fandomhigh | So You Say You Want a Revolution: Week 11, Period 3

This Wednesday much better than last Wednesday. Or at least the honesty spell had worn off and there wasn't going to be another fight in Aly's class so she was assuming this was a much better day. Also she had coffee, and no, she wasn't sharing.

"Morning, everyone," she said once the class was assembled. "I'm guessing you're probably all in better moods than last week? If not, sorry, we're not fighting anything today. Instead we're going to talk about conflict resolution."

She glanced around the class, just a bit amused by the topic. Teachers had to entertain themselves somehow, right? "We've talked about communication before - so many times that you almost might think it's one of the main topics in this class. And you almost might be right. Ninety percent of a revolution is information. Gathering information, disseminating information, figuring out what your new facts mean to your cause, arguing over whose interpretation is correct, making alliances with people who might hate you...but also could be on your side. That last one is what we're going to look at today."

"So here we go, how do you talk to someone who doesn't like you? Or how do you get someone you don't like to ally with you? Sure, saving them from a pit of poisonous snakes works really well in the stories. And if you don't have time for a nice heart-to-heart discussion, setting them up to be in danger and then swinging in to rescue them can work out too. Just don't let 'em know you set them up. Betrayal's never a fun thing to explain."

Aly flipped the whiteboard over to show the inevitable list. "Here we are," she said easily. "First off, remember everything we've talked about in past classes. Sometimes flirting can help, sometimes making friends can help, it's all interconnected."

She went through the list, explaining the points and giving examples.

Don't avoid discussing conflict.
Realise that emotions are going to be involved
Make sure to listen to what the other person wants as well as what he says
Control your anger
Focus on mutually beneficial outcomes
Look for solutions

Remain alert and calm. By staying calm, you can accurately read and interpret verbal and nonverbal communication.
Control your emotions and behavior. This is all about being able to react without flipping out.
Be aware of differences. Acknowledging differences can be the first step in naming the problem.

Listen for what is felt as well as said. When we listen we connect more deeply to our own needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Listening in this way also strengthens us, informs us, and makes it easier for others to hear us.
Make conflict resolution the priority rather than winning or "being Right". Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than “winning” the argument, should always be your first priority.
Focus on the present. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the here-and-now to solve the problem.
Pick your battles. If you're going to fight, make sure it's worth the time and resources.
Be willing to forgive. Punishing others doesn't compensate you for your losses.
Know when to let something go. There's nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree if the result isn't important.

Glancing around the class, Aly looked for confused or vacant faces. "Anyone have questions? Want to ask why we care? Why we don't just kick whoever's ass until they have to agree? Let's hear 'em." After any questions were answered, she gave the assignment. "You guys have two choices what you want to do today. Either talk about a time when you had an interpersonal conflict and didn't handle it well - and how you might've done it better. Or if you want to have a little more fun, let's go with it. Pick a VERBAL fight with someone in class - and then try to get 'em on your side."

"Oh yeah, and Nico and Percy ~~if they are there~~, I'd like to see you both after class."

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"If it has to do with fighting in my class, you're right," she replied. "Plenty of places on this island to fight. My class? Not one of them."

"Did you see me throw any punches?" Percy wondered, still showing his ass on this one. "He decided to punch me first and then he hit me again while you were holding onto me. You should be talking to him."

Percy crossed his arms and continued scowling like the brat he was.

"And I was holding you because...?"

"Humiliating me in front of the entire class was fun?" Percy asked flippantly, unable to stop himself.

Aly raised an expressive eyebrow. "Interesting reading of history there."

"You don't think that happened?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow right back. "He hit me while you were holding onto me. Seems pretty straightforward."

Percy had a strange definition of straightforward and didn't want to admit fault in something Nico had started.

"Okay, I'll offer you a deal," Aly said, unaccountably amused at Percy's rewriting of history. "I'll let you watch the tape of the whole thing. If that's all that happened, I'll let you out of detention. If not, you get a month of 'em."

"So, I get detention because I wanted to defend myself and couldn't?" Percy griped, changing his tune the slightest bit. "How's that fair?"

His selective memory was strong.

Ah, yes, she noticed him not jumping that that offer. "You get detention because you didn't have the self-control to wait to defend yourself until after class," Aly said. "You want to lead people to fight more than you already have? You need to be able to control your emotions better than that."

"Whatever," he said, unwilling to accept any blame. He shook his head. "I'm sure if someone busted your nose in front of people, you'd wait till later to retaliate."

"You want to stop talking now, Percy," Aly advised him, done with teenage bravado for now. "I'll see you Saturday morning."

"Yeah, fine," Percy said, rolling his eyes and turning to go. He still didn't think he'd done anything wrong, of course. So, he'd just stalk off and act like a brat.

So You Say You Want a Revolution: Week 11, Period 3

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