WHY HAVE A CONFLICT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM?
Conflict management involves identifying a conflict, understanding what is causing the conflict, and using nonviolent problem-solving skills to de-escalate the conflict so that a mutually acceptable agreement can be achieved. Although we must accept conflict as a natural and inevitable part of living, we need not accept violence as a natural response to conflict. Conflict management techniques can turn conflict into a learning opportunity. Teaching “the fourth R” of resolution will provide students with important life skills and will create a safer school climate conducive to learning. The following excerpt was taken from The New York Times and emphasizes the importance of teaching all children conflict management skills. “Psychology has a message of hope; violence is preventable,” said Dr. Ronald G. Slaby, a psychologist at Harvard University, who is a member of the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Violence and Youth. “Violence is learned, and we can teach children a
