Children find themselves in precarious situations that often lead to escalated conflict with their peers.
The inability to resolve conflict without resorting violence is symptomatic of youth’s inability to handle confrontation. Teaching youth how to resolve conflict in a peaceful way can help reduce incidents of violence and criminal mischief. Conflict resolution education aims to make that a reality.
Critical
Thinking
In order to help their students to develop critical-thinking skills and to take critical action, teachers need to:
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have a sound knowledge base from which to support students as they delve more deeply into content
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remain open to challenge by students, not representing themselves as the sole source of knowledge
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encourage students to look at the big picture by engaging them in critical-thinking processes that have relevance beyond the classroom
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be prepared to listen to voices that originate in the classroom and to use students' personal experiences as starting points for gathering information
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encourage students to question and challenge existing beliefs, structures, and practices
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avoid offering 'how to do it' approaches
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encourage students to be sensitive to the feelings of others
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provide opportunities for inquiry by giving students time for planning, processing, and debriefing
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structure lessons so that students can work safely and co-operatively and develop creative forms of shared responsibility
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encourage students to take critical action. When students learn to use democratic processes inside the classroom, they can transfer these to situations outside the classroom