3 Strategies to Manage Conflicts More Effectively

As special educators, we often find ourselves navigating challenging interactions. Whether with colleagues, parents, or administrators, conflict is bound to rear its ugly head at some point. In this episode, we explore 3 practical strategies to handle these situations constructively, fostering an environment of collaboration and respect.

Discussion:

1. Embrace Conflict as an Opportunity:
   • Understand conflict as a chance to improve systems and relationships.
   • Example of resolving scheduling conflicts by proposing alternative models.
2. Stay Solution-Oriented:
   • Approach conflicts with potential solutions, not just problems.
   • Discuss the importance of coming prepared to discussions with actionable ideas.
   • Example from a staff meeting about resource allocation, showing how a proactive approach can lead to productive changes.
3. Assume Positive Intent:
   • Start discussions with the belief that everyone is aiming for the best outcomes.
   • Highlight how this assumption can change the tone of interactions and lead to more understanding and less defensiveness.
   • Example involving a new policy implementation where assuming positive intent helped to clarify misunderstandings and fostered a more supportive dialogue.

Resource Mention:

• Conversation Skills - Tips for Courageous Conversations

• How to Have Hard Conversations

Remember that the way we handle conflicts can significantly impact our professional environment and the outcomes for our students. By using these 3 strategies, we are not only able to resolve issues more effectively but also build a stronger, more cohesive team dynamic.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:59

Welcome to today's episode of Special Education. For Beginners In the world of special education, managing conflicts effectively is not just a useful skill, it is a necessity. Anytime you put two or more humans together, especially ones who have as much passion in them as a special educator does, there's not just a possibility, but a high probability of conflict. It's just human nature. As a special education teacher, you might face disagreements with general education teachers, other special educators within your district, special education team members at your own school, paraprofessionals, parents, administrators or related service providers. Today, rather than shying away from these inevitable confrontations, we are going to explore three effective strategies for handling conflicts constructively. I'm going to share some real life examples to help you apply these strategies in your everyday interactions and to enhance your conversational skills and make having those tough conversations just a little less awkward. I have a resource for that, so let's get to it. Hey, special educator, are you overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to do list? Do you wish you had the overwhelmed by the absurd amount of paperwork on your to-do list? Do you wish you had the skills to build a rock solid team with your staff? Do you find yourself scouring the internet for how to meet the needs of each student on your caseload. Well, hey there, I'm Jennifer Hopperberg, an award-winning veteran special education teacher and current instructional coach, who has walked in your shoes through each of these challenges and, yes, I have the metaphorical blisters to prove it. I have cried your tears and felt your pain, and now I'm here to support you in the way I wish someone would have been there to support me. Listen in each week as my guests and I dish out practical wisdom to help you handle all the classroom curveballs that are thrown at you and learn how to laugh in spite of the chaos, to celebrate those small yet significant victories that only a special educator can understand. So are you ready? Wipe your tears and put on your superhero cape, because together we are going to learn how to survive and thrive in the ever crazy, completely overwhelming laugh. So you don't cry. Profession of being a special education teacher.

Speaker 1: 2:57

So, if conflict is a natural, inevitable part of life, I want to set you up with ways you can successfully deal with conflict in a way that doesn't break you down or take away your inner peace. Ronald Reagan once said peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. By embracing Reagan's philosophy, we can approach conflicts not as obstacles but as opportunities for dialogue, growth and improvement. So the first strategy I have is to embrace conflict as an opportunity. Now I can almost see the eye roll. You're giving me right now An opportunity. Really, is she kidding me? Yes, an opportunity, stick with me for a second. If there was no conflict in the world, that would mean we all have the same thoughts, we all had the same viewpoints, the same opinions, and that's not how the world works and, honestly, that would be pretty boring, because conflict is inevitable. I challenge you to not see it as a barrier, but rather as a chance to find creative solutions and deepen understanding between colleagues. Typically, there's never a right or a wrong answer, which makes each conflict a unique opportunity to explore various perspectives.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Take a special education department. At a middle school, a team was initially divided over the use of technology in the classroom. Some teachers were enthusiastic about introducing more tech-based learning tools, believing they could offer engaging, customizable educational experiences, while other teachers were concerned about over-reliance on an already overstimulated population, fearing it could lead to decreased face-to-face interaction and a loss of traditional learning Both valid points. The situation reached a critical point during a department meeting with tense exchanges. But when one team member suggested a pilot program instead of a full-scale implementation, everyone quickly agreed. This approach allowed both sides to test the effectiveness of the technology. The pro-tech educators could demonstrate the effectiveness and the skeptics could observe and evaluate the impact on student engagement and achievement without the risk of a complete overhaul.

