Non-violent communication

REAL School
3 days ago
2 min read

11 December 2025

This project invited students to look closely at conflict. It is driven by the question

How can we turn problems into possibilities?

Through stories, games, movement, and art, children explored Non-violent Communication (NVC) as a way to notice feelings and needs, listen more deeply, and navigate disagreements with empathy and clarity.

Real people

The students worked with several educators and guests, including:

The school counsellor helped students notice how conflict, emotions, and communication patterns show up in daily school life, and how NVC tools can support safer, kinder interactions.
Representatives from Hősök Tere led a bullying-prevention workshop focused on recognising harmful behaviours and learning how to stand up for themselves and others.
Jennifer, a visiting educator, supported the exploration of conflict and body language. With her, students experimented with clay and movement to show how emotions can be expressed and recognised.
Noah, who joined an excursion to Óbuda Island. Together, they debated the construction of a bike path and practised seeing an issue from different perspectives.
Mateja, during PE excursions, helped students notice how conflict shows up in sports and games and how NVC tools can help resolve it.
Fellow students and their parents: As their understanding deepened, the children stepped into a teaching role. They trialled their Non-violent Communication workshop with other student groups to gather feedback, led sessions for parents during their Expo, and continued offering workshops afterwards to share these tools with other students. In doing so, they practised using NVC not only for themselves, but in the service of their wider community.

Real places

Regular time in real places gave context and urgency to the questions around conflict, voice, and care.

Over the term, students:

Visited Óbuda Island, where they debated whether a new bike path should be built and took part in a role-play about what should happen to the Dog Beach area.
Went on an excursion to Margit Island, where they applied NVC tools to talk through disagreements that emerged.
Spent time in Pünkösdfürdő Park, playing sports and exploring how conflict can arise in games, and how NVC can support fair play and repair.

Real products

The project culminated in an Expo on Non-violent Communication, where students moved from theory to practice by teaching others what they had learned. They created a range of products, including:

Role plays and student-led workshops that are designed to teach peers and younger students about conflict and resolution using NVC tools.
Scripts that they drafted and refined, showing both the “messy” version of a conflict and a second version where characters paused, named their feelings and needs, and searched for solutions.
Clay sculptures capturing emotional expression through posture and gesture, helping children tune into how bodies communicate before words.
A Non-violent Communication booklet, written and illustrated by the students, to teach others about NVC and offer simple prompts and practices that families, classmates, and educators can use in everyday conflicts.