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When reading about conflict resolution and not having very much personal familiarity with the term, I was intrigued to find out more. A basic definition of conflict resolution would be that it is a way for two or more people to come together and work towards an agreement. Conflict resolution can occur in multiple settings not just in the school setting. It is a key element to have when working with a group of others in a team setting.

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Conflict can derive from a lot of different areas. Humans are very complex and with all of the emotions and demands of everyday life that there can be sources of frustration that come into situations that have nothing to do with the topic. There can be miscommunication, noise in the environment or gestures made that can misguide our perception of what was said within the conversation. When there are outside distractions or miscommunications that are brought in conflict can easily be formed.

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Linear view is a one-way communication process. A two-way communication process is an interactional view. Lastly, transactional view is the process in which the communicators are independent. See (or click on) the photo below:

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Interpersonal skills play an extremely big part in communication. Communication is a really unique part of our everyday lives and many of us don't realize some of the ways that we are communicating that affect our everyday lives positively or even negatively. With this in mind, we can look at some of the key points of communication and how important they are. The three different views of communication, linear, interactional and transactional, are the first stepping stone in depicting our communications skills. After we have identified which view of communication is being used we can take our knowledge to look at the communication a little bit deeper. Interpersonal skills are essential in communication because of how broad communication is. When we are communicating with others, or not communicating, we are communicating. A bit of a tongue twister I'd say! Whether we are trying to communicate or not we are always communicating. Our body language, the looks our eyes, eyebrows and mouths make on our faces and our hand gestures are all ways that we communicate without even realizing we are. Communication is unavoidable as well as irreversible. When we say something to someone or make a look on our face and another person either hears or sees us those actions are irreversible. We are then unable to take the way that we have just communicated with someone back. It is important to be cautious of our comments and actions because if we aren't, there can be negative repercussions. Another key point in interpersonal skills is that all of our conversations and every time we communicate the topics are being processed in two different ways. The first, is the information and what the topic is about. Second, is how the people communicating feel about each other. Altogether, it is easy to see how many different aspects go into communication and how our interpersonal skills are important to be aware of when we are communicating.

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Cultural differences are something that is very important for teachers, administrators and students to be aware of. In this day and age there is more diversity in the classroom than there ever has been. Different cultures bring in a diverse set of beliefs, values, norms, and social practices and can have a significant effect on how a teacher may need to communicate with a student and their family. As a teacher, being aware of the students' cultural beliefs can make an impact on how they respond when being spoken to. If the student's beliefs are disrespected it could be a make or break moment with the student and their education in the classroom. I had a professor who recently told me about an experience she had when she was teaching in a high school. The student was being disrespectful in the class and continued to do so after multiple warnings. She then took the student out into the hallway to discipline him and while she was talking to him he had his head down looking at the floor. Because of her lack of knowledge in his cultural beliefs she was unaware that in his culture he was being respectful by looking down. She continued to get more frustrated with the student and expressed her frustration with the student. After this interaction she said that the rest of the school year she had completely lost the student. She was unable to connect with the student from then on because she did not realize that he was being respectful in his culture, but she thought that he was acting more disrespectful. Having a knowledge of not only different cultures but also knowledge of the students' cultural beliefs and your own beliefs are key components.

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When educators realize that there may be some sort of road block in their teaching style and their students learning style they are then able to use that opportunity to act on the situation at hand and look at everything a little deeper. Where is the student weaker? Where is the student stronger? How can I help them grow?

-Communication Skills
-Street Smarts
-Critical Thinking
-Problem Solving
-Questioning Skills
-LIFE SKILLS
-Positive Attitudes

Below is a photo of a poster that I made that represents information about UDL and teaching different students in the ways that they learn best. I started with asking the question, "What is the problem?". If teachers ask that question and look at all of the different aspects of their students learning they can then move onto the next step. "What are the challenges, opportunities, and outcomes?" was the second question that I asked. Looking deeper into the students learning capabilities and focusing on the students strengths rather than their weaknesses is something that needs to be a priority of the teacher. But also, looking at the students weaknesses and seeing how we can strengthen those weaknesses a little more. Then, I asked "How can we get there?" When teachers give their students all of the resources, tools and all the bells and whistles to get as much out of their education as they possibly can, that is when students grow. Lastly, I put "Plan of Action!" Once we have looked at what the problem is, looked at what challenges, opportunities, and outcomes are present, and make a plan on how we can combat the obstacle at hand we can then make a plan of action. With this, we are able to help guide students encouraging them to want to learn.

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What is a model for conflict resolution?

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What is a model for conflict resolution?

