There is always a fine line between helping children through conflict and letting them work through conflict themselves. In the following video Caleb does an amazing job communicating to Sebastien and Sebastien really tests the limits by not communicating with Caleb in hopes he can keep the bingo bottle. I verbally narrate what is happening to help the conflict from escalating. This works but Caleb then leaves the table. Was Caleb discouraged with the interaction and so moves on or was he just ready to move on? It is never easy to decipher children's needs and maneuver through conflict with them. Although I was waiting for some verbal cue from Caleb to let me know he really wanted that particular bingo bottle back, I am left to wonder if I should have had Sebastien give the bingo bottle back. There are times I feel I really have helped move a conflict in a positive direction and times I feel that I am in the way of letting the children work through the conflict themselves. It is a continual struggle that as a parent and teacher I work through and practice everyday.
While Caleb continues exploring elsewhere, Sebastien tries out a new technique using two bingo bottles in one hand.
Max, of all his friends, spent the longest amount of time exploring the bingo bottles. He really explores what happens when you squeeze the bottle tip up, tip down, and with one hand.
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