Conflict resolution: Stopping fights before they start

Ways to prevent fighting in schools include talking to parents and becoming involved in activities. The Community Times Conflict resolutions is a much needed program in today's schools. It is a way to stop fights before they occur by telling a friend or parent about problems that you have with other people instead of fighting. Student mediators teach their friends to use their words instead of their fists. Many students have situations that can easily be solved if they knew of ways to prevent conflicts from getting out of control. An important question to ask is why do kids fight? Some students say they fight because they have nothing else to do. This reason cannot be true because students have classwork and many after-school programs that give them a lot to do. I, myself, participate in the choir as well as in the journalism and modeling clubs after school. These programs help me to stay focused and out of trouble. They are designed by my school for this reason, and I chose to take advantage of them to keep me on track. There is a great deal of peer pressure at school. However, it is important to remember not to allow our peers to control the things we do now and in the future. I handle peer pressure by ignoring the person that is trying to pressure me into doing the wrong things. If they continue to pressure me, then I involve my teacher so that it will not turn into a fight. I also think of how my parents taught me to fight only to defend myself. I have learned that talking things out almost always makes the conflict less explosive. Many of my friends fight because they think that it will make them popular in school. There are better ways to become popular like being the one in class that does all the work, making good grades or helping a student in class that does not understand a subject. One Shaw student said that "[kids that fight] want to impress their friends and show people they are tough." Fighting can hurt or harm people through curse words, name-calling, and hitting people where it hurts. In the news we are reading about more and more violence. People get beaten up almost every day. Sometimes the violence leads to murder; for example, four little girls and a teacher were shot and killed by two little boys in Jonesboro, Arkansas on March 23. We should work as a family and learn to communicate more instead of fighting. It is important for parents to talk with their children. I believe that conflict resolution should start at home and when we come to school we will know better how to handle any situation that arrives at school -- such as arguments. As a student I will do my best not to fight or give in to peer pressure and I must remember that what I do now affects me for the rest of my life. Clarence Martin, the disciplinarian at Shaw Middle School, knows about conflict resolutions. He thinks that Shaw can start a program so kids can learn about conflict resolutions and figure out their problems. Martin, who has been in this school since 1975, has a unique philosophy for why he teaches. "I care therefore I teach," he said.

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