Managing Conflicts in Challenged Student’s Classrooms in Osun, Nigeria

Ayobami Gideon Adeleke
(Early Childhood Development Unit, Institute of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria)

Abstract: The management of conflicts in school organization is one of the major tasks facing teachers today. The true skill of a teacher lies in finding a sound balance between teaching (pedagogy) and service (management). This study was primarily focused on challenged children classroom settings. The objectives were to determine the Nigerian societal perspectives towards challenged children. It also sought to identify the common conflicts observable among Nigerian challenged learning population. It further investigated the management strategies employed by teachers in challenged children classrooms. These were with a view to integrate challenged children into the society with good attitude causing least conflicts. A survey research design was adopted. All the inclusive practicing schools in Osun State, Nigeria made the population. Two complete basic special schools — one public, one private — were randomly assigned to the study from each of the three senatorial districts of the state with five special education trained teachers per school snowball sampled; five helpers of the teachers having direct relation with the learners were randomly assigned to the study. Two research instruments were used. An interview guide dubbed “Common Crises among Them (CCT)” and a questionnaire titled “Societal Perception and Conflict Situations Management among Challenged School Children (SPCM)”. The CCT and the SPCM were adapted from a previous work of Turoti (2016), an unpublished dissertation. Data collected were analyzed using percentages. The Nigerian society’s perception of challenged Nigerian child is changing from views of waste, beggarly and liability to fellowmen with weaknesses and in need of additional care and integration. The study also found that every observable challenges have conflicts not necessary peculiar as they cut across one another. The management strategies employed by teachers of challenged learners in Nigerian basic schools notably was at varying degrees. The study concluded that Nigerians perception of challenged population is improving. It established that dissonance, resistance, withdrawal and other conflicts were not peculiar to challenged population. Study elucidated that personal encounter is prominently adopted by teachers and helpers in resolving conflict situations. Further investigations however would establish the interdependence of these and other classroom management strategies towards ensuring zero conflict and optimal functional classroom for the challenged population.

      Key words: conflicts, challenged, series, perception, strategies