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A model for conflict resolution is how one will approach a situation of conflict. We vary in our personality types and what our personal history is it is likely that we will act on conflict in various styles. In the chart below we can see that collaborating is high in assertiveness and cooperation and that avoidance is low in assertiveness and low in cooperation. These particular styles are the general conflict management approach. When educators and team members are aware of their conflict management approach this can help them to pay attention to whether or not they are working for them. If not, they can then search for other options.

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When implementing new skills to a team it is important to have all of the team members on board. When everyone is "all in" this can make the entire process more enjoyable for the entire team. Effective communication skills within the team can make the atmosphere more comforting for the team members to explain their ideas and express their feelings on certain topics. Open communication helps to bring trust between the team members and can lead to support and respect. Each of the team members should have knowledge of what their role on the team is and then will be able to take their individual responsibility and act on it. With effective communication between the team members this will also help when working on constructive feedback about group ideas and being able to receive that information as well.

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How do we apply conflict resolution to teams?

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How do we apply conflict resolution to teams?

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Conflict is inevitable to happen when working on a team or in a group with others. Being able to work through that conflict can help the team not only grow through the process but also gain more trust in each other. The first step in resolving conflict is acknowledging it. Bring the issue to the table and make it known. Discuss it with the team members and agree to communicate with each other through the process. Next, it is important to be understanding. Everyone will have their own opinion and could end up feeling attacked if there are others that don't agree. Getting all of the information out in the open and letting the team members analyze and convene will help lead them to an agreement. Reaching an agreement is crucial. Odds are that there will be compromise however it is important for the team members to come to a decision or plan of action. Lastly, it is important to prevent conflict. When conflicts come up it is important to deal with them as soon as possible rather than waiting and letting them fester. Preventing conflict is an art however, keeping an open, positive line of communication between the team members can help keep the conflicts in check.

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How does IDEA address conflict resolution activities?

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How does IDEA address conflict resolution activities?

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The Individuals with Disabilities Act requires that mediation must be offered to parents that have conflicts with the school. Mediation is is an informal approach, and less expensive than a due process hearing, that is focused on finding clear communication between the students, parents, teachers and administrators. Mediation requires preparation, orientation, each side demonstrates their viewpoint, delve into needs and interests, look into strategies, reach an agreement and schedule a follow-up meeting.

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Friend, M. P., & Cook, L. (2017). Interactions: collaboration skills for school professionals. Boston: Person Education.

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Henrickson, T. (2018, February 19). Conflict Resolution in the Collaboration Process [Personal interview].

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Idaho., Division of Student Achievement and School Accountability. (2016). Idaho Special Education Manual. Boise, ID: Idaho State Dept. of Education, Division of Student Achievement and School Accountability.

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After reading about my results from the conflict management style survey I wasn't particularly shocked. I have been aware for quite some time that I tend to be more of an avoider/reactive when it comes to conflict. I have always been more of a people pleaser and never liked conflict, so when it comes to the surface I am often more in the background listening or not doing anything. What is difficult for me is that I am aware of this quality and I have been in multiple situations where I should have stood up and taken a side or helped resolve the conflict. I tend to get frustrated with others when there are issues going on and others won't put in the effort to resolve the problems or take control of their lives. I have a very outgoing personality but tend to be shy when in a new crowd of people, so over time I get more and more comfortable with those around me and more confident. After getting to know my co-workers or team mates I think that because I know them better and have their trust that is when I feel more comfortable coming forward and confronting conflicts. I think that although this quality has its drawbacks, it can also be very strong.

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When I spoke with retired special educator, Tim Henrickson, I asked him about the challenges he faced. He explained to me that one of the biggest challenges for him was the tremendous variance in the students' abilities. He taught in a classroom with 24 students all of which had a disability of some sort and were on IEPs. The students, he said, were so diverse in their learning ability that it made it very difficult to work with the students and make significant improvements. Being patient is something that Tim Henrickson stressed to me. He said that in the classroom another challenge was conflict between the students. It is crucial to pay attention to the student's personalities, learning styles and the trouble makers. Being able to differentiate the students will help in the way that the classroom is set up and help keep certain students away from each other. When conflicts would arise, Mr. Henrickson said that the best way to work out an issue between the students at the core of the issue would be to uncover the problem through discussion in a semi-private environment. Being able to keep the students busy was another key point that Mr. Henrickson stressed to me. Keeping the students busy can help combat distractions and goofing around that could otherwise arise.

I asked Tim Henrickson if he had experienced any issues with co-workers, administrators or parents and he said that none of the issues he experienced were anything major. He explained to me that for him he is one that often over prepares because he would rather have too much rather than not enough. This helped him combat quite a few issues when working with general educators, parents and administrators. When in IEP meetings those that worked for the state loved him because he came so prepared with information on each student.