Conflict in the Classroom

Nicholas J. Long and William C. Morse's book, Conflict in the Classroom: The Education of At-Risk and Troubled Students, Fifth Edition, is one of the many publications they have produced. It was published in 1995, but the authors have released other newer publications. This and the books with the same title but different subtitles are designed as college textbooks. This particular version is a collection of reprinted articles by a number of authors, including themselves, with a thread of commentary and information to tie it together. The text is comprehensive at looking at managing challenging behaviors in the classroom, it is not a text that describes behaviorism techniques such as recording data, planning interventions, and types and effects of consequences.

While containing a depth of information, I think this text would be challenging for preservice teachers because of its lack of concrete suggestions. Very few vignettes appear to show what they describe.

About halfway through the text they describe the difference between aggressive behavior, hostile behavior and violence.

• Aggressive- unplanned, often triggered by personal stress or frustration. impulsive breakthroughs
• Hostile- deliberate expression of hate. Revenge, intentional cruelty toward a person or group
• Violence- out of control anger and hate. mindless. Often results in unplanned injury. (p. 338)

They intimate that aggression can be addressed proactively. That is where teaching must occur. Their specific guidelines include:

1. use strategies to reduce inappropriate behaviors
2. clearly state expectations
3. accept angry feelings but not behavior
4. encourage positive problem solving
5. ensure student is responsible for behavior
6. affirm efforts to improve behavior
7. intervene quickly with logical consequences
8. explain reasons and values behind stopping behavior
9. set up a behavioral contract. (p. 341)

It would be nice if they followed up the list with a few examples of the guidelines in action..

A few of the articles included quotes that made me think. Long quoted David Burns, "you feel the way you think" (p. 255). It showcases how our feelings are products of our mind. I was working in a program with Second Step curriculum. They highlighted that students understand that different people can feel differently about the same thing. Understanding those feelings and having ways to think about them can change the intensity of the feeling.

Myrna R. Olson wrote, "Although these parents often hold reasonable values, their intentions are not joined to appropriate parental behaviors" (p. 555). This is true for all of us at times. Despite our best intentions, we all sometimes act in less than ideal ways. Her insight is important because it supports the concept that they are the best parents they can be in the moment, a positive way to view parents. When we hold parental behavior in a positive light, it makes our interaction with parents more positive rather than accusatory. That helps to establish working relationships that will benefit the children.