School conflicts a problem of all

Today's school It is not always the desired living space for our children and adolescents, In it, curricular and non -curriculum influence are organized and planned with the objective of strengthening and building values ​​of coexistence, solidarity and dialogue between subjects.

Schooling ceased to be the only proposal, after family, training and personality education. The messages that are transmitted in it are reconceptualized and produced are not credible, legitimate and viable for certain students, parents and teachers. The practical impact of this has a different nature and affects different facets of human coexistence. We invite you to continue reading this Psychology-online article if you want to know more about School conflicts: a problem of all.

1. the state of the question
2. Characteristics of school conflicts
3. Conflicts in today's society
4. Nature of the conflict
5. Types of school conflicts
6. School conflicts and solutions
7. Communication in the conflict
8. Other ways to resolve conflicts in school
9. Avoid conflicts in school

the state of the question

Man has a convivial nature, But this does not deny that social relations can deteriorate, we refer to conflicts in human relationships that occur in any of the social scenarios. Disagreements, interpersonal tensions, intra or intergroup clashes that can adopt a violent or destructive character, or that damage coexistence and human health. ¿Because?.

This is A multicause phenomenon. Some scholars have located the causes in genetic factors, however, after knowing the results of the human genome studies, on the level of indeterminacy that people have to make decisions and that the inheritability coefficient is around 60%, It is reaffirmed that human behaviors are not biologically determined (which does not deny their incidence) but depends on the social context, the educational contexts and the social situation of the development of the subjects in particular.

At work, for the significance of school influences We carry out a methodological cut and primarily address the school context, knowledgeable about the role of other educational contexts in the socialization of children, adolescents and young people, and who provide information for the understanding of the subject.

In reflection groups with teachers about "school living together" they expressed their perceptions about violence in schools, the conflicts of authority that arise in educational institutions and the way to solve them. In addition, they mentioned situations of theft and the establishment of surveillance and security systems that tends to become a mode of resolution against these problems. Teachers ,They called attention to the causes abroad in the educational field, loss of values ​​in society and the media. Others place it in children, adolescents or young people "problems".

We have experienced it with teachers from different countries in Latin America. Likewise, the news of serious violence acts in highly developed countries alarm alarm signals in educators of different latitudes.

Fortunately in Cuba these conflicts and violence in schools do not reach the existing dimension in other countries. Deepen about the conflicts inherent to interpersonal relationships and the ways to face them prepares us better to interpret the alarm signals that are manifested in classrooms and educational institutions in general.

Characteristics of school conflicts

A question asked by a basic secondary education teacher can help us reflect on the subject: ¿What is happening in educational institutions?.

When dealing with place of his school and his disciplining role In today Polyinszuk society, S. Expresses that “the disciplinary role historically had school as a social institution remained in recent centuries (Sxix and XX) as a space that produced its own disciplination policies, From micromechanisms of surveillance and social control (Foucault, 1992).

The school, as we currently conceive it historically as a place of configured configuration inside its space with a series of specific purposes and regulations for the channeling of everyday practices. (Álvarez, Uría, 1991). The ways to resolve conflicts of authority in the school environment are configured from the institutional devices and hierarchies constituted within said space.”(Polinszuk, S, 2002).

This author points to us about the institutional practices of teachers and around the conflicts of authority and their contradiction with their ways of resolution. For its part. Other specialists (Ovejero, 1989; Beltrán, 2002; Martínez - Otero, 2001) point about the Increase in school conflicts. They recognize the multicause of the phenomenon and highlight a combination of internal and external factors to the school environment among which we point out the following:

• Increased schooling in teaching. Being an achievement of most countries the extension of mandatory schooling leads to a greater number of dissatisfied, demotivated and indisciplined students.
• Increase of students by classroom and by school. Related to the previous factor, there is a progressive increase in enrollment in schools, not behaving in the same way the increase in facilities and the necessary infrastructure. Classrooms are observed in which the physical environment negatively influences the psychological environment due to overcrowding in classrooms, lack of spaces for recess, and sports activities, etc.
• Teachers perceive a Gradual decrease of their authority against students and maintain traditional superior relationships - subordinate with the application of rigid controls on the behavior of their students.
• Lower disposition to comply with certain norms, limits and rules causing indiscipline situation by students.

Conflicts in today's society

Every social relationship contains conflict elements, Disagreements and opposite interests. The school is an organization and as such its operation cannot be understood without considering the significance of the conflict. (Johnson, 1972; Ovejero, 1989).

