Elements of the Conflict Resolution Program
The conflict resolution program utilizes three elements which
are integrated into the daily culture of the school.
Conferences are meetings to address misunderstandings
and conflicts between two or more individuals. At Friends
School, one half hour period is available each day for conferences.
In a conference an adult facilitator helps individuals listen
to each other, identify feelings, and work to come up with
a plan to resolve the issue.
Group gatherings are meetings to address issues affecting
a whole community. At Friends School, each class has a group
gathering weekly. The meetings are structured in a way that
focuses on community problem solving. Children feel free to
participate because names are not used and the focus is on
working together rather than on fault finding.
Modeling by adults is an important component of the
program at Friends School. When the entire school community
is using the same program, it permeates the behavioral and
ethical life of the school. Research has shown that programs
that are "student only", such as many peer mediation
programs, are not successful in the long run because school-wide
commitment to the program is lacking.
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