Running head: Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Conflict Resolution
Project #4

Christian Alberto Ledesma

University of Minnesota

OLPD 5396: Field Experience in PK-12 Administration

April 1, 2017
Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Part A: Meeting with Principal

Student-Teacher Conflict: I met with my mentor principal on Wednesday October 12,

2016 to discuss a conflict between a student and a teacher that had been brought to my attention.

During this meeting, we discussed how to approach the situation and how to best help resolve the

conflict.

Dean-Social Worker Conflict: I met with my mentor principal on Wednesday, March 8,

2017 to discuss a conflict between a Dean and Social Worker. During this meeting we discussed

steps that had already been taken to resolve the conflict and necessary next steps.

Part B: Summary

Student-Teacher Conflict

On October 10th an 11th grade student, who will be identified in this

paper as DS, approached me a few weeks into the school year to discuss an

issue she had with a social studies teacher, identified here as UJ. The student

expressed that earlier in the day, during social studies, Ms. UJ had yelled at

her for caling out and been mean to her. The student had stormed out of the

classroom as a result. She further went on to state that the teacher was not

great at instruction.

After a discussion with my mentor principal, I led a conversation

between the teacher and the student. I was told to not call it a mediation

because that occurs between equals and students and teachers are not

equals. The teacher agreed to meet with me and the student during her

prep. We began the meeting by setting norms: listen to understand, be

Conflict Analysis and Resolution

respectful of others ideas, and be comfortable with non-closure. Once

agreed upon, I had the student speak first. She explained the situation from

her angle. When the teacher tried to insert her point of view I asked her

politely to wait her turn. When the student was done, the teacher spoke

about what happened from her perspective.

It was clear during the conversation that the class had been struggling

with calling out and that by the time the student had spoken, it was the third

or fourth time the teacher had given reminders to students in a matter of a

few minutes. The teacher agreed she had overreacted in the moment and

that may have come off as rude. She apologized to the student and the

student accepter teh apology. Afterwards, I asked the student if she would

also like to address the issue of pedagogy. I asked Ms. UJ if she would be

willing to engage in that conversation and she agreed.

The student explained to the teacher that she often found herself

bored by the style of teaching she was using: it felt as if daily they read

articles, marked the text, and then had small group conversations on the

notes they took. The teacher listened to the feedback and asked questions of

the students on how to make it better. The student expressed that perhaps

varying the method of instruction would help reach more learners. The

teacher explained why she was making certain choices around how to

present information and promised that there would be more variety in the

coming days and weeks. Both sides agreed that the conversation was

helpful and shook hands to end the conversation.

Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Dean-Social Worker conflict

On Monday, March 6, 2017 a Dean came to the Principals office to

discuss a situation involving a student and a Social Worker in which he

believed the Social Worker was being unfair and not listening to the student.

According to the Dean, the Social Worker was dismissive of the student and

was often that way with some students. The principal listened and said he

would look into the matter. Later in the day, the principal called down the

Social Worker to discuss the situation with her. She claimed that she believes

the Dean doesnt like her and was trying to get her in trouble.

After another conversation with each adult individually, the principal

told them that in order for us to best work as a team, the Dean and Social

Worker would have to work together and come to a common agreement on

how to move forward. The Dean and Social Worker agreed to meet. During

the meeting the principal stated the facts of the incident involving the

student and then explained that each adult had come forth with a concern

about the other. He let each one speak, one at a time, and then let the other

respond. It was clear that the concerns had been going on for some time.

While it seemed that the concerns could not be resolved in one conversation,

it was agreed to that for the good of the school, they would work together to

build trust via open communication and via mediative conversations with the

principal.
Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Part C: Personal Reflection

Both conversations were instrumental in my learning this year as an administrator. The

skills necessary to manage both were similar except for the power dynamics in the student-

teacher conflict. However, wanting to increase student-advocacy skills requires that we create

spaces where students can advocate for themselves. Setting norms and following a protocol that

allows one voice at a time allows students and staff to learn how to best approach similar

situations in the future.

The adult conflict left a feeling that there is still work to be done to increase trust between

the two staff members. While it was agreed that both staffers would continue working together

for the best of the school, I left the room feeling like this might bubble up again in the future

through another conflict. Even though both agreed to improve communication and use

administration to mediate if something comes up, the reality is that in the moment, adults may

not be thinking proactively.

Part D: Debrief with Mentor

I met with my mentor principal to debrief about the Student-Teacher conversation on

Wednesday, October 19, 2016.

I met with my mentor principal to debrief about the Dean-Social Worker conversation on

March 21, 2017.

Part E: Final Reflection

After discussion with my principal mentor, it was agreed that the Student-Teacher

conversation would need to be monitored just in case it developed into a pattern. Over the

following weeks and months I talked with the student and teacher to see if anything further
Conflict Analysis and Resolution

developed. Both agreed that the conflict had been resolved and no new issues came up. The

student did develop a trusting relationship with me and came to talk to me about study habits she

was struggling with in school. It seems my facilitating of the conversation allowed her to build a

relationship of trust with an adult at the school.

My principal mentor mentioned that we would also need to continue monitoring the

Dean-Social Worker conflict as adult conflicts have a tendency to circle back around in other

situations and, depending on the urgency, sometimes the proactive agreements are not followed.

So far no other conflicts have arisen and the two staffers have been respectfully professional.