Adults know all to well that clashing personalities can create tension and conflict in the workplace. The same is true for our students; often times conflict emerges at school because students spend a significant portion of their day in the school building. One task of the professional school counselor is to assist students in managing conflict and resolving problems in healthy, meaningful ways. An effective way for school counselors to facilitate problem solving is through peer mediation, peer tutoring, and conflict resolution. If the school counselors makes such programs available, students have to opportunity to practice problem solving, bond with their classmates, learn healthy strategies for managing frustration and stress, and develop social skills.
While programs and clubs are excellent sources of meaning for students, the school counselor must also be prepared to manage conflict on a day-to-day basis. This could mean having lessons and interventions that are applicable to not only the group and classroom setting, but also to one-on-one meetings. Having an effective, comprehensive conflict resolution program in place not only cuts back on daily strife, but also encourages a positive whole school environment. Students are excited to be at school, feel safe at school, and have been shown to make academic and social strides as well (Schellenberg, Parks-Savage, & Rehfuss, 2007).
Linked below are some useful documents for implementation of a comprehensive conflict mediation program at an elementary school level. The first link is a handbook for not only implementing, but evaluating program effectiveness over time. It can be adapted for elementary or secondary use. The second link is for an elementary school program complete with lessons and supplemental materials. I have also linked some useful surveys for staff and students to complete as the program begins to take off.
Schellenberg, R. C., Parks-Savage, A., & Rehfuss, M. (2007). Reducing levels of elementary school violence with peer mediation. Professional School Counseling, 10(5), 475-481.