"Den som man har en relation med, den bråkar man inte med" : en kvalitativ studie om idrott- och hälsalärares syn på konflikter och konflikthantering

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to investigate physical education teachers’ views on conflicts and conflict resolution work in elementary school. The focus is on conflicts between teachers and student. How do teachers experience conflicts between themselves and students? Are any prevention strategies used? If so, how? Do teachers use any strategies in particular for conflict resolutions? If so, which ones?  Are any follow-ups used when conflicts have occurred? If so, how? Qualitative and semi-structured interviews were used to answer the aim and research questions for this study. The sample was conducted in two ways: through a strategic convenient sample and a bound random sample. Six physical education teachers in the Stockholm region were interviewed. The result analysis was conducted through a thematical analysis, and the results have as well been correlated to Cohen’s conflict pyramid. The interviewed teachers experienced a rare number of conflicts with students. The majority of the teachers used methods to prevent the occurrence of conflicts. The most commonly used procedures were collaboration amongst colleagues and efficient leadership. Plenty of strategies for conflict resolution were used by the teachers, where communication, mediation and relationship creation were the most occurring. Conflict follow-ups were rarely utilized by the teachers. However, when used, it was through individual conversations with the student, the care-taker or through collegial follow-ups. The study shows that the teachers’ views on conflict are partly divided, where the negative interpretation dominated. In spite of the negative view, the greater part of the teachers perceived their conflict strategies as constructive. The teachers’ views on conflict resolution methods, corresponds well with the order of precedence of the levels in Cohen’s conflict pyramid.