Expected, Inspected, & Respected.
"We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience."
-John Dewey |
"We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience."
-John Dewey |
Foods class yesterday began with a chase through the kitchens, leaping over tables, plowing through people, books and papers scattering across the floor.
I quickly put a stop to the chase and after talking with the two boys involved, found out that the chaser (let's call him Bob) was angry with the chased (Jason) because Jason had borrowed Bob's cell phone and hat and hadn't returned them yet. Jason said that he had the items at home and promised to bring them tomorrow. Bob wanted to take Jason's hat as collateral to be sure that the items would be returned. Bob said he was having a bad hair day and couldn't part with the hat.
I warned them that if they couldn't resolve the problem on their own or with a mediator (me), then we would go to arbitration and someone else would decide on the resolution which they might not like. They didn't budge. So a guidance counsellor was called and she said that they would meet her the next morning in her office so that she could witness the handoff. They tried to say that it was ok and they would complete the transaction on their own, but she was firm. The time for negotiation was over.
In Grade 9 Social Studies right now, they are studying the Canadian Government and legal system. Three of their vocabulary words are negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. This teachable moment was a great condensed example of how the methods of conflict resolution progresses. We went through all three stages in about 10 minutes.
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David Wiebe
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