Applying Conflict Resolution Skills
In my previous year as a kindergarten teacher,
a conflict existed with a parent of a student of mine. The parent refused to agree
to allow for their child to receive extra assistance in the classroom. A meeting
resulted in the degradation of my character. The child struggled and although I
gave the help needed, it resulted in
other students not getting what they needed. With what I learned this week
about conflict resolution, there are some things I would have done differently.
Two strategies I would have used are using the creative response method where
in conversation I try to turn the problem into possibilities by seeing what can
be done about it instead of continuing on how bad the problem is. The second
strategy would be the honing of my negotiation skills. I would be hard on the
problem and not on the parent, focus on the need and not my position, emphasize
the common ground between parties involved, get inventive about options, and
make sound and clear agreements about what plan of action to take (Conflict
Resolution Network, n.d.). Using these strategies may have helped to diffuse
the argument before it began and definitely would have steered the parent away
from attacking me. As a professional can you offer any other sound advice for
how this situation could be handled?
Reference: Conflict Resolution
Network. (n.d.). CR kit. Retrieved on November 29, 2013 from http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12#skill_3
Lemora,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post on how to utilize conflict resolution. I'm sure it's hard to focus on the need/problem rather than your position/character. I think the strategies you mentioned would be great ones to try. The main goal is to diffuse the situation before it gets out of control. Thank you for sharing.