Character Education—a Means to Help Resolve Conflicts
By Caroline Wyman

It's no secret that teachers hope for the "good" students, just like students want to get the "good" teacher. Even the most seasoned educators can let a little anxiety about certain students creep into their thoughts before that student even steps foot into the classroom. A teacher’s mission, however, is to remain objective to avoid having preconceived notions about their students.

But, let's face it. No matter the composition of your classroom, or how objective you are, the usual conflicts are inevitable. What you don't need is fear and anxiety. What you do need is a solid plan to address relationship issues as they arise and to help you follow through with steps to resolve them.

Your class of 20 to 30 students becomes a family of sorts. You are the head of that family. As such, your job is to:

• Describe the rules of acceptable behavior to your students


• Fairly insist on adherence to those rules

That sounds easy enough. However, do students really understand the behavior guidelines? Do they have the social awareness and the confidence to follow the rules in the context of the social dynamics of the classroom? Do they take your authority seriously?

What is Character Education?
Character education is a teaching technique that gives students the power to resolve conflicts in a way that is nonconfrontational and encourages optimal behavior. At its heart is the use of words that are positive and nonviolent...words that can help minimize or eliminate the bullying aspect of confrontation. It is a valuable asset for any teacher in helping mediate classroom disputes and injustices. You can even consider that, by giving your students this knowledge, you are actually giving them a "gift"—the gift of good word choice and conflict resolution skills that can become second nature and that students can use for the rest of their lives in dealing with school, business, family and other interpersonal relationships.

Putting it into Practice
A quick, simple role play may be just the right jump-start to give students the confidence to use the language that can help diffuse or resolve a simple conflict and keep it from escalating into a larger altercation.

Role plays can be used throughout the day, as the dynamics of the classroom warrant. It's best to set the stage as soon as you notice a disagreement arising. Of course, take care not to embarrass or put anyone on the spot.

For example, sharing is a common conflict between students. Take immediate action when it crops up in the classroom. Ask a student (don't pick someone who’s shy!) to join you at the front of the room and be your partner in a short skit. Tell "Thomas" that you will play the part of the student who is not sharing and that he will be using positive language to resolve the conflict. The teacher should always play the role of the student who is demonstrating the negative behavior.

Sample dialogue:
Teacher: "Hey, give me that crayon! It's not yours; it's mine!"

Thomas: "Can I please borrow your crayon since I don't have that color?"

Teacher: "Well, okay. But can you give it back to me as soon as you're done?"

Thomas: "Sure. Thanks for letting me use it."

Here's a more difficult situation.

"Jennie" is being singled out and ignored on the playground. As soon as students arrive back in the classroom, address the situation with a role play. You can begin by saying, "Okay, class. I'd like to role play a situation in which someone is being left out and having her feelings hurt during recess. Do I have any volunteers?"

Sample dialogue:
Teacher: "Let's not play with her. Come on! Let's go play over here."

Student: "I think we should let her play with us."

Teacher: "Well, if you're going to play with her, then I'm not playing with you!"

Student: "I would hate not to play with you, but her feelings are hurt and I know she would like to be included."

Student (turning to Jennie): "Jennie, would you like to play a different game over there with me?"

Jennie: "Sure! Thanks for being a good friend to me."

You may have to coach students through the process a little, helping them find the right words and attitudes to convey. But, as the school year progresses and students become more comfortable with the language of conflict resolution, you might see more volunteers willing to role play for the class. And you might see something else.

Immediate and Long-term Payoff
With practice, students will find it easier to identify negative situations and will have a clear understanding that these situations need to be rectified in a positive way. Their confidence also may be bolstered—you may see that students are becoming more supportive of each other and less hesitant to speak out when negative behavior is played out in the classroom, on the bus, or in the schoolyard. You have made your students a more cohesive group by teaching them to exhibit nonconfrontational, respectful, and kind behavior.

There are also long-term benefits. Students will have assimilated a positive action response plan into their daily conversations and actions. They now have the tools to help them cope with and handle small and large, minor and important issues as they move into adulthood.

Sow an idea, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit.
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
—Anonymous

Caroline Wyman has a degree in Sociology and a Masters in Elementary Education and is the administrator for TeacherNet.com.