By Abe Mathew, Principal
When students with social and behavioral disabilities have a conflict, it can quickly escalate to a physical encounter. But at Westbridge Academy, all the supports are in place to make every moment – even conflict – a moment of teaching and realization.
Jose and Marco, were ready for a fight when their teacher, Sofia, intervened and verbally de-escalated the conflict. She guided Marco out of the classroom and into an office with verbal strategies. I worked with Jose, guiding him into my office with supporting words. With help from adults trained in conflict resolution, both boys were able to reframe their mindset. Their behaviors settled.
The next step was to bring them together to ensure there was resolution. Jose and I have a long-standing good rapport. During our conversation, I recalled prior moments he spent with me in my office. Then, this happened: Jose looked me in the eye and said to me, “I remember what you told me to do…you’re right, Mr. Abe.”
In that moment, Jose realized his role in the conflict. He apologized to Marco on his own accord and Marco willingly accepted the gesture. Both students were then able to identify the real issues and resolve their conflict, deepening their relationship and exercising the skills they have learned at Westbridge.
We are a small learning community, and we know our students well. We are at our best when we see these teachable moments. This moment captures what we do here at WBA each and every day. We find resilience in the response and engagement of our students. When we see moments like this, our students are showing us that we are doing it right!
