Conflict between students does arise, but in the Classical Christian world, these are learning moments for students who are practicing Biblical, peacemaking resolutions.

Do you remember how children settled conflicts when you were in school? If your school was like mine, you may recall some very natural methods: fighting, hateful words, ignoring others, and gossiping, to name a few. It would have been nice to have had a better plan—one that would have brought restoration and forgiveness rather than divided friendships and hurt feelings. The lower school at Faith Christian School uses such a plan, yet this one isn’t natural for anyone.

The plan we use is called The Young Peacemaker program (or “Peacemakers”) and it is taught from kindergarten through fifth grade. Understanding the sinful hearts in all of us, it assumes there will be conflict in the classroom, and it offers tools for children to manage it.

As part of the program, students learn the same set of “peacemaking” Bible verses each year. These scriptures address unwholesome talk, selfishness, pride, and humility. It then offers students options to use when arguments arise. They can choose to talk about the offense with the offender, or they can compromise. They can get help from an adult, or children can overlook an offense. The last one is used often, and being what it is, requires the most grace.  Finally, students learn how to apologize correctly—an often-overlooked part of restoration.

At the beginning of each year, students memorize Romans 12:18 which instructs, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” As some of us know from our own schools, having no plan for disagreements caused a great deal of “peace breaking.”  Hopefully, when our students look back, they will remember that there was conflict in school, but they were given a biblical way through it, and it actually turned out for good.