1. What causes disputes among people? Does competition for material things, like who has the "right" clothes or what is the coolest music, lead to a lot of disputes? Are misunderstandings more likely to lead to trouble?
2. Do people sometimes start trouble just for the "fun of it?" If so, why is it "fun?"
3. Why do you think people start making trouble in the first place?
4. What if the friends you hang out with want to do something you don't? What do you choose - go with your friends or do "things" your own way?
5. How can you try to have some influence in your group? Do your friends value your opinion?
6. Do you act differently when you are with your friends than you do when you are alone? If so, why?
7. Bullying is a kind of conflict that concerns many people. In your opinion what is bullying? Why do bullies do what they do?
8. How should we deal with bullies? How should we help their victims?
9. How do you and your friends mix with your family and your family with your friends? Do you find yourself getting into arguments with family members about your friends or with friends about family members?
10. Which side do you choose if there is a conflict between your friends and your family? Why do you choose like this?
11. How do you resolve disputes? Do you try to avoid people you disagree with? Do you find that listening carefully for what the other person really wants and needs can help?
12. Does a third person sometimes help resolve disputes?
13. Do rules and regulations sometimes help (or hurt)?

Classroom Activities

1. Make an individual list of causes of disputes among friends. Work out a list together, based on what each of you have written.
2. Print out messages about this from the others in the KidCom Who-Am-I? room, read them and compare them with your own.
3. Make a short role play about bullying where 4-5 actors take part. Decide in the group how your play shall end... with a happy or sad ending. Write the text and post it to the KidCom Who-Am-I? room. Print out the role plays which you receive from others and play them in class. Let us know what you think about the plays you have received.
4. Look through daily newspapers and find examples of local and world disputes. Place them on one side of a display board. On the other side of the display board place newspaper articles showing where people have resolved their problems peacefully.
5. First impressions are not always correct. After we get to know a person well we can sometimes see good things about them that we didn't see right away. Think of a person who was not at all what you thought he or she was when you first met him or her. Share these experiences with your class in small group sessions.
6. Write a skit for a puppet show where 2 puppet friends are disputing because one friend broke a promise to the other.
7. Sometimes friends must forgive each other to settle disputes. Draw a picture of what "forgiveness" looks like.
8. Divide your class into small groups and discuss times in your favorite TV shows where people settled their disputes. What did they do to settle them? What were their strategies? Add your own ideas for ways to settles disputes and present the ideas of your small group to your whole class.
9. Make a display of words that "heal" when friendships are broken.

Remember to make comments to the other participants...

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