
1. Does everyone have a bias? Explain?
2. Do you have a bias on the issue of the Squeegee kids? Is it positive or negative?
3. What characteristics do you have that influence your opinion toward Squeegee kids?