‘Use Your Words:’ Reconsidering the Language of Conflict in the Early Years

Abstract

This article explores the nature of classroom conflict as language practice. The authors describe the enactment of conflict events in one kindergarten classroom and analyze the events in order to identify the language practices teachers use, considering teachers' desires for language use in relation to conflict and exploring the nature of the interplay between what is said to be desired and the implicit messages of the lived experience of conflict. The authors describe the nature of conflict events as apology ritual and suggest that this practice is reflective of a way of framing conflict as destructive, illustrating the way in which the notion of 'using words' situates the language of conflict as a conflict resolution convention. They argue that there are complex and contradictory underlying assumptions at play in conflict events and position them within larger school discipline and developmentally appropriate practice discourses. Finally, they close the article with a consideration of alternative perspectives on classroom conflict events.

Silence and its mechanisms as the discursive production of the ‘normal’ in the early childhood classroom

“…Elliot uses the strategy of "use your words", an endorsed form of resolving conflict in the classroom, to tell Kane to get out of his hole. "Use your words" is a very familiar phrase encouraged by adults and children in many 'Western' early childhood settings to assist in resolving conflict (Blank & Schneider, 2011). Kane responds with another acceptable strategy by saying that: "it's everyone's hole".…”

Making a Stink About the “Ideal” Classroom

“…Conflicts can be powerful spaces for engaging in change and for negotiating positive transformation in the social present. Conflicts can disrupt mandates and (mono)culturally shaped curricula and teaching practices and are often culturally derived (Blank & Schneider, 2011;Delpit, 2006;Goodwin, Cheruvu, & Genishi, 2008;Milner & Tenore, 2010). Within and through conflicts, we can (re)negotiate social rules as well as our relationships with others, disagreeing with them, offering multiple perspectives, and expressing in many ways our experiences in and with the world.…”

“…Although conflict is talked about as an "opportunity for learning" the instructional possibilities identified deal with learning how to quickly resolve conflict to minimize disruption. (Blank & Schneider, 2011, p. 199) In classrooms and (pre)schools, there are many disagreements and interactions that may lead to conflicts-and while there is a quest for resolving conflicts (or even for avoiding them), they may become invaluable opportunities for children to learn (Blank & Schneider, 2011). At times, conflicts may result from disagreements between children.…”

“…Other times, they may happen as results of clashes between beliefs and practices. Blank and Schneider (2011) have proposed that in the United States, conflict resolution is a "cultural invention," and "reflects a particular set of values and imposes a particular point of view" (p. 200). In this article, I take a close look at what happens as the interests of children in a full-day Universal Pre-K class (sparked by the episode which opens this article) conflict with the official curriculum and what is deemed worthy learning in (pre) school.…”

“…Nevertheless, many conflicts are suppressed in classrooms, thereby fostering a cold war atmosphere that does not allow open conflict between the diverse worlds of children (especially those who do not fit the so-called "norm") and state and federal mandates and policies, continuing to foster negative peace and status quo maintenance. Here conflicts are reconceptualized as constructive and transformative spaces (Blank & Schneider, 2011).…”