Fighting Over Playground Space

In my last post, I wrote about a student who was not being fair to his best friend. Since talking with him, his best friend has told me that he has started to be more fair. I don't have anymore specific details beyond that. I do have another case that I want to talk about.

These two students were playing on a playground structure. One was standing on a triangular platform that raises as it spins counter clockwise or lowers as it spins clockwise on a vertical pole. The top of that pole is connected to another pole that is horizontal and arched above it. There is also another one of those arched poles about a foot behind that pole with the platform. One student is on the pole with the platform. Another student is hanging from the arched pole connected to the pole with the platform. The student hanging from the arched pole keeps gradually scaling from one side to the other. Eventually, the student is scaling her way into the student who is on the platform. The scaling student is flailing her legs and she's repeatedly hitting the student. The student on the platform is complaining. The scaling student rests her feet on the platform, which is only supposed to fit one child. So, the student who was originally standing on that platform stomps on her foot, jumps off the platform, and marches off.

I needed to talk to both of them since they both had pretty uncalled for behaviors. First, I talked to the scaling student. She was rolling her eyes at me and telling me that she doesn't care. So, I told her to step inside for 5 minutes and I'll talk to her when she is being more respectful. In that time, I decide to talk to the platform student instead.

Me: I saw what happened. (we recap the incident). Why'd you stomp on her foot?

PS: Because she kept hitting me and mocking me. And, I kept telling her that I was there first. She could've used the other pole. The other girl did.

Me: Did you tell her to?

PS: No.

Me: So, for the future, that's something that you could ask someone to do. You could say something like "I'm using this platform. Could you use the other pole please?"

PS: (nods)

Me: There's one other thing you could do. There were some bars that you could latch onto. You could temporarily hang on to those.

PS: But, I was there first.

Me: Ok well, you can do at least one of those things if this happens again, right?

PS: (nods)

Me: And, to be fair, scaling student could've asked you to move or use the other pole, but she didn't. Alright. Thanks PS.

Then, I talk to the scaling student.

Me: Alright. What happened with you and PS?

SS: I was moving on the bar and she wouldn't move.

Me: Did you ask her to?

SS: She didn't let the other girl go through.

Me: Did you ask her to move?

SS: No.

Me: Ok well, next time you should try that.

SS: (sulks) Ok....

Me: The other girl used the opposite pole. Couldn't you have done that to?

SS:  ...

Me: Couldn't you have?

SS: (sulks) Yea...

Me: Ok. So, if this ever happens again, what can you do?

SS: (mumbles) I can ask her to move or use the opposite bar. (sighs) Can I go now?

Me: Ok. Go ahead.

SS showed me a lot of attitude, but I thought I'd settle with the victory of at least knowing that she was listening to me when I was speaking to her.