The majority of responses used by teachers in the
playground were contending strategies (40%), including verbal
abuse and physical involvement. Withdrawal (inaction, referring to
other teacher, ignore and send away) was less frequently used
(12%). Teachers occasionally responded to students’ conflicts
emotionally (anger and frustration, 9%). Although problem solving
was recognized by teachers as an important classroom routine it
was the least common approach (8%) for conflict management
contexts. This is very similar to the findings of Smith, Inder and
Ratcliff (1995). It is noted that not one teacher used smoothing or
compromising.