Conflict Management and Dialogue with Diverse Students: Novice Teachers’ Approaches and Concerns

Abstract

Education, in settings with globalized migrant populations, does not automatically lead to peace: for instance, Othering narratives (in interpersonal interaction or curriculum texts) may exacerbate destructive social conflict when uncontested. Paradoxically, in pedagogies that do invite discussion of conflicting viewpoints, marginalized students may be reluctant to voice divergent perspectives, or may be treated disrespectfully. We probed this puzzle through an exploratory quantitative and qualitative survey of how 68 novice teachers approached conflict and ethnocultural diversity in their classrooms. Most expressed some confidence in their capacities to address conflict, though many reported feeling alone, intimidated, or unwilling to engage students in constructive conflict talk. Several emphasized that responding to students' diversities was an important part of their conflict management, while others said they treated all students the same way. Most said they needed more education and support in order to address conflict educatively in their classrooms.How do novice teachers address (or ignore) conflicts and differences with and among diverse students? How might these approaches to conflict shape implicit and explicit learning opportunities? How might various kinds of conflict dialogue in classrooms help to build (or impede) positive peace, for diverse students in particular? We probed these questions with an exploratory survey of 35 preservice teacher candidates and 33 first-year teachers trained in the Greater Toronto Area. Most of these diverse novice teachers were teaching in culturally diverse urban settings; however, some of these settings were relatively comfortable while others were resource-deprived, which evidently influenced the conflict cultures of their classrooms. Study participants' perceptions of ethnocultural diversity and the role of the teacher in conflict education informed the choices they made in addressing classroom conflict-and were informed by their initial teacher education experiences-in contrasting ways. Many understood conflict as primarily a discipline problem, for which some disproportionately blamed their lowest status students. Few reported intentionally introducing or guiding dialogue about conflict, such as questions of social

Practicing Conflict Resolution and Cultural Responsiveness within Interdisciplinary Contexts: A Study of Community Service Practitioners

“…Tienda (2013) argues for the possibility of leveraging "diversity for pedagogic benefi t and to promote integration by providing incentive for cross-race dialogue, programs, and peer-led activities that work against evolved human preferences for homogeneity, stability, simplicity, and structure" (474). When students experience such inclusion in the classroom, they may feel better prepared to address issues related to confl ict and diversity in their workplace settings (Parker and Bickmore 2012). Alimo (2013) found that white college students felt more confi dent in taking personal steps to address social inequities after their participation in intergroup dialogue sessions.…”

“…Often these prescribed and normative responses to conflict may be presented as patriotic responses, efforts to protect national and cultural identities (Noddings ; Ross ). In a study of preservice and in‐service novice teachers, 59 percent said that their students’ ethnicity and culture had some (27 percent) or considerable (32 percent) effect on how they addressed conflicts in their classrooms (Parker and Bickmore ). The impact of cultural conflicts in workplace contexts contributes to increased hostility and miscommunication (Fiol et al ).…”

“…Community service professionals (CSPs) in the human development and service fields (e.g., nurses, social workers, and early childhood educators) play a vital role in helping stakeholders (students, patients, clients, and community members) resolve conflict and develop their sense of self and acceptance of the cultural differences around them. This goal cannot be achieved without recognizing and addressing differences (Kahane ; Kumashiro ; Parker and Bickmore ). How CSPs work together in interdisciplinary teams is equally vital for managing complex social issues.…”

“…In their student years in typical professional development education, many CSPs have had little opportunity to gain confidence or skills for handling social, political, and moral subject matter, especially in relation to diversity (Bickmore ). For example, many teachers, both novice and seasoned, feel uncomfortable or unprepared in addressing conflict; thus, they often avoid dealing with it and instead refer students to administrators, or else they may step back from addressing it at all (Jenkins et al ; Parker and Bickmore ). Professional support that addresses the roots of this problem, such as conflict resolution and peacebuilding education, may help to prepare CSPs for culturally sensitive and dialogic practices that are centered on the client, patient, or student.…”

Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills Survey

“…The targeted clients of most of the early prevention interventions are middle and high school populations (Parker & Bickmore, 2012). Burt and Butler (2011) contended, however, that many early prevention and anger management groups are gender biased and focus excessively on adolescent males.…”