Content

Warm up:

Survey “How I Respond to Conflict”

[Give students Handout 1.] We are going to do a quick survey about how we respond to conflict. Please complete the survey on the handout.

Materials/Notes

Handout 1: How I respond to Conflict

PowerPoint slide #2

Content

Follow-up circle/discussion:

If you are conducting a formal circle, remind students of the circle guidelines. Alternatively, you can conduct a more informal discussion.

Keeping your survey answers in mind, let’s talk about how people respond to conflict. [As necessary, briefly review the circle guidelines on the poster. Have PowerPoint slide ready to share opening quote, circle prompts, and closing quote.]

Opening Quote:

“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Prompt 1:

Which responses would you describe as most productive and why?

Prompt 2:

Which responses would you describe as less productive and why?

Closing Quote:

“When you have a conflict, that means that there are truths that have to be addressed on each side of the conflict. And when you have a conflict, then it's an educational process to try to resolve the conflict. And to resolve that, you have to get people on both sides of the conflict involved so that they can dialogue.” - Dolores Huerta

Materials/Notes

Circle Guidelines (poster)

PowerPoint slide #3

Content

Non-violent communication: What it is not

Pair-Share:

With your shoulder partner, think about the following situation:

You overhear an adult in a store saying “Look at these teenagers! I wish they were more like us when we were young!”

What does this comment imply?
How would it make you feel?
What would you say to the adult?

Debrief: Ask students to share back with the entire class. As students share their ideas, if possible, lean into concepts like “ageism,” “stereotyping,” “labeling” as non-examples of nonviolent communication

Materials/Notes

PowerPoint slide 4

Content

Non-Violent Communication Explained:

Cue up the Non-Violent Communications for Beginners Video and watch it with your students.

Materials/Notes

Access to YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywHALUmpWjU
(4.03 min)

Content

Applying non-violent communication:

Go over Handout 2 with your students. Make sure your students understand the four steps of non-violent communication. Pair your students and ask them to choose one scenario and complete the sentence frames to resolve the situation using the 4 communication steps.

Debrief: Ask pairs of students to share their sentences.

Materials/Notes

Handout 2: Non-Violent Communication

Content

Role Play:

Ask students to reread Scenario 2. Ask for 2 volunteers (“Erin” and “Billie”) to act out the scenario in a way they would usually respond.

Ask another 2 volunteers (“Erin” and “Billie”) to act out the scenario specifically using non-violent communication steps.

Debrief: Ask your students to respond to the following:

• What was the difference between the two role plays?
• Why could it be difficult to use the 4 steps of non-violent communication in some situations?

Materials/Notes