Speaker 1: 5:05

The second strategy when dealing with conflict is to stay solution-oriented. This approach encourages everyone involved in a conflict to not just present problems but to actively think about solutions. It's about coming to the table prepared not with just concerns or complaints, but with possible ways forward. This mindset shift is crucial because it turns potential confrontations into collaborative discussions and it reduces the emotional charge of the situation, making it easier to focus on constructive outcomes. Imagine a situation where staff members are frustrated with the current scheduling system that seems to disproportionately burden some teachers more than others. A solution oriented approach would involve those affected coming to a meeting not only to express their frustrations, but also to propose several alternative scheduling models or adjustments that could alleviate the issue. This proactive approach not only demonstrates commitment to resolving the issue, but it sparks a more productive discussion on how to implement these changes. Moreover, this approach allows each participant to contribute their perspective, shedding light on angles or considerations that others might not have considered. For instance, some team members might highlight specific times or days where the burden feels particularly heavy, or suggest innovative ways to combine duties that others hadn't thought feasible. By sharing these insights, the group can collectively develop a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and craft more effective solutions that might not have emerged in a less collaborative setting.

Speaker 1: 6:38

Staying solution-oriented is about more than just solving problems. It's about fostering an environment where all voices are heard and valued and where every challenge is seen as an opportunity for growth and improvement. And this approach not only mitigates the stress typically associated with conflict, but it also enhances the team's overall effectiveness and morale. In doing so, it strengthens the collective ability to navigate future challenges with resilience and creativity. And the third strategy is to always assume positive intent. Assuming positive intent means approaching every discussion with the belief that everyone involved is aiming for the best possible outcomes for students and staff. By starting from a place of trust, we can diffuse defensive attitudes and foster a more open and honest exchange of ideas. When we assume positive intent, we give our colleagues the benefit of the doubt, which can significantly improve the dynamics of a conversation or of a team.

Speaker 1: 7:38

For example, a new administrator decides to implement a new schedule that significantly alters the start and end times of classes. This change also affects the timing of special education services, causing concern among the special education team. Initially, the team members feel frustrated and blindsided by the decision, worrying about how these changes will disrupt their established routines, which are critical for the success of their students, and they worry that the minutes on the IEPs won't be met. And those concerns are valid. But instead of reacting negatively or assuming the decision was made carelessly, the special education team decides to assume positive intent. They consider that the administrator, being new, might not understand all the delicate intricacies of a schedule. Or the administrator might have a broader view of the school's overall needs. They might have strategic reasons for this adjustment. Perhaps it's a part of a larger plan to improve general student flow and minimize crowded hallways, which could actually benefit students who are easily overwhelmed by busy environments. So the team requests a meeting with the administrator to discuss the new schedule. Going into this meeting with the assumption of positive intent, they express their concerns, but they also show openness to understanding the broader objectives that the administrator might have in mind and during the conversation. The administrator explains that the change was influenced by new research on optimal learning times and it was intended to align school operations with these insights to enhance student performance across the board. The administrator also shares that part of the motivation was to integrate special education students more smoothly into the general education environment, a goal that had not been clearly communicated initially. So with this new understanding, the special education team feels more respected and involved in the school's decision-making process. They work together with the administrator to tweak the schedule slightly to better accommodate the students' specific needs, ensuring that the new timings would also benefit the special education program without sacrificing the intended benefits of the wider school community.

Speaker 1: 9:46

Now I could give you even more strategies and a million different scenarios, but I want to focus on these three so that you can start taking action quickly and easily in your own school environment. It's important to not just hear about these methods but to actually put them into practice and see the positive changes they can bring to your daily interactions. But I also understand that starting these conversations can be very daunting. Many of us myself included, especially early in my career tend to shy away from conflict. We worry about stirring up trouble or disrupting the peace. Even when we know that addressing issues directly can lead to better outcomes for everyone involved, it's still a very difficult thing to do so.

Speaker 1: 10:28

At the beginning of this episode, I mentioned a resource designed to make initiating these conversations a little less intimidating, but I actually have two resources that I want to share with you. The first are 25 sentence starters to approach a conversation with confidence, and the other is a set of 21 tips for courageous conversations, and it is packed with practical advice on how to approach conversations with confidence, clarity and a focus on a resolution. These tips provide strategies for maintaining composure, ensuring mutual respect, fostering a constructive dialogue even when the topics are tough. So I will leave the link to both of those resources in the show notes. So, in closing, implementing the strategies we discussed today one, embrace conflict as an opportunity. Two, stay solution-oriented. And three, assume positive intent. Along with utilizing resources like the Courageous Conversation Sentence Starters and the 21 Tips to Handle Conflicts More Effectively, I truly believe the culture within your school can transform into one where open and honest communication is the norm, not the exception. So thanks for joining me today and I'll see you next week.