Finding Your Way Through Conflict: Strategies for Early Childhood Educators

by Chris Amirault, Christine Snyder

Overview

Learn how to engage in and resolve conflict productively to improve work relationships and create a more equitable community for children.

Conflicts are inevitable, often hard to navigate, and can quickly multiply and become unmanageable. And resolving conflict requires self-reflection, understanding, and vulnerability. But knowing how to tackle difficult conversations will strengthen relationships, create a more equitable community, and improve the impact educators have on the young children they work with.
 
The first of its kind, Finding Your Way Through Conflict specifically focuses on conflict in early childhood education settings and gives concrete steps and strategies to help manage and resolve it productively.
 
Authors Chris Amirault, Ph.D., and Christine M. Snyder, M.A., have decades of experience in early childhood education programs and conflict resolution. Built on their expertise and their own experiences, the book’s conflict scenarios are engaging and authentic, empowering educators to get in and out of conflict in a variety of personal, organization, and cultural contexts.
 
Some of these scenarios include:

• The Discombobulated Team: The children’s artwork you posted in the classroom yesterday is gone. Who took it down—and why?
• The Intent/Impact Disagreement: You were only trying to help! So why is that parent offended?
• The Unexpected Disaster: Your team planned every aspect of that difficult parent meeting for days. So why was it such a catastrophe?

A free PLC/Book Study Guide is available at freespirit.com/plc.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631984945
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	10/07/2020
Series:	Free Spirit Professional®
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	7.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 9 Years

About the Author

Christine M. Snyder, M.A., has worked in the early childhood education field since 1999 as a teacher, center director, author, and trainer/coach. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education and a bachelor’s degree in child development.

She is currently director of the University of Michigan Health System Children’s Center and assistant professor in the college of education at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. Previously, she was an early childhood specialist at the HighScope Educational Research Foundation in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where she focused on developing professional learning for teachers and curriculum for preschoolers and infants/toddlers.

She facilitates training throughout the United States, internationally, and online, and has published several books, articles, training DVDs, and other classroom resources for teachers.

She lives in Michigan.

Table of Contents

Foreword Ann McLain Terrell ix

Introduction Approaching Conflict 1

Conflict in Early Childhood Education 2

The Six Core Principles of Working Through Conflict 3

How This Book Is Organized 5

How to Use This Book 5

Chapter 1 Defining Conflict 7

Five Conflict Scenarios 8

Defining Conflict 9

You in Conflict 13

Returning to the Rive Conflict Scenarios 19

Chapter 2 From Reaction to Response 25

Chris and Christine Share Their Conflicts 26

Reflection Questions 27

From Reaction to Response 31

Chris and Christina Respond to Their Conflicts 34

Your Turn 36

Chapter 3 Conflict Is Sticky 37

Learning from Stickiness 37

Mindfulness When You're Stuck 39

The Neurology and Psychology of Stickiness 46

Practicing with Stickiness 52

