Resolving Conflicts and Preventing Violence in Italian Schools

Abstract

Phenomena of conflicts among students are on the rise everywhere in the world. According to a new report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCEF), half of the world's teenagers experience peer violence and bullying in and around the school. School violence affects learning and has a negative effect on students, schools, and the broader community. The effects on students are both psychical and phycological and often lead to isolation, depression, and in some cases to suicide. This chapter provides an overview of an alternative methodology approach to the teaching of dialogue and non-violent communication in schools. Furthermore, it examines a training model that uses mediation and Aikido to teach communication, conflict management, and conflict resolution to students and teachers. The training, called School of Mediation-Mediation for School (SMS), has been developed in Italy by a group of lawyers, mediators, and researchers. To date, the project has involved more than 600 students and 250 teachers with important results.