Managing Conflicts in School to Maintain Healthy Learning Environment
Jeffrey Q. Polintan
School administrators and leaders need to realize what conflict management entails and need high conflict skills to be successful in their schools. Once conflict management recognizes and determines the essence of the conflict in a conflict situation, they strive to find solutions to settle the conflict.
Successful conflict management is at the core of building better and more inclusive learning environments for schools. Conflict happens when different perceptions or views are contrasting in nature. Conflict causes uncertainty and frustration due to the fear of the unknown; thus it is a depressing and exhausting situation for the parties concerned. Conflict prevents the smooth operation of the teaching and learning process, but when closely studied and handled, it leads to healthy coexistence between teachers and their school members.
Conflicts are possible in schools due to the selection of individuals with different personalities. Conflict can be disruptive as it leads to an unsuccessful lack of contact and work ties, stress, argument, the poor performance of team members, and aggression, which in turn impacts the smooth functioning of schools.
However, if disputes are properly dealt with, benefits can accrue; to lead to unity between opposing groups and to the reconciliation of legitimate interests where in turn, ties are strengthened; to better recognize problems and solutions; to improve knowledge/skills, and to safeguard peace.
The role of school leaders in dispute management and resolution is therefore essential to the effective and productive organization of school governance. Because disagreement is natural in every organization, management must cope with it rationally to build ways of optimizing its advantages and mitigating its dysfunctional implications.
Unmanaged disputes can lead to unproductive consequences in schools. Effective dispute mediation includes listening and offering ways to discuss the concerns of all parties and acceptably resolving their interests to achieve a win-win result for the parties involved. Specific procedures and processes should be in place to provide guidelines about how to handle disputes.
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The author is Teacher III at Felicidad Magday Elementary School