DEBORAH BARCLAY
Connecting with kids Resolve conflict by resolving to listen.
Today teachers face an ever-increasing amount of difficult children. With funding and support being reduced, it has become the school’s responsibility to deal with more and more of the difficult issues themselves.
Teachers Matter
When you put more than 100 children together in a playground, it is inevitable that
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conflict of some kind occurs. And of course, children come from a variety of different backgrounds, responding and reacting differently to each other. When I was new to the job it became evident that nothing would ever be resolved unless I delved deeper into the children’s way of thinking. I was literally putting out fires and waiting for the next one, without getting to the core of the issue. Many teachers deal with children involved in one-off incidents day to day, however it is the children who seem to be in the middle of conflict frequently that we need to focus on.
I believe that one of the key elements to dealing with children involved in ongoing conflict is to develop a connection with that child. This applies to whether they are the victim or the offender. Connecting is all about taking the time to show that child that you care, that you will listen and that you value what they have to say. This is pivotal to achieving an honest and authentic response from children. When dealing with kids, I know that: • Until proven otherwise, they need to know that you believe what they are saying
PHOTO: DANIEL KORZENIEWSKI
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hen I first began my role five years ago as a deputy principal in a primary school I had no idea just how often I would be called on to leave my actual job of curriculum development and leading teaching to resolve conflict among children.
