Teaching controversial issues2 • Anticipate conflict. When preparing an activity, think about possible conflicts it might evoke in the group or in individual children. Is the topic, the rules or terminology too sensitive for some or all of the children? • • • • • Do not provoke conflicts but also do not step aside when they arise. Don’t assume conflicts are your fault – or anyone’s fault. They are normal and inevitable within every group. Help children accept that fact and avoid blaming. Focus on managing conflict, not fault finding. Do not ignore bad feelings in the group. Acknowledge their reality and help children address them. Take plenty of time for debriefing and discussions after each activity so that children have a chance to express how they are feeling, both about the activity and each other. This is perhaps your important opportunity to model conflict management. Talk to children individually. Often a child’s feelings are too personal or painful to be discussed within the group. When you sense this, make an opportunity to speak privately about what may be causing this distress. Let the child know you are ready to listen whenever he or she is ready to discuss the problem. 2 Tips for facilitation, taken from ‘Compasito’, a Council of Europe Manual on Human Rights Eduction, available at: http://www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/chapter_3/1.html#18. 7