The concept of a peaceful, cooperative school environment has a wide range of impact on students, teachers and the school district. Through managing and resolving problems, students and staff can create an atmosphere where learning and instruction are the first priority.
Rather than being caught in a reactive mode concerning violence, students and teachers and administrators can have access to alternative methods which prepare them to be creative problem solvers and decision makers.
David Johnson and Roger Johnson, in their book, Reducing School Violence Through Conflict Resolution, propose what they call a new school structure, the "cooperative school". One aspect of the "cooperative school" is shared decision making. Teachers in Irvine have well established procedures for cooperative learning. Core subjects, math, literature and science, are organized around cooperative learning activities. A conflict management program would serve as a natural extension of interactive learning, and further promote the model of the cooperative school.
When a student participant who has knowledge of mediation procedures reaches a solution to a problem they have the support of their peers, trainers and teachers. They are a part of the "cooperative school's" commitment to shared decision making.
Students who are trained in conflict resolution techniques are empowered to understand other points of view, to accept the consequences of their actions and engage in creative problem solving. A student who is trained to be more sensitive to another point of view, is one who is more likely to be tolerant of cultural, ethnic and racial diversity.
Establishing a Peer Assisted Leadership program at a school impacts teachers by alleviating many problems which originate outside the classroom.
A peer to peer program enables instructors to focus on student learning, and on the quality of instruction in the classroom.
Irvine Unified School District
Conflict Management Outcomes for 6th Grade
Our goal is to provide each student with the skills to prevent, mediate and manage conflicts that affect them.
Conflict Mediation Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to mediate personal conflicts involving himself/herself and others by using mediation strategies.
Communication Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to express feelings appropriately, and to reflect accurately the feelings of others.
Each student will be able to assertively express personal needs/desires appropriately, nad reflect accurately the content of the expressions and assertions of others.
Problem Solving Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to solve a shared problem among members of a peer group by applying problem solving negotiations.
Anger Management Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to control his/her own anger by applying appropriate anger management strategies.
Irvine Unified School District
Proposed Conflict Management Outcomes for 8th Grade
Conflict Mediation Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to mediate conflicts involving peers by using mediation strategies.
Each student will be able to work as a team member to use debriefing techniques to solve problems, and will maintain neutrality, and confidentiality.
Communication Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to express feelings appropriately, and to reflect the feelings of others with empathy, and tolerance.
Each student will be able to assertively express personal needs and desires appropriately, and reflect accurately the content of the expressions and assertions of others.
Each student will be able to express respect and tolerance for the ethnic, cultural, racial, and human diversity of others.
Problem Solving Exit Outcomes:
Each student will solve an internal problem, or a problem among members of a peer group, by applying problem solving negotiation techniques to learn to make wise decisions.
Anger Management Exit Outcomes:
Each student will be able to control their own anger by applying appropriate anger management strategies, and will encourage others to do the same.
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