Week 03 · lesson
Repair the Team, Not the Argument
Conflict is normal. Harassment, threats, discrimination, and retaliation are not normal team conflict; they require adult support and the school process. For ordinary disagreement, a team needs a repair method that separates a reviewable event from a personal label.
Receive: Use Observation Before Judgment
| Judgment | Observable replacement |
|---|---|
| “You always throw.” | “At 8:20, two different calls were made.” |
| “Nobody listens.” | “The acknowledgement was missing after the call.” |
| “They cheated.” | “The roster name did not match the registration record.” |
An observation can be checked against a recording, score sheet, or witness. A judgment may describe frustration, but it does not tell a team what to fix.
Process: Choose the Right Route
Two teammates disagree about a late decision. A player posts a targeted insult. A roster appears incorrect. These are not all solved the same way. For each, decide whether the first route is a private review, an adult/school escalation, or an official event report. Explain the evidence needed.
Practice: Build a Repair Script
Use four steps: name the moment; hear each account; agree on one next behavior; check it later. Write a two-sentence script for the late-decision disagreement. No accusations. No diagnosis of someone’s personality.
Apply: Create a Team Repair Plan
Add a repair section to your classroom event system:
- A team member names a specific moment and evidence.
- The group reviews it after the immediate activity.
- The team chooses one behavior to test next time.
- Safety, harassment, or eligibility concerns go to the named adult or official.
Correct: Stress-Test the Boundary
Another group gives you a scenario. If your plan says “talk it out” for harassment or a serious eligibility concern, revise it. Peer mediation is not a replacement for an adult responsibility.
Prove: Exit Evidence
Submit the repair plan plus one sentence explaining the difference between an observation and an accusation.