Five Styles of Handling Children's Conflicts Educators for Social Responsibility .
Direction is a non-negotiating approach.
An adult authority decides what needs to be done and gives the direction that it be done. It's important to recognize that directing need not be unkind or authoritarian. Children can be told nicely, but clearly, what they need to do. The mediator helps the disputants define their problem, develop solutions, and choose a workable solution. Because the disputants are solving the problem themselves, they are invested in the solution.