Conflict Resolution in Montessori Classrooms

​With every passing day, Montessori education is becoming a necessary training everywhere. The reason behind popularity of Montessori methods is the fact that it shapes your child’s personality for the better. Montessori education has become necessary in the past few years. If you are searching for the best Montessori Preschool in Spring, Texas, then you should look for Blossoms Montessori Preschool in Spring, Texas. Montessori education has its own benefits that are admitted by children's guardian and parents. Maria Montessori's method is a scientific method based and developed with research and found to be entirely appropriate for children. This Montessori method is now being applied everywhere in the world regardless of culture, language or country including Blossoms Montessori School in Spring, Texas.  

Conflict in a Montessori Classroom
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​Montessori classrooms teach children to live in harmony and peace. Your children are taught to resolve their issues and conflicts with respect and peace. It is the most important aspect of Montessori conflict resolution to teach children to respect each other and make them calm and composed individuals when they grow up. Young children are in dire need to learn how to solve difficult social situations and live in a community with others. These are much needed interventions that are required as much as the need to learn numbers and alphabets. However, despite all the learning and teaching, Montessori classrooms still have conflicts and disputes among children. 

What is a conflict?
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​A conflict can be defined as ‘a struggle between people.’ In this particular scenario, a conflict can be a clash of interest among children. It can be a struggle of various types such as physical, mental or even a difference of opinion among children. You can also define conflict as an active disagreement among children who have opposite opinions or principles.

How is conflict resolved in the #1 Blossoms Montessori and childcare near me?
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​Montessori classrooms also teach children, parents and guardians to resolve conflict in a way that is best suited for their children. If you look at the conflict in an inquisitive manner, you will realize that it is a fantastic teaching tool. It is when the children are filled with emotions, and can easily be taught social skills and patience, which is essential for problem-solving in the future. Montessori education helps children to make their own decisions even when it comes to conflict resolution with the help of a moderator. A moderator or a facilitator can be a teacher or even an older child from the same Montessori. The older child helps the younger child in understanding better because children consider the older children as their peers and it helps them resolve conflict effectively. It encourages children to share their opinions in a socially acceptable way by making them confident.

Strategies to Resolve the Conflict
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​Like every other activity, conflict resolution also requires strategy and a carefully planned regime so the children are not hurt while the conflict is resolved effectively and appropriately. First of all, the situation needs to be understood very carefully by the moderator. One of the most important things to understand is the fact that children suffer from heightened emotionality and the moderator should act accordingly. The moderator should also learn that everyone in the argument (all children included in the conflict) is affected equally and he/she should avoid biasness. Once the moderator has understood the situation, he/she can apply following techniques to resolve conflict.
●       You need to teach the child about belonging, significance and connection. The child must be educated about how he felt or how his body felt when he was angry.
●       When a child is upset, he/she must be taught to take a break because when he/she is angry, his/her judgment will be compromised. It is called ‘flip-lid' concept.
●       Teach the kids about the importance of mutual respect and encouragement for each other.
●       Always make children part of the solution which means discussing the reason of dispute as well as the solution and asking them questions to know if they have fully understood the concept of conflict resolution.
●       Give your children some space and make a peace table or peace corner. Peace corner is just like a naughty corner (used in behavioral therapy for behavioral modification of children and children need to sit in naughty corner if they misbehave.) Peace corner should be made to allow them to have ‘peaceful space.’ The peaceful space will give them time to stay calm and talk without losing their cool.
●       Time-outs, which are meant to be punishments, should be eliminated as children cannot learn anything in the time-outs, and they feel unloved and uninvolved.
●       Moderator should arrange weekly meetings which are not only called when children misbehave or when a conflict arises, but should rather be arranged regardless of any conflicts. Children’s involvement in these meetings should be encouraged and they should be asked to give opinions and make suggestions. These meetings can be a way of developing ownership in children.
●       Empathy is one of the most important concepts to be understood as a child as well as an adult. Give them time for gratitude, which will make them empathetic and also make them realize the concept of personal space.

Conflict Resolutions for Preschoolers and Toddlers
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​If the children are not old enough to understand the concepts given above, you can apply one of the following methods for their better understanding and improvement.
●       Always try to include the child in the process of decision making regardless of the conflict, e.g. you can ask child A about what to do if child B is crying because of a conflict between A and B.
●       Ask curiosity questions.
●       You must not force a child to share if he doesn’t want to.
●       Divert the child's attention to constructive and productive work.
●       Always teach your child with full attention, use interesting ideas and act out scenarios for teaching.
●       Always appreciate the child every day, even if it is one small thing. It will help them develop a sense of gratitude and peace. 
●       If the child is behaving aggressively, bring them aside from the scene or take them to a place where he can calm himself completely.
●       Never dismiss the feelings of a child because things that you ignore over years can shape the way a child will deal with problems in his adult life.
Never be afraid of conflicts because these are the most critical times when you can teach a child about his personal growth and social skills. A conflict can also be regarded as a great learning opportunity as children will always get to learn effective ways to communicate with society. If you are looking for the best school to teach your children effective conflict resolution strategies, then you should look for Blossoms Montessori Preschool in Spring, Texas.