The description of the previously raised reality leads to resume the different types of approach that have been made to school from three educational modalities. (GHISO, 1998):

• 1st. The conflict and error are denied and punished.
• 2nd. The problematic situation is invisible and treated in order to control dysfunctions.
• 3ro visible the conflict and error assuming it as dynamic components of the training process.

The conflict is inevitable in human groups And attempts to evade them have had contrary effects, aggravating themselves, school conflicts are no exception. They also have constructive and destructive potential, depending on the way of facing and resolving them constructively. “It is true that often the conflict creates tension, anxiety and discomfort, but like anger, these feelings in itself are not always bad.

They can provide the necessary shot and loosen Personal learning and towards the change process (Schmuck and Schmuck, 1983, P.274) In Ovejero, 1989. )

In this same direction, Johnson (1978, P says. 301) In Ovejero, 1989 that the school conflict is not only inevitable but is even necessary to combat school routine and thus facilitate progress in school.
Peiró adds along this line, the conflict has as many functional aspects as dysfunctional, “in reality the functionality or dysfunctionality of a certain behavior always depends on the criteria adopted and the perspective considered. Something functional for the organization can be dysfunctional for some members and vice versa ”. (Peiró, 1985, vol II, P.481) In Ovejero, 1989.

The issue of conflict has been studied from three great perspectives (Touzard, 1981) in Ovejero, 1989.

• Psychological 1: It places it in motivations and individual reactions.
• 2nd sociological: it places it in social structures and conflict social entities.
• 3rd psychosocial: it places it in the interaction of individuals with each other or of individuals with the social system.

Understanding the conflict from a psychosocial perspective leads to studying the conflict itself, its origin and stages, as well as taking into account the group and the organization in which it takes place ."Revised studies show that the structural characteristics of an organization are important elements when explaining the frequency, type or intensity of organizational conflicts". (Peiró, 1985, Vol. II, p. 498) In Ovejero, 1989.

Nature of the conflict

Certainly, to understand the nature of conflicts in school it is necessary to define what a conflict is, determine its origin and evaluate its possible functional and dysfunctional consequences. For Deutsch, M. (1969) There is a conflict every time incompatible activities are assigned. When an incompatible action interferes with another or obstructs it makes it less effective. They can be conflicts:

• Intrapersonal, If they originate in a person.
• Intragroupal, If they originate in a group.
• Interpersonal, They originate in two or more people.
• Intergroupal, They originate in two or more groups.

It is important to make clear that, The conflict arises when the actions of one of the parties affect the other , but we are in the presence of differences in motives, interest, goals values ​​etc. Among groups, people, institutions, and not a conflict (Puard, CH, 2002)

Causes of conflicts (according to the origin)

1. Differences of knowing, beliefs, values, interests or desires.
2. Lack of sources (money, power, time, space or position)
3. Rivalry, people or groups compete with each other. (Deutsch, 1974)

Types of school conflicts

In the social psychology literature we find various typologies of conflicts, some coincide even if they are called in another way, others attend to other criteria.
In a study conducted by (Schmuck and Schmuck (1983, P.276-281) In the school environment proposes four types of conflicts:

• to) Procedure conflicts: It is characterized by disagreement to actions that must be completed to carry out a goal.
• b) Conflicts of goals: it is characterized by the disagreement of the values ​​or objectives to pursue. It is a bit more difficult than the previous one because in the solution it is not enough to clarify the objectives, but it involves changes in the goals of the parts involved.
• c) Conceptual conflicts: Disagreements about ideas, information, theories or opinions. The people involved in the conflict conceive the same phenomenon differently. Many times these conflicts become conflicts of procedures or goals.
• d) Interpersonal conflicts: They are characterized by the incongruity in personal needs and styles. To the extent that they extend over time they are more difficult to solve. This is the most difficult type of conflict to resolve because sometimes neither the parties involved are aware of it. On the other hand, if the conflict is prolonged, less interaction and communication and the conflict that may be based on prejudices, suspicions that do not dissipate due to the lack of information between those involved. “(Ovejero, 1989).

Other school conflicts

Others are roles conflicts, conflicts caused by school standards and disruptive behaviors in the classroom. (Ovejero, 1989).
Roles conflicts occur when people occupy different roles in an institution or group. These can arise in classes adopting different types:

• Roles conflicts whose root is in the social system: It refers to the interactional difficulty that occurs when the members of a group or institution have different expectations or assume different behaviors, opposed to them.
• Roles conflicts whose root is in personality characteristics of those who occupy those roles.

