Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution education (CRE) has been defined as "a spectrum of processes that utilize communication skills and creative and analytic thinking to prevent, manage, and peacefully resolve conflict". The Conflict Resolution Education Network estimates at least 12,000 public schools (K-12) in the United States have some form of conflict resolution education. Most of these are peer mediation programs, but many take a more comprehensive approach to making the skills of problem-solving a part of the formal or informal curriculum of the school. CRE emerged out of the social justice concerns of the 60s and 70s with the work of groups like the Quakers. While CRE efforts are primarily aimed at teaching students more constructive means of handling conflict. A school conflict resolution curriculum or program includes certain components that are intended to help develop critical skills or abilities for constructive conflict management. These include:

1) an understanding of conflict

2) principles of conflict resolution (win-win interest-based problem-solving)

3) process steps in problem-solving (for example, agreeing to negotiate and establishing ground rules for the negotiation, gathering information about the conflict, exploring possible solution options, selecting solution options, and reaching agreement)

4) skills required to use each of these steps effectively (for example, active listening, reframing, understanding, and factoring into the process the impact that cultural differences have on the dispute).