Reflective Journal Entry #5

Description
In chapter 9, William Corsaro discusses many interesting topics related to children's friendships and social interactions. Corsaro describes the friendship process, social participation, and social differentiation. Differences in gender peer cultures and cultures is also addressed in this chapter. Race and ethnicity is explained with the discussion of clubs and hierarchies. Child autonomy, identity, and conflicts are all defined with examples. The most intriguing information to me in this chapter was the Verbal Disputes and Conflicts in Peer Relationships section. 
Analyze
Conflict can actually bring children together, establish social order, and develop social identities. Corsaro describes preadolescence children's role in conflict. African American children talk in a way to build up opposition. African American boys argue and insult each other in order to show their character. Conflicts rarely met a resolution and often spread into group debates. It was concluded in this Goodwin study that African American children enjoyed conflict and rarely sought adult support in teasing or insults, and did not make strict hierarchies. Unlike black males who participate in direct competitive disputes, African American females engage in gossip disputes in which the other party they are opposing is not present. This often leads to a "he-said-she-said"  scenario. This leads to a confrontation in which the party who was absent, then challenges and confronts the antagonist. Talking behind someones back is a serious offense in this peer culture. In the hopscotch example, the girls who were non jumpers teased the jumpers, and made fun of the jumpers and their mistakes. 
Reflection
This concept means to me that I need to understand when I may be having a misinterpretation in my students conflicts, and how to improve cross-cultural relations. My students are majority African American and I strive everyday to better understand their culture. When I read this section, nothing came as a shock to me. I absolutely see these behaviors daily and now I can say this is a research studied cultural phenomenon that I do not want to disrespect when trying to help with conflict. Concerning the context of my classroom, this concept allows me to think of opportunities to allow my students to be themselves in their ways of solving conflict. I often try to stop all of these he-said-she-said, and gossiping, and teasing behaviors. Understanding that this is their culture helps me to brainstorm ways to help them come to resolutions in a healthy way, without saying their way is "inappropriate".  Based on this learned information, I will let my students know that the way they solve conflict at school may be inappropriate. For example, teasing, gossiping, and trying to out insult each other may not result in resolutions at school, and since we have to continue to be a class for the rest of the year, we really need to brainstorm ways to find a solution. I will also encourage them to think about how this relates to them in the real world, such as having a job and working with people they may have conflicts with. Understanding it is a cultural thing makes me feel a little bit better in knowing that what I experience with my students is normal.  
References
Corsaro, W. A. (2011), The Sociology of childhood (4th ed.). London: SAGE Publication.