Building Relationships Through Conflict

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Standard Addressed

• Relationship Skills: the ability to communicate clearly, listen well, cooperate with others, resist inappropriate social pressure, negotiate conflict constructively, and seek and offer help when needed.

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Objectives

• Students will be able to demonstrate effective communication, cooperation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Students will be able to apply a 5-step problem-solving process to real-life conflict scenarios.

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Assessment

Students can be assessed in the following areas:

• Classroom discussion
• Pair work
• Reflection

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Materials

• Blackboard or whiteboard
• Notebook or computer
• Visual aid outlining the 5-step conflict resolution process

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Activating Prior Knowledge

Facilitate a discussion by asking: "Can anyone share a time when you solved a problem with someone?" Have students sit in a circle and take turns sharing their experiences. Encourage them to make personal connections to the topic of conflict resolution.

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Lesson Steps

1) Introduce the importance of effective communication in conflict resolution. Address the misconception that "conflict is always negative" by explaining that conflict can be an opportunity for growth and understanding.

2) Use a visual aid to introduce the 5 steps of the problem-solving process:

• Step 1 - Identifying the conflict
• Step 2 - Communicate clearly with the other person and engage in active listening to understand both perspectives
• Step 3 - Offer possible solutions that support both parties
• Step 4 - Agree on a solution to try
• Step 5 - Reflect on whether the solution is working for both parties and adapt as needed

3) Brainstorm with the class to come up with 5 common conflict scenarios that students have in their real lives. Here’s a sample scenario:

• Jalen likes to sit in the same seat every day at lunch because it helps him feel comfortable. One day, Marcus sits there and says, “There aren’t assigned seats, so I can sit where I want.” How can they resolve the conflict?

4) Divide students into pairs. Assign each pair one scenario and have them role-play the 5-step process to resolve the conflict. Allow students to practice with additional scenarios if time allows.

5) Bring the class back together when pairs have finished. Have each pair present their conflicts and solutions. Compare and contrast the different solutions to demonstrate that there are multiple solutions to a conflict and that everyone has different perspectives. Emphasize the importance of being respectful and understanding of all opinions.

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Reflection

Ask students to think of a recent conflict they experienced and write a short reflection in their journals. They should describe the conflict, how they felt, the resolution (if any), and what they learned from the experience. Encourage them to use the conflict resolution strategies discussed in class.

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Here is the printable version of Building Relationships Through Conflict.

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