The students experience in a micro-role-play various strategies in dealing with a common conflict situation in a creative and constructive way.
Aims/objectives
- to explore different intervention strategies in conflict situations
- to raise awareness on the importance of emotional intelligence
- to experience conflict resolution
Material needed
- Hand-outs with the description of the role-play for each student (see Annex)
- Enough space for role playing (if available use the school stage)
Preparation
Arrange the tables and chairs for the role-play and set out a semi-circle for the audience.
Step by step description
- Explain to your students that in this micro role-play they will have the possibility to explore various strategies in dealing with conflicts in a creative and constructive way. They will get a story, will have to find players for different roles and then start the play. At the very moment the conflict situation escalates, the play will be stopped and others can intervene in order to try out different types of behaviour to change the situation. In the end the whole group will discuss the result.
- Distribute the hand-outs. Ask for some students to volunteer as actors.
- While the group of actors is preparing the role-play (if possible in another room or in the corridor) the other students also read through the assignments.
- After 10 minutes ask the actors to present their play. At the moment the conflict escalates, say “STOP” and ask one person from the audience to replace one actor and start the play from the beginning.
- When the second play is over, discuss with the whole class whether a new behaviour has changed the situation and if yes, why and how?
Reflection with the students / questions for debriefing
- Did you enjoy the activity? Why?
- Was it difficult to find solutions how to act differently?
- Was there anything that surprised you?
- Have you already experienced similar situations?
- What could help in order to deescalate conflict situations?
Suggestions for adaptations and variations
- Choose this activity after you have worked on “What’s your trigger?”
- Use the method as an occasional activity by changing the scene or issues to tackle different conflict situations. You could ask your students to write down different conflicts they have been going through and then role play them to find possible solutions. The situations can be anonymous so that students can express themselves easier and learn how to react differently when faced with a conflict.
Reference / original source of the method
This method was introduced by Darko Marković at the „Learning Ocean“ during the aces Kick-Off Meeting 2010 in Senec, Slovakia.