Collaborative effort needed to stave off school violence

Janilee Abrikian, GUEST COLUMNIST

In the face of acts of school violence which continue to take place, schools need to urgently address their violence-prevention and conflict-resolution efforts.

Violence-prevention and conflict-resolution programmes teach students alternatives to violence in resolving personal and interpersonal problems. Instruction and discussion seek to change perception, attitudes, and to equip students with skills to handle conflicts constructively.

Violence-prevention curricula emphasise increasing students' knowledge about violence and teach students alternatives to fighting. Conflict-resolution lessons cover a variety of topics, e.g., identifying and expressing feelings - activities seek to increase students' understanding of their own emotions, as well as the feelings of others; and managing anger.

Students are also taught problem-solving strategies. Instructional formats include teacher lecture, class meetings, and discussion. Role play is one of the components through which students are provided opportunities to practise alternative skills and behaviours.

Here are some examples of discussion questions taken from the PALS Conflict Resolution for Student Leaders manual:

What types of conflict are most difficult for you to deal with?

What is something you like about the way you handle conflict?

What is something you would like to change about the way you handle conflict?

Is it ever all right to physically hurt another person? Why or why not?

Can people who are violent change? How?

Another activity invites students to indicate their agreement or disagreement with a statement that is read to them. Students place themselves along an opinion continuum. At one end of the line, a 'STRONGLY DISAGREE' sign is posted; at the other end, a 'STRONGLY AGREE' is placed. Examples of statements are:

Conflicts usually lead to violence.

People should never fight.

If someone disses you, it is best to pretend you did not hear what he or she said.

All conflicts can be solved.

Conflict-resolution programmes teach children to talk it out and to negotiate, skills that are critical to preventing violence.

mix hard with soft

Violence-prevention and conflict-resolution programmes should be part of broader school-safety efforts that also include 'hard' programmes - weapon checks, zero-tolerance policies, crisis-response teams, searches; however, it is the 'soft' programmes that will teach students to control their emotions - particularly anger.

Conflict-resolution, problem-solving, and decision-making skills are critical for educators who must deal with school violence. Teachers who are trained to be more effective in meeting both academic and non-academic student needs have classrooms with a more positive and successful climate.

Currently, teachers feel inadequate to deal with aggression in their classroom. At the same time, teachers are the first line of safety because they have the most direct contact with students. They need to be supported in their attempts to implement violence-prevention and conflict-resolution measures.

Training in behaviour management, similar to that given to guidance counsellors, would be invaluable to the general classroom teacher. It follows that if training in behaviour management can assist teachers to better manage and prevent violent or aggressive behaviour, this type of training needs to be included in the teachers' college programmes for all teachers - not just for guidance counsellors-in-training.

While there should be no tolerance for serious infractions, there should be a range of interventions available for behaviour problems. Teachers' skills need to be enhanced in order to offer these options.

A collaborative effort among all stakeholders is needed if violence-prevention and conflict-resolution programmes are to be effective. Strategies that are developed will have to be appropriate to the particular school and community environment.

We must teach our children how to respond to a difficult situation in ways that are not aggressive.

Janilee Abrikian is general manager of Peace and Love in Society. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and janilee.abrikian@gmail.com.

Training in behaviour management, similar to that given to guidance counsellors, would be invaluable to the general classroom teacher.