Event

Methods of Conflict Resolution

Saturday, April 9th, 2005, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Lawrence Metzger

Conflict resolution is both a goal and skill necessary in every sphere of public and private life. Successful interactions in peace studies, education, policy formulation, relationships and personal development rely heavily on its effective implementation. In this presentation, participants will become aware of the methods involved in analyzing common causes of conflict such as: oppositional perspectives, individual needs not being met, inequitable power distribution, and ineffective communication. Conflict escalators will be identified as well as five primary modes of conflict resolution: competing, accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, and compromising. Use and misuse of these modes will be explored through the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Participants will become aware of the major factors which escalate and resolve conflicts, developing greater ability to avoid obstacles which impede cooperative and collaborative relationships. Participants will engage in role playing, pair, and small group interactive problem solving tasks involving teamwork negotiation strategies, which are very useful in peace studies and ESL content based course design. Participants will receive copies and references of resource materials for adaptation to their own classroom situations.

Lawrence Metzger is a former Jesuit and Fulbright scholar, specializing in Russian Language, Eastern European Intellectual History and educational psychology. He is a qualified MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) instructor in Jungian Personality psychology. While with the Jesuits, he served as director of the Office of Ethnic Affairs with the San Diego R.C. Diocese trying to resolve inter ethnic conflicts. As an AIDS chaplain affiliated with Hope Ministries in San Diego, he sought to help victims, families, and friends resolve final intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. Currently, he teaches ESL part time at 5 different universities in Kobe and Osaka while pursuing an MA in TESOL at Columbia University TC in Tokyo . His full time job is assuming the role of a husband and father of two young boys under the age of 3, trying to maintain peace at home.

Organization: Teachers College Columbia University Japan (TC Columbia)

Cost: free, but please reserve by email to office@tc-japan.edu

Venue: Teachers College, Columbia University, Tokyo, Mitsui Seimei Bldg 4F, 2 21 2 Misaki cho, Chiyoda ku, (03)3221 9771 (5 minutes from JR Suidobashi Station)

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan

Contact TC Columbia

Teachers College Columbia University Japan Tokyo Office

Work phone: 03-3221-9771