Conflict resolution in teacher training: Understanding teachers’ needs

Abstract

One of the current themes in identity and citizenship education is conflict resolution. However, children must be helped to find nonviolent alternatives for solving their conflicts. Cowie, Dawn and Sharp (2003) argue that schools have an important role in reducing the risk of pupils becoming violent. Peace Education is thus crucial for establishing peace in a consensual way and for maintaining it over time (Johnson and Johnson, 2005). According to Johnson and Johnson (2005), students need training in how to nurture a peaceful society. It is in their first years that children build their social and emotional competences, making this the best age to introduce conflict resolution skills. The objective of this project is to develop and implement a peace education conflict resolution programme that will enable preschool teachers to promote the development of social and emotional skills in preschool children. The specific aims are to understand what preschool teachers think about conflict and conflict resolution; to understand how preschool teachers solve conflicts on their classes; to understand which methods or applications preschool teachers use; to understand their difficulties in using conflict resolution strategies; to develop a new programme based on preschool teachers opinions; to integrate this programme on initial teacher training at universities and to implement the programme in preschools. The results of this project are expected to be the basis for the development of a peace education conflict resolution programme that will have an important application in schools and in teacher training universities.