Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
This blog could not have had better timing! I recently have
been having disagreements with my administration because they do not understand
skills that are developmentally appropriate. I teach kindergarten, and neither
of my administrators has ever taught this grade and do not fully comprehend
that this age group takes a long time to grasp basic concepts and foundational
skills. For example, one of my administrators told me they didn’t understand
why my students had to learn about self-regulation, and even so, why it was
taking them so long to understand. These skills are essential to establish at a
young age because they pave the road for effective communication and expression
of thought. I have tried communicating this to them, but once they have their
mind set on something, it is hard for them to hear that they may be “wrong.” If
I were to approach them and discuss our disagreements, I think I would have to
use principles of NVC, particularly, coming to a mutual understanding. This
understanding would be founded on listening to both sides of the situation and
attempting to focus on “what we and others are observing separate from our
interpretations and judgments” (The Center for Nonviolent Communication, n.d.).
Therefore, while I attempt to understand the dissonance we have from our
diverse perspectives, they should also be able to do the same. I believe the
largest issue in this situation is that even if I were to implement NVC, they might
not, and I think it must be reciprocal for it to work effectively. Even if one
person is effectively communicating, the communication can be ineffective based
on the other person’s tactics, skills, and actions.
The second strategy I would try to implement to help resolve
the conflict would be applying the aspects of the 3 R’s (Cheshire, 2007). In a
conflict, both parties must be able to respect each other and respond
respectfully. “A positive relationship leads to healthy social and emotional development”
and this is important in a work environment (Cheshire, 2007, p. 38). Relationships
with administrators can be intimidating because of the diverse levels in the
professional world, however, building relationships between administrators and teachers
ensures a supportive, nurturing work environment. I will try to build a
stronger relationship with my administrators, and hope they can do the same
with me, so we can come to a mutual understanding and solve the conflicts more
effectively.
While I have my ideas for how the conflict can be fixed, I
believe it will be challenging unless both parties are on board. Do any of you
have any advice for how I can overcome these issues?
References
The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center
for nonviolent communication. Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/
Cheshire, N. (2007). The 3 R's: Gateway to Infant Toddler
Learning. Dimensions of Early Childhood.
Volume 35, No. 3.
Tara,
ReplyDeleteThe conflict you chose to share I think is a very real challenge many of us EC professional face regularly with administration and parents. So many want to see academic results and do not understand the building blocks for academic success is self-regulation and a focus social/emotional development. I think you are on the right track of strategies to utilize from our readings. Personally, I have been the most successful when I can back myself with concrete evidence of such practices. The challenge is getting them to respectfully and openly listen to the research you have to present. Good luck with this conflict Tara, from our experiences together in classes I know you have the passion and know how to get through this!
-Crystal
Tara, thank you for sharing! I think the conflict you chose to share happens often in the Early Childhood education field. It is very unfortunate that you are not getting the support of administration as that is crucial within the education field. I think the strategies you discussed is a great start to getting your administration to better understand your reasons as to why you taught that lesson. I do agree that unless both parties are on board and willing to listen to each point of view, it can be challenging to fix. Keep an open mind and trust your knowledge in this field!
ReplyDeleteBrianna
Tara,
ReplyDeleteConflict in the work place can be especially difficult, so thank you for sharing. However, this conflict is more common, in my experience, than not. It is common that the administration and the teachers have challenges seeing eye-to-eye because they may have different goals within their position. Though, it does sound like you understand that both parties need to be respectful if you ever want to reach a mutual solution. I would suggest continuing to show others what you are teach them, both the children and administrators. If you come to them, they may be more willing to listen.