Part Two
Conflict Resolution
Many of the racial stereotypes established themselves in the earliest days of culture contact. Historically, the local Aboriginal community were as far apart as they could be from the school. The school presentation of Aboriginal students has therefore, over the decades, reflected this prejudice born out of lack of understanding of another culture. In this light, we saw policies that led to Aboriginal parents being reluctant to send their young child to a school they did not know, did not trust and were not engaged by. A desire for their children's success is often tempered by apprehension generated by their own negative schooling experiences.
It has been repeatedly evidenced in research that a person's community is a major determinant in their success at school (Stronger Smarter Institute) and that Aboriginal communities must work with their school. If the adult community is not actively engaged as part of the education reform then you will find that school success could be severely limited.
Given that (traditionally) a school's culture and structure is determined by a dominant group over a smaller group whom have adhered to different cultural values, beliefs and practices, culture conflict in the school for Aboriginal students and parents may be a very real issue. The school leadership and teachers can reduce this conflict by employing culturally appropriate strategies that accommodate the student's culture and result in their perception of acceptance and understanding in the classroom. Students who have limited commitment to school are less likely to conform to the school's expectations than those who are strongly committed.
It is not always possible to provide a simple solution to all issues that arise. Instead, issues should be examined in the context in which it occurs taking into account the individual, social and cultural characteristics of the situation. Solutions, where possible, should be applied before crises arise and not after they have emerged.
General principles for consideration to avoid issues of conflict:
- Education will be at its most effective when home and school reinforce each other and this will be of particular importance where teachers and families hail from different cultures.
- Educators cannot be judgmental, but need to be proactive and sensitive in their approach.
- Aboriginal children should have a right to a confirmation of their own culture and identity through the school curriculum and staffing.
- Teacher attitudes to students and parents are of considerable relevance in influencing cultural respect and pride within the school; and the administration undoubtedly plays a decisive role in the general school atmosphere.
- There may well be a clash of values in the classroom as far as some Aboriginal children are concerned and other cultural differences are likely to make themselves felt. A sensitive and tolerant attitude towards Aboriginal students and a willingness to seek out and use their strengths to educational advantage will go far to obviate difficulties.
- It is essential to have a sound knowledge of their background before Aboriginal students can be effectively taught and so help pre-empt possible classroom conflict scenarios through purposeful lesson engagement.
- When Aboriginal children are unable to develop positive relations with teachers they can develop identities which are oppositional to those desired by the school.
- A basic rule for the teacher of Aboriginal children is not to use Aboriginal art, music or stories without consulting the local elders, and do not show local photographs that may have not been checked because the inadvertent display of the image of a deceased person may cause anguish and even anger to the relatives.
- To a large extent, Aboriginal parents relate to a person rather than a position. It is therefore critical for the Principal to develop a relationship based on personal qualities of trust, compassion, understanding and tolerance, rather than those based on a position of status and authority.
- The Principal must be a good listener. The issue for the parent is critical, the solution at least from the Principal's perspective may be quite simple, but let the solution evolve and hear the problem out.
[Bill Mann; Director Schools; Kimberley District, WA]
Conflicts and Resolutions –
Some Strategies and Processes for Consideration
Scenario 1
Conflict between two or a small group of students (e.g. teasing/hitting):
- Meet with the students involved. If possible, have a teacher or an AIEO present.
- Have this meeting after the students have settled down.
- Have this meeting away from other 'prying eyes or ears'.
- Make an agreement that only one person would talk at a time, and others would listen.
- Give each student a turn to tell his/her story. As the facilitator, take notes.
- Give the teacher/AIEO the chance to describe anything they had seen or heard from the incident.
- Compare the stories from the notes taken making sure truthfulness was noted and praised.
- Ask the students if they agreed with the version of the incident arrived at.
- Ask the students how things should 'move forward' from this point.
- Decide on a consequence for any participant who had transgressed school rules. Often the consequence would be known from the BMIS Policy.
- Report the meeting to family members from the community.
Successful aspects of this process:
- It is a useful way to get to the truth because the students speak first and almost always describe why they did what they did.
- Aggression had died down.
- Having heard the students' stories, teacher/AIEO were better informed to support the process to resolve the conflict.
