CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS)
(1) Conceptualization: Conflict may be defined as Struggles or
contests between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values or goals. Conflict
in schools is inevitable, however, the results of conflicts are not
predetermined but conflict might escalate and lead to nonproductive results,
or conflict can be beneficially resolved and lead to the quality final product. Conflict
is a fact and it is common. Getting into conflict is easy but getting out is
something else.
(2) Group
of Conflict. There
are two major groups of conflicts, which are: Functional conflict and
Definitional conflict. These two groups of conflicts led to the
following variety groups: 1. intrapersonal
conflict, 2. interpersonal conflict, 3. intragroup conflict, 4. intergroup conflict, and 5. Individual-institution conflict.
(3) Types
of conflict in schools. There
are mainly five types of conflict in schools: 1. Relationship (negative emotion) conflict, 2. Data (lack of information) conflict, 3. Interest conflict, 4. Structural
conflict and 5. Value conflict (bad/right/wrong/just/in
just).
(4) Scale
of conflict in schools. Conflicts
that occur in schools are into the following scopes: 1. Small scale causes and 2. Large scale causes (e.g: religion
matter, language duff (tribe), region conflict, resources, race/ethnicity/xenophobia,
political reason or struggle for power).
(5) Dealing
with conflicts in schools. This
is the key managerial action on how to deal with conflict: 1. intentionally build
relationship with all subordinate; 2. get regular written status
reports that describe accomplishment, current issues, and plans for upcoming
periods or events; 3. conduct basic training about interpersonal communication and
conflict management and delegations; 4. Develop procedures for routine,
tasks and include the employees’ inputs; 5. regularly hold most meetings with
all employees; 6. consider an anonymous suggestion box in which employees can
provide suggestions.
(6) Causes
of conflict in schools: Low
payment, Communication, Personal clashes, Stress and tension, Lack of strong
leadership, Competition for limited resources/opportunities, Lack of clearly
defined area of responsibility, Personality differences, Breach of faith, trust
and confidence; Ego problems – Ego wants to be right and moves us into defending
our position, Insufficient resources, Nature of the authority (dictatorship of
the management, improper use of the given resources), Poor cooperation at work
(different strategies at work between two persons or some individual may feel
better than others), and finally is biasness/favoritism from the institutional
leader.
(7) Stages
of conflicts in schools: 1. Pre-conflict (before):
Views become fixed and custom start to
happen; the groups are divided. 2. Confrontation: Threats are made
but not carried out. 3. Crises: Peat of conflict with
open hostility or violence; communication breakdown; violence and hostility are
taken into practice. 4. Outcome: One part wins the other
part; violence cease; All parts get exhausted. 5. Host conflict: The
end of violence/confront; May not lead to the true changes but new justice.
6. Communication
channels opened: Both sides agree to find solution; outside may be
invited like arbitration (legal board
like Commission for Mediation and Arbitration (CMA)) or moderator (person). Note: Moderators are Neutral while Arbitrations
are Law oriented. 7 Mutual Understanding: People come
to understand views of others and respect them; possible solutions are found. 8. Agreement:
All sides agree from one another and accept views of each other; there
might be a written and signed agreement.
(8) Symptoms
to Understand conflict. Sometimes
these are known as keyway used to understand conflicts, which are: 1. Summary
description: i.e. making analysis of what the conflict is about;
involve looking at the characteristics and details of the conflict. 2. Conflict
History: What is the origin and major events of the conflict? Look at
the situation before and after the conflict. 3. Study the conflict
context: i.e. the conflict from within, political or social
relationship or interest.
4. Look at conflict
parts: Conflict units, decisional units; look the status if are the
primary or secondary or third part. 5.
Explore the issue: What are
the facts (value interest). 6. Conflict dynamic: Precipitate
events; the rate of growth of the conflict; look forces behind of that
conflict. 7. The alternative root of
the conflict: Look other sources of the conflict.
(9) Strategies
for preventing conflict. Should
be done through: 1. Withdrawing/ignoring/being neutral: sometimes
this does not solve the conflict. 2.
Smoothly: Use mediator to
solve the misunderstanding between two parts; avoid expanding or acceleration
of the conflict. 3. Compromising: Find middle ground
of both parts then introduces an agreement. 4. Problem-solving started:
Look at the summary of the main issue of the conflict.
(10) Strategies
for solving conflict: 1. Mediator: Use the third parts which are neutral
to two parts. The mediator must be credible and believable to both sides. 2. Negotiation/reconciliation:
The process of bargaining or dialogue between two parts Note:
Bargaining involves the following process: (i). Win-win-negotiation (win all);
(ii). Win-lose (one win the other lose); and (iii). Lose-lose (all lose).
Mwl. Frank P. Karoli
0762 426 746
© 2020
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