Enrichment · Wellbeing

From “she started it”
to “let’s try again”.

Children are not born knowing how to settle a disagreement; they learn it step by step. These cards give a K to 5 class the steps, the words and real conflicts to practice on, so the next argument at recess has somewhere to go.

Make a set of cardsWhat you get

Make a set of conflict resolution cards

The worked example is made up: a kindergarten peace corner and a grade 4 lesson. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · WellbeingFree

What you finish with
A set of 6, 9 or 12 cards for a K to 2 or grade 3 to 5 class: steps, role-play conflicts, words to use and cool-down moves, each with what to do or say and a question to ask, plus notes on how the class used them.
Who it is for
Elementary teachers, school counselors, after-school staff and parents of children in kindergarten to grade 5.
Format
Browser card maker with saved sets. Prints the cards as a cut-out sheet for a peace corner or a list for a lesson; presents one card at a time; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Wellbeing space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Choose the grade band and the kinds of card you need.
  2. Teach the steps first, one or two a day, when everyone is calm.
  3. Role-play the conflict cards in pairs, then switch parts.
  4. Print the words and cool-down cards for a peace corner, and point to them when a real conflict starts.
  5. Note which words children start using on their own.

Make a set of cards

How children learn to settle conflicts

Six steps from a fight to a fix1Cool downBreaths, a count or the calmcorner2Tell itOne talks, one listens3Feel and needI feel ___ when ___. I need___.4IdeasThree ways to fix it, nojudging yet5AgreePick one that is fair to both6Check backIs the plan working?Six steps from a fight to a fix1Cool downBreaths, a count or the calm corner2Tell itOne talks, one listens3Feel and needI feel ___ when ___. I need ___.4IdeasThree ways to fix it, no judging yet5AgreePick one that is fair to both6Check backIs the plan working?
Drawn for this page. Most school conflict resolution programs teach a version of these steps.

Practice when calm

Nobody learns a new skill in the middle of an argument. Role-plays let children practice the steps and the words when the stakes are low, so the words are ready when it matters.

What the research says

A summary of research on school conflict resolution and peer mediation programs found that untrained students tend to handle conflicts in ways that damage relationships, and that trained students learned and used negotiation steps.

Not every conflict is a conflict

A disagreement between equals can be talked out. Hitting, threats and bullying are not two sides of a conflict; an adult handles those, and the child who was hurt is not asked to negotiate.

Sources

  1. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1996). Conflict resolution and peer mediation programs in elementary and secondary schools. Rev. Educ. Res., 66(4), 459 to 506.
  2. Durlak, J. A., et al. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405 to 432. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
  3. CASEL: Relationship skills, including resolving conflicts constructively (casel.org).
  4. StopBullying.gov: Bullying is different from conflict; mediation is not recommended for bullying (stopbullying.gov).

Cards were written for this page; the example sets are made up. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.