Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution

Teachers use non-authoritarian methods for assisting children in the conflict resolution process and in helping them come to their own solutions to problems. Teachers act as moderators in a discussion between children, asking questions, staying neutral, and reflecting what they hear. By giving children the cognitive space and time they need to work out what happened in a problem, children learn to articulate what was happening for them, and through the communication process learn to work out the problem with each other. In this setting of unconditional regard, children do not have to fear judgment and are able to see the problem externally, rather than being bound up in the problem themselves. Attention to one’s own feelings, learning to accept others feelings and limits, and learning to tolerate differences and resolve conflicts in a way in which everyone is heard and comes to agreement, are the keys to this dimension of education at Play Mountain Place.