From Conflict to Bullying
Students will, from time to time, find themselves in a situation of conflict with a peer. Students learn, over time, how to solve problems effectively and on their own. As they learn, they may become frustrated and say and/or do things that are not appropriate to solving the problem, such as saying something mean, hitting, kicking, and so on. If the students involved in such behavior are typically “friends”, have equal “power” (similar age, size, etc.), are equally upset, are equally interested in resolving the issue, and are willing and able to work things out (usually with an adult’s help), we consider this behavior as peer conflict. Adults will work through these situations with the students involved, and will guide each student to see the other’s perspective. This learning leads to developing empathy.
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