RESOLVING CONFLICTS TACTFULLY
author is Principal
JOVITO H. SUPLITO
“There is no conflict that is not resolved by meeting halfway.”
While it is true that in the school that we must protect the child from abuse, violence exploitation, discrimination, bullying and other forms of abuse as stipulated in Department Order 40, series 2012 entitled, “DepEd Child Protection Policy” then we might as well protect our teachers as well as school heads from judgment, seclusion or omission through dialogue, heart-to-heart talk, one-on-one inside the office and not for public consumption.
Just like children and students, GROWNUPS need protection too. For children, a pedagogy which involves systematic process on how to learn or how to give inputs to them that is not applicable for adults should be employed. On the other hand, an andragogy which is adult learning through the process of series questions and answers until he or she will realize his/ her mistakes, the root cause and thereof suggest his or her own solutions because if you know the why, you will surely know the how should be used, too.
Never ever correct his or her mistakes in public because it is offensive, judicious or worse, shameful, which in effect creates revolt or the worst degree, rebellion and put you in a hot water of problem management. Needless to say, do such a thing, if you want to get respect from your subordinates as well as from the people, then, such demeanor is expected from you.
Meanwhile, why do an immediate superior and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) cannot protect an erring School Head ort the Principal of the school? Instead of pacifying the PTA, he or she is the one kindling the issue, worsening the conflict. Hence, this would even elevate to higher authorities and would result to further investigation.
Conflicts should be settled in the level of which it can be established. The more that you communicate, the more that you are able to minimize problems and bring about peace. Tactful way of speaking and conversing help a lot in resolving conflicts. Lastly, a heart-to-heart communication through dialogue clears any misunderstanding in any conflict.
-oOoThe
I at Arayat National High School, Arenas, Pampanga