ABSTRACT
Even in the most well behaved classrooms there will inevitably be some conflict: all young creatures get into play fights and children are no exception. It is a vital part of early socialisation and learning. Most of the time this isn’t serious and upsets are quickly over. Teachers often wisely choose to ignore minor incidents, keep a watchful eye from a distance, and give children the opportunity to sort things out for themselves. Children need to learn to resolve their differences and jumping in too soon may be counter-productive. Conflict is part of everyday life and it is how we learn to deal with it that is important. It follows that some individuals will need to learn that there are alternative strategies, to practise these and to understand that they can make choices.
