Classroom Strategies for Conflict Resolution

Classroom Strategies

• Solution cards are used to help children find solutions to conflicts, such as taking turns or finding an alternative toy.
• The three overarching rules of RCN are: taking care of ourselves, taking care of each other, and taking care of our world.

Care for Ourselves

• When taking care of ourselves, we say "Please stop", "Ignore", and "Get a teacher".

Care for Each Other

• When taking care of each other, we "Share", "Get a timer", and "Trade".

Care for Our World

• When taking care of our world, we show respect and responsibility for our environment.

Positive Approach

• Using a positive approach to negative situations helps to find solutions and promotes teamwork.
• Problem-solving is a key part of the pyramid model, encouraging children to think critically.

Communication and Emotions

• Children are taught to communicate their emotions and express themselves.
• Timeouts and scolding are not used, instead, children are understood and guided to communicate their feelings through words, not actions.

Tucker the Turtle Strategy

• "Tucker the Turtle" is a strategy to teach children to slow down, think, and come up with solutions to problems.
• It helps children to manage their emotions and react calmly in difficult situations.

Classroom Strategies

• Solution cards are used to help children find solutions to conflicts, such as taking turns or finding an alternative toy.

Care for Ourselves

• To take care of ourselves, we use phrases such as "Please stop", "Ignore", and "Get a teacher" in conflict situations.

Care for Each Other

• To take care of each other, we practice sharing, use timers, and trade to resolve conflicts.

Care for Our World

• Taking care of our world involves showing respect and responsibility for our environment.

Positive Approach

• A positive approach to negative situations helps find solutions and promotes teamwork.

Communication and Emotions

• Children are taught to communicate their emotions and express themselves through words, not actions.
• Timeouts and scolding are not used, instead, children are guided to understand and express their feelings.

Tucker the Turtle Strategy

• The "Tucker the Turtle" strategy helps children slow down, think, and come up with solutions to problems.
• It teaches children to manage their emotions and react calmly in difficult situations.

Uri Bronfenbrenner and the Ecological System Theory

• In 1964, Uri Bronfenbrenner, a young psychologist, appeared before the US congress to challenge the prevailing belief that poverty was a result of biology and not the environment.

The Five Ecological Forces

• Microsystem: The child is directly influenced by their family and friends, and experiences at home and school.
• Mesosystem: The connections between the people around the child, such as parents and teachers, and their relationships with each other.
• Exosystem: Links between social settings that do not directly involve the child, such as the parent's experiences at work affecting their behavior at home.
• Macrosystem: The overarching culture, religion, and social norms that influence all other systems, such as a child's geographic location and ethnicity.
• Chronosystem: The changes in the child and their environment over time, such as a parent's divorce or a new family member moving in.

Implications and Applications

• Bronfenbrenner's theory helped form the Head Start program in 1965, a government program that has served more than 35 million poor children since.
• The theory recognizes that children who grow up in unfortunate social structures need a form of support that reaches their families and community.
• The bioecological model, an extension of the theory, recognizes gene–environment interactions and the role of heritability, but emphasizes the influence of the environment on heritability.

Key Quotes and Takeaways

• "Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her" - Bronfenbrenner's emphasis on the importance of a supportive adult in a child's life.
• The ecological system theory highlights the importance of considering the larger environment and social structures in understanding a child's development and potential.