- By keeping notes it is easy to record the incident and refer back if necessary.
- Students usually readily accept the consequences for their actions and view the process as being fair.
- Aboriginal students will communicate much better if 'out of the ear and eyeshot of peers' due to the shame factors inherent in their socialisation skills.
- It is important to have strong working partnerships with your support staff and the community for this strategy to be most effective.
Scenario 2
Conflict between students and the school (e.g. vandalism and stealing resources which affect the whole school body)
- Give students the opportunity to admit what they have done to the whole school (based on the assumption they are known), explaining to them that telling the truth is very important.
- If there are no consequences built into the BMIS for such a misdemeanour, have the whole student body to suggest a consequence since the actions of the students have impacted on the whole school.
- Ensure suggestions put forward are fair but firm.
- The culprits may be asked to choose a consequence for their actions.
- The consequence is adhered to.
Successful aspects of this process:
- It offers the opportunity for the truth to be honoured.
- Generally, students believe that being fair is very important.
- It reinforces to the whole school the importance of honouring truthfulness and respect for their school and their needs.
- The culprits usually readily accept the consequences because they see the process as fair and transparent.
- The community see the process as transparent and therefore fair.
- This scenario is different to scenario one in that the actions of the students had impacted on the whole school and therefore it was the business of the whole school.
Scenario 3
Potential conflict between the community and the school:
- Visit the community and tell the Community Chairperson(s) you would like to plan a meeting.
- Allow these people to tell you the best place to hold the meeting.
- Allow them to tell you some times when it would be best held.
- Hold the meeting and raise the issue.
- Explain how the school needed the advice of the community.
- Get the community to make decisions and use those decisions from then on.
- Later, write a letter to the Community Chairperson(s) thanking them for taking the time to assist the school and list in it the outcomes of the meeting.
- The important thing is to predict any issue from which conflict may arise. This is more easily done when you have a good understanding of how your community is run or administered. Listening and being aware helps you gain this understanding. Earning and keeping respect is also invaluable.
- An area of potential conflict may be when teasing is happening at the school. This could spill over into the community. There is the potential for families to take sides. Meeting and getting community members assigned to visit the school or classroom may be an effective strategy to diffuse potential conflict arising from this issue.
- Planning dates to hold special events needs to be treated in the same way. This avoids clashing with events organised by or for the community. It is important to realise communities place great importance on some things which the school may regard as not so important in the wider scheme of things.
Not all conflict will be resolved. However, through increased awareness and understanding, school leaders are able to 'see' Aboriginal children and families in different ways. Different perceptions open up different opportunities for working together, predicting possible and solving actual issues of conflict, through appropriate strategies of resolution to the benefit of all. Under this guidance the school can work together, building from strengths evident from children and families, to improve educational outcomes for all children.
Key Principles
- Historically, the local Aboriginal community were as far apart as they could be from the school.
- The school presentation of Aboriginal students has therefore, over the decades, reflected this prejudice borne out of lack of understanding of another culture.
- It has been repeatedly evidenced in research that a person's community is a major determinant in their success at school and that Aboriginal communities must work with their school.
- Given that a school's culture and structure is determined by a dominant group over a smaller group whom have adhered to different cultural values, beliefs and practices, culture conflict in the school for Aboriginal students and parents may be a very real issue.
- Teacher attitudes to students and parents are of considerable relevance in influencing cultural respect and pride within the school; and the administration undoubtedly plays a decisive role in the general school atmosphere.
- When Aboriginal children are unable to develop positive relations with teachers, they can develop identities which are oppositional to those desired by the school.
- Interagency collaboration practices and cross-sectoral protocols ensure a whole-children, whole-family, whole-of-schooling approach supports the continuing and successful engagement of each child in schooling.
In respect to the processes of resolution:
- Meet with the students involved.
- Report the meeting to family members from the community.
- Give students the opportunity to admit what they have done (re an incident which has affected the whole school) as this reinforces the importance of honouring truthfulness and targets the value of respect for their school and respect for the needs of the whole student body.
- Students usually readily accept the consequences for their actions and view the process as being fair if transparent.
- Meeting and getting community members assigned to visit the school or classroom may be an effective strategy to diffuse potential conflict arising from student-teacher-school issues.