The individual characteristics that hinder the performance of the role can be of three classes:

1. Lack of necessary personological resources.
2. Low image of yourself in relation to expectations.
3. Does not fit its characteristics.

Roles conflict

1. Conflicts caused by prevailing school standards: Teachers and managers care about imposing the rules to control the class. The maintenance of the superior - subordinate relationship between teachers and students leads to a rigid criterion in the teachers and expresses the fear of losing authority. For their part, students try to change or eliminate school standards and be personal and socially autonomous.
2. Disruptive behaviors in the classroom: Actions that interrupt the rhythm of the class. They are protagonist of annoying students who with their comments, laughs, games, movements outside the teaching - learning process hinders educational work. Conflicts from students' rebellion against authority. Controversy or interest conflicts can be transformed into a violent rebellion.

School conflicts and solutions

In the solution of a constructive conflict, the position and motivations of the opponent have to be known, as well as to promote adequate communication, an attitude of trust with him and define the conflict as a problem of the parties involved.

The characteristics of the environment in classes, if it is predominantly cooperative or competitive affects perceptions, communication, attitudes and orientation regarding people's task when they face conflict situations. (Deutsch, 1966) In Johnson, 1972.

Perception of conflict situations.

Sometimes, lThe conflicts are misrepresented or the position and motivations of the opponent are not known well. These inaccurate interpretations are usually that of the "image of the mirror". This concept, "image of the mirror," was coined by Bronfenbrenner (1961) is explained as a situation in which two parties in conflict have one of the other similar opinions but,, diametrically opposed. What each part involved perceives is "the mirror image" of the other. (Johnson, 1972).

Another mechanism that reveals the distortion of perception in conflicts is the mechanism of the "straw in the eye of others", similar to that of projection. It is described as the perception in others of characteristics that we do not perceive in ourselves. Those features that we cannot or do not want to recognize in ours.

The inaccurate perception is also observed in the "double rule" mechanism which is the process by which the personal or group virtues are considered vices of the opposite party. The same action evaluated in oneself and is bad in the other.

Finally, there are conflicts arising in competition situations When forming an exaggeratedly simplified image of oneself and the adversary.
Erroneous interpretations originate from competitive conflicts conditioned by the contexts in which the cultures and expectations of those involved take place, cultures and expectations.

The perception deformations They are difficult to clarify once the conflict has emerged because:

1. The parties in conflict are very committed and it is not easy and experience contradictory feelings about whether or not to relate to him.
2. Often these deformed perceptions are reinforced because the person avoids contact or communication with the opposite.
3. In addition, the conflict is exacerbated because an anticipatory, future prognosis of the adversary's behavior is assumed and perceives aggressive, treats it as such and causes aggressiveness in the other, which confirms the unfavorable initial perception.

Communication in the conflict

In it conflict management constructively constitutes an essential element the establishment of communication between the parties.

To the compare between a cooperation situation and another of competition communication In each of them differs. In the first, it is open, frank, information is shared between the parties which allows a conflict to be managed constructively, since effective and fluid communication with the opponent is facilitated. Meanwhile, in the second, the communicative process is poor, distorted information is exchanged, false commitments are made that do not allow the conflict to be resolved, because they do not take advantage of the strategies that are trying to apply in the management of the same and the effects are destructive.

In conflict situations it is observed as Trend the deformation of our perceptions of behavior and the reasons for the other, as well as the difficulties in communication between the parties, in particular if the situation is competitive. Given this fact, described here, a procedure is proposed to reduce these obstacles such as the exchange of roles.
ROLES EXCHANGE.

The Role Exchange Theory It focuses on Roger's work, C. (1951, 1952, 1965) as a means to promote communication between two people because he considers that the biggest barrier to interpersonal communication is the tendency to issue value judgments to what the other expresses, from our own references. This trend is exacerbated because it is associated with intense emotional expressions and negative Valencia

The roles exchange procedure consists of a discussion by which each one exposes the point of view of the other in the presence of this, So he tries to place himself within the referential framework of the opposite, promoting a less defensive attitude of it, and convincing him that he has been heard and understood. When saying Roger C. This happens because:

1. It is understood exactly the intimate world of the other,
2. He feels empathy for him, without pretending to be absorbent, and is accepted as a person and
3. One behaves in the situation authentically and genuinely.

