Conflict Resolution in School Environments

An accomplished California education administrator, Steve Betando has experience that spans over three decades. As the recent Superintendent of the Morgan Hill Unified School District, he began his career as a teacher and later served as a principal in various elementary schools. In the course of his teaching and administrative career, Steve Betando developed a program known as “Conflict Managers” which explores and teaches approaches to successful conflict resolution.

Conflict resolution in a school environment is critical, as conflicts can cause disruptions in even the most positive and supportive classrooms. If not addressed well, a conflict can devolve into violence or at minimum, create high anxiety and trauma. Many districts offer conflict resolution training whereby educators and teachers are trained in the various ways to resolve conflicts, such as process curriculum and peaceable classrooms. Process curriculum is whereby children are taught how to resolve disputes by assisting them to envision various types of conflict scenarios that could emerge in the future. Using this approach, solutions are identified before conflicts arise.

On the other hand, the peaceable classroom approach includes integrating conflict resolution into daily management of classrooms, including making it a part of the curriculum. The peaceable classroom approach encourages a cooperative culture which includes embracing and accepting diversity. This approach also emphasizes effective communication and caring for others. When dealing with conflicts, it’s also important to focus on the issue at hand and not the personalities involved, as conflict resolution seeks to find solutions and not lay blame. Additionally, conflicts should be clearly described, including how they affect others, and shouldn’t be ignored or downplayed.

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