Handling Conflicts Without Violence

Concept: Finding acceptable ways to handle disputes without arguing or fighting helps prevent violence and keeps us safe.

Purpose: To help students learn how to handle disputes without resorting to acts of violence.

Objective: Students will be able to identify acceptable ways to handle a dispute without resorting to acts of violence.

Procedure:

1. Tell students that in the previous session they learned how to say no in a friendly way to drug offers from friends and acquaintances. In this lesson, the class is going to explore ways to settle a dispute without fighting.

2. Choose three students to assist you in role plays that illustrate acts of violence. The DARE officer should play the part of the aggressor in each of the role plays.

-In the first role play, the officer pretends to grab a comic book from the first student, marks it up, and says, "This is for breaking my video game."

-In the second role play, the officer asks the second student. "What grade are you in?" The student responds. Then, the officer says, "Oh, so you're a fifth-grader? All fifth-graders are stupid! Why don't you play with the kindergarten kids? We don't want you here!"

-In the third role play, the officer says to the third student, "Someone told me you were spreading lies about me." The officer pretends to "punch" the student by punching one hand into his or her other hand and says, "My buddies and I will see you after school."

Summarize the role plays by telling the class that these are examples of disputes that were handled violently.  Remind the class that some things are just not worth fighting over.

3. Tell students that the first step in handling a dispute is learning how to control angry feelings without striking out verbally or physically. 

*This lesson used with permission from DARE Officer Ed Barragan.