Other ways to resolve conflicts in school

However, Reciprocal understanding of the position of the other It does not mean that the parties reach an agreement more easily. Certain misunderstandings hide the true differences between individuals, and their clarification would increase the elements in conflict of the situation by removing the little misunderstanding that there could be and exposing the elderly. Other misunderstandings cover similarities and points of coincidence between the parties; His clarification would lead to conflict resolution. (Johnson, D. 1972)

From this perspective The most effective strategy to solve school problems is cooperative learning, Learning through cooperative groups. Sherif, (1973) admits the difficulty that groups in conflict cooperate, for which he proposed the technique of "extraordinary goals" that are nothing more than pressing and very attractive goals for members of one or more conflict groups, but that They cannot be achieved with the media and energies of the separate groups. (Ovejero, 1989).

In the proposal to solve conflicts, in addition to that of learning through cooperative groups, others that imply group strategies in which they are used are considered group variables Among which stand out:

• Group cohesion that helps reduce school conflicts (controversy).
• Group size, A larger size, the greater the dissatisfaction of its members and their problems.
• Participatory leadership produces less conflict in the group.
• The quality of the relationship, greater contact and understanding of the student's behavior to solve conflicts. Study the relationship, roles and expectations of the teacher and students.

Another conflict resolution strategy is Effective negotiation in conflicts of interest. “Negotiation is a process by which people who want to reach an agreement to resolve a conflict, but who does not agree on the nature of such agreement, tries to make an agreement. The negotiations are directed to the achievement of an agreement that specifies what each party gives and receives in a transaction between them. (Johnson, 1978, P.314).”In the negotiation to achieve a constructive agreement it is necessary confront the opposition for which the problem must be clarified . In this step the Fire exteriorization that produces the conflict can be shown by nonverbal forms, even adopting forms of physical violence. The direct and verbal expression of feelings favors negotiation, much more than its nonverbal manifestation.

School conflicts interfere with class operation, Therefore, the teacher tends to suppress such conflict instead of determining the causes and solutions. Other factors that reinforce this teacher's position is the lack of time and the shortage of resources for the management of classroom conflicts. The teacher does not usually promote discussions about the problem, to update the causes for fear that the conflicting situation will be overflowing and cannot be containment. This not only does not solve the conflict but it becomes destructive for interpersonal relationships because discomforts, misunderstandings, stand out more and more and can face it in an annoying way. Neither the priority of school tasks justifies that the conflict is evaded, nor that a constructive solution is attempted.

Avoid conflicts in school

Conflicts are inevitable as we have seen so far. A school that denies and evades the conflict forms the subjects so that they do not act, so that they are not protagonists of their history, which would be a way of controlling thinking, feeling and acting.

There are educational approaches that reveal deferens ways to assume conflicts. Some assume the conflict from a magical and fatalistic vision, evade and cover up the conflicting situation with expressions such as: "Life is like this".

Others invisible the conflict from the norm. Understanding by invisibility as the force that leads to the subjects, groups and institutions of hiding processes, actions, thoughts, cover -up of intentions, decisions and situations using camouflage and simulations. In this case, the norm prevents the conflict from being revealed by subtracting power from the subjects to act on himself, repressing them if necessary.

Other approaches assume the conflict. Some marked by the aspiration to build knowledge for life, to meet needs, revealing and solving conflicts through models of coexistence, interaction and communication relevant to culture, which make them negotiable and modifiable, demanding in social practices in educational people with capacities for it. In this same alternative there are those who make visible and resolve the conflict from the norm, from the established, agreed and agreed agreements. The subjects act according to what is agreed, to the agreement or contract stipulated between the parties involved in the conflict.

Indeed, the school conflict must be treated and solved as far as possible considering all the above.

Finally, it is convenient to underline the incidence that on the conflict and its solution have the personological characteristics of the intervening parties. The conflict tends to worsen when one of those involved is aggressive, authoritarian, dominant, dogmatic, suspicious. While Stagner believes that the issue lies in perception, the way a conflict is perceived depends on the context and the characteristics of the personality of the interveners.

In short, in situations of conflict in the classroom It is essential that the teacher assumes the existence of the conflict to seek alternatives for constructive management. Depending on the magnitude of the conflict and the preparation of the teacher in solving the problem you can request the orientation or intervention of the psychologist. The definition of the causes and intensity of the conflict specify the way to handle it. Ostrich's attitude to the conflict does not solve it. The constructive solutions of conflicts improve interpersonal relationships in the group and favor the school environment and student learning, as well as the emotional well -being of the actors of the school plot.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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