E25 - Handling conflict in the classroom (with guest Joe Voigts!)

The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

At some point, we've all handled conflict in our classroom---among students, between a student and the teacher... In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with guest Joe Voigts about his approach to conflict in the classroom, from handling disagreements among his Israeli and Palestinian students in Jerusalem to butting heads with his high-schoolers on the South Side of Chicago.

Listener quote:

"There were times that students treated me disrespectfully. I knew that they were teenagers and if I had reacted harshly, the situation would have been so much worse. What I did was to pretend I hadn't heard what had been said. I continued the lesson and when the class ended, I asked that student to stay for a couple of minutes. I talked to him and he felt sorry for what had happened. The consequence of this reaction of mine was so positive. That student was so happy that I didn't say anything to him in front of the eyes of his friends and he turned to the most active student in the class." - Amir

References & Resources:

High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, Amanda Ripley

The Power of Storytelling to Build Cross-Cultural Connections Joe Voigts, TESOL

The Restorative Practices Handbook: For Teachers, Disciplinarians and Administrators, Bob Costello & Ted Wachtel

Questions for reflection:

• How do you feel when conflict comes up in the classroom?
• What general advice would you give to teachers for handling conflict when it arises?
• What strategies can you suggest for handling conflict in a positive and productive way?