Students' Perceptions of Conflict With Teachers in an Activity Setting

Purpose

While conflict is an area that all people need to learn to navigate, underserved youth are at a greater risk for experiencing social, emotional, and psychological hardship than children in wealthy communities (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1992; Department of Health and Human Services, 1991; McLoyd 1990). Modeling and teaching positive conflict negotiation during physical activity lessons could be especially beneficial to these youth. Researchers have recently recognized the importance of obtaining a youth perspective to make programming more relevant to the lives of their young participants (Cothran & Ennis, 1997). This study examines early adolescents' perceptions of the conflict experience with teachers in a physical activity setting. The research questions that guided this study were: 1) what is the experience of early adolescents who have conflict with their teacher in a physical activity setting; and 2) what are the youths' perceptions of how that conflict was negotiated?

Methods

Participants were recruited from a summer, physical activity day camp program in an urban area. Criterion sampling was used to identify eight youth (5 males, 3 females) who participated in this study. Participants were between the ages of 12 and 14. Data consisted of 14 individual interviews, 2 focus group sessions and the researcher's field notes. A phenomenological research design was used.

Analysis/Results

Clark Moustakas' (1994) modification of Van Kaam's (1959, 1966) method was utilized to analyze the data and to create an essence of the experience. Power emerged as the major theme influencing the essence of the experience for youth. Power manifested itself in many ways and included the teacher's power over the students, the youths' limited power in the classroom, lack of power on the part of the youth during the conflict, and the influence of higher powers on the experience. Respect emerged as a sub-theme.

Conclusions

Out-of-school programs could choose to empower youth by creating a classroom environment in which student voice is encouraged. Involving youth in resolving classroom conflict would encourage positive youth development. Additionally, teachers, parents, guardians and administrators should work together to better understand their roles in the conflict phenomenon.