Ask an expert: Peer counseling key to conflict resolution

Dr. John Woodall is a psychiatrist and faculty member at the Judge Baker Children's Center at Harvard University

September 14, 2000
Web posted at: 12:17 PM EDT (1617 GMT)

By John Woodall

Question: What do you think of peer counseling for conflict resolution?

Answer: In a previous discussion, we focused on the need to create a safe and nurturing school environment by creating a school enrichment program. Any program to resolve conflict or create school safety is part of an overall school culture. You want to take advantage of the nurturing properties that a united school community can offer to your efforts. A clear statement of unity throughout the school about basic matters of safety, trust and respect will reinforce human dignity, a prerequisite for learning.

A peer counseling program in conflict resolution is one form of a conflict resolution program. Students are trained in basic conflict resolution methods, and some are assigned special roles as peer counselors to whom other students turn if a dispute arises. Peer counseling engages students in learning within their immediate experience. It puts the consequences of one's decisions squarely in the public arena, reinforcing pro-social decision-making. This kind of program allows for civic skill building that will serve students well throughout their lives.

Here are a few pointers if you pursue a peer counseling conflict resolution program:

• Some pre-packaged conflict resolution material may not fit your circumstances. Set up a committee to review materials and think through your special needs for training and implementation.
• Distinguish between peers as facilitators of a resolution process and peers as judges. Attention must be given to which matters fall under a peer resolution process and which violate standards of the public trust, requiring more judicial-type reviews. Gross violations of safety, human dignity and personal property might be considered matters not suitable for resolution methods, since there is a clear victim in such cases and their protection becomes a matter of maintaining the integrity of the overall school community. Before any violations occur and there is a matter under dispute, conflict resolution methods are appropriate. Give some thought to what the "trip wire" issues are that will lift a case out of a peer counseling situation and into a more formal school judicial process.
• A core group of staff needs to act as student trainers, facilitators and debriefers of the peer process.
• Rotate the role of peer counselor so that no "elite" group develops. This way, each student will need to learn the skills.
• Have peer and private debriefing methods set up to help peer counselors understand how to do things better and to get needed emotional support. This adult supervision needs to focus on facilitation of conflict resolution skills. Kids can be great facilitators, but they will need help to avoid being too lax or too punitive. Helping students clarify the principles involved in their resolution process is key.
• Let students struggle with their resolution process and, in matters not involving safety, live with the consequences of their deliberations. In these cases, try not to be a judge. But allow for the process to continue if the initial resolution doesn't stick.

Dr. John Woodall is a psychiatrist with a specialty in treating psychological trauma. He is on the faculty of the Judge Baker Children's Center at Harvard University and is the director of the Unity Project Curriculum Initiative, developing pro-social skills in diverse school settings. Dr. Woodall just returned from the State of the World Forum in New York City, where he presented his Unity Project to the undersecretary of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.