Conflict resolution skills are the abilities we use to solve disagreements with others. Everyone encounters conflicts with others from time to time. This is part of the human experience, so being able to work through these problems is a life skill for people of all ages.
With that in mind, kids and teens specifically need more support with conflict resolution skills. This is because they haven’t yet developed or fortified the tools to manage conflict successfully.
What are the benefits to teaching conflict resolution skills?
Just like learning to comprehend reading passages or solve math problems, conflict resolution is a skill that requires practice over time. By teaching conflict resolution explicitly, it is providing learners more opportunities to build these abilities along the way.
In the classroom, stronger conflict resolution skills can lead to more focused and on-task group work, better choices when working with others, and healthy disagreements and discussions. In turn, this means less time dealing with classroom management and more time learning.
Also, navigating conflicts in healthy ways can actually provide an opportunity for strengthening relationships with others. This can lead to a stronger sense of community in your classroom and beyond.
Most importantly, though, conflict resolution skills are a life skill that everyone could use support with. Outside of the classroom, kid and teens will use these abilities to develop strong friendships with others, work well with teammates in extracurricular activities, manage peer influence, and develop self-advocacy.
If we want well-rounded kids and teens who can work successfully with others in various situations, conflict resolution skills are a must.
Why use conflict resolution scenarios?
Conflict resolution scenarios are made-up problem situations for kids and teens to discuss. Students read the situation, discuss the problem, and come up with how they might solve it in a healthy way.
There are several reasons to use conflict resolutions as an important tool when teaching how to maneuver through problems with others. Here are a few of those points:
- Discussing scenarios provides meaningful conflict resolution practice in a low-stress environment. Since experiencing disagreements with others can be inherently stressful and challenging, it’s helpful to practice without that pressure.
- Kids and teens can learn from others through discourse. They may hear another student share a strategy that they hadn’t thought of on their own. This allows shared learning to occur.
- Scenarios provide an opportunity to integrate other important social-emotional skills, such as self-advocacy, expressing emotions, showing empathy, being a good friend, being responsible, and making good choices.
- Classroom discussions are an evidence-based learning approach.
- Since time for social-emotional learning activities is often so limited, discussion of conflict scenarios can be a simple and no-prep way to integrate SEL skills into the day. These can be discussed during morning meeting, advisory periods, or between tasks as a brain break.
What are some conflict resolution scenarios?
Below you will find some sample conflict resolution scenarios. Read these with kids and teens, discuss the conflicts, and identify possible solutions.
Conflict Resolution Scenario 1:
A friend wants to work with you in class, but you remember that they didn’t do their fair share of the work the last time you worked with them. They come and sit by you, but you want to tell them no. What do you do?
Possible solutions: You can tell them you don’t want to work with them this time. You can mention that you want to work alone right now, but you would maybe work with them another time.
Other skills to discuss: Self-advocacy, Doing your fair share in a team, Friendships, Saying no when you don’t want to do something
Conflict Resolution Scenario 2:
You are working with a group in math. You notice that both partners are doing the math problems wrong. When you try to tell them, they ignore you. What do you do?
Possible solutions: You can state your feelings/thoughts clearly, such as, “I feel like you’re not listening to my ideas. Let’s just take 2 minutes and I can try showing you a different way.” You can also ask an adult to check your group’s work so far.
Other skills to discuss: Teamwork, Listening, Fairness, Self-advocacy, Speaking up for yourself, Asking for help
Conflict Resolution Scenario 3:
You are spending time with a friend on the weekend. It’s time to pick what to eat for dinner. You really want tacos, but they want to try the new pizza restaurant in town. What do you do?
Possible solutions: You can make a deal that you will try the next pizza restaurant now and next time get tacos. You could also do rock, paper, scissors or flip a coin.
Other skills to discuss: Coming up with a compromise, Dealing with disagreements with friends, Listening, Advocating for yourself, Size of the problem, Not always getting your way.
Using Conflict Resolution Scenarios
Use conflict resolution scenarios to help your kids and teens boost their skills. The conflict cards come with an introduction and a visual list of strategies to help learners make the best choices. With over 100 situations to discuss, kids and teens will have lots of opportunity to practice and strengthen those skills over time!
More Social Skills Practice for Young Adults
Just like conflict resolution skills, there are many other social skills that kids and young adults need extra practice with. Read more strategies for teaching social skills to your learners below:
- Self-Advocacy Skills: 14 Strategies to Help Kids & Teens Learn to Advocate
- Coping Strategies Every Child and Teen Should Know
- Social Emotional Learning Journal Prompts for Middle School
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