Conflict is a key part of storytelling, but it can be tricky for 10th graders to understand. Here are some common challenges they face:

1. Understanding Conflict:

   • Many students have a hard time recognizing different types of conflict.
   • There are two main types:
     • Internal conflict, which is when a character struggles with their own feelings (like character vs. self).
     • External conflict, which involves a character facing outside forces, like other people or nature (like character vs. society or character vs. another character).
   • This confusion can lead to stories that don’t feel deep or meaningful.

2. Character Development:

   • Conflict should help characters grow and change.
   • However, students sometimes find it hard to create characters that feel real and respond well to their challenges.
   • Instead of showing real growth, characters might seem boring or predictable, which can make the story dull.

3. Plot Complexity:

   • A good plot needs conflict to keep readers interested.
   • But, students might use overused situations that aren’t unique.
   • Many stories end up sounding the same, which can make readers lose interest.
   • Relying on common ideas like love triangles or the classic hero vs. villain storyline can make the tales feel tired and unexciting.

4. Exploring Themes:

   • Conflict can help show the main idea of a story, but students might struggle to link their conflicts to larger themes.
   • When this happens, the story can feel disconnected, and the themes may seem forced or shallow.

Solutions:

• Guided Workshops: Holding workshops where students look at conflicts in classic stories can help them understand better.
• Peer Review: Having students share their work with each other can give them new ideas about conflicts and how to solve them, making their stories richer.
• Character Journals: Asking students to keep journals for each character can help them understand what drives their characters and how they react to conflict.

In conclusion, while conflict is a key part of storytelling for 10th graders, it brings challenges that require special teaching strategies. These strategies can help turn difficulties into great stories!