What should a teacher do first to address increasing verbal arguments between students?

Meeting with the students to discuss the arguments allows the teacher to directly engage with the underlying issues causing the conflict. This approach encourages open communication, allowing each student to express their thoughts and feelings about the disagreements. By facilitating a conversation, the teacher can guide students toward understanding each other's perspectives and emotions, which helps in resolving the conflict in a constructive way.

Additionally, this method fosters a sense of responsibility in the students for their actions and promotes social-emotional learning. It can also prevent future conflicts by addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms. This proactive strategy emphasizes resolution and understanding, rather than simply managing behavior reactively.