Construindo pontes: gestão de conflitos e violências nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental em uma escola estadual de Juiz de Fora, MG

Abstract

School violence is a growing global concern, representing a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires an integrated and coordinated approach to be effectively addressed. This case study focused on the management of school violence in a public school in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, specifically within the Early Years of primary education. The aim was to understand the dynamics that generated conflicts during this developmental stage and to propose mediation and resolution strategies to reduce violence. The research question was: "How can the EECC/JF team organize itself to intervene effectively in conflict situations?" The general objective was to analyze the situations that led to violence and conflict in this school to propose mediation strategies to minimize such occurrences in everyday school life. A qualitative approach was adopted, using documentary research, bibliographic review, and two focus groups as methodological tools: the first with members of the management team (principal, viceprincipal, and pedagogical coordinator), and the second with teachers, staff, and members of the school community. The structure of the study is as follows: the introduction presents a general overview of school violence during the Early Years in this state school in Juiz de Fora. Topics discussed in this context include school violence, conflict, conflict mediation, bullying and cyberbullying, the roles of victims and aggressors, and school climate. The study seeks to understand the root causes of violence in the Early Years and propose practical mediation solutions for creating a safer and more empathetic school environment. Based on this, we proposed an Educational Action Plan (EAP) focused on creating a conflict mediation protocol to improve the management of school violence. The tool used to develop the EAP was Design Thinking (DT), which enabled a collaborative and human-centered approach. The plan included continuing education for teachers on mediation strategies, bullying and cyberbullying prevention, the implementation of dialogue circles to raise awareness within the school community, and the reorganization of school spaces to promote peaceful coexistence. Additionally, we suggested expanding pedagogical resources and strengthening practices of active listening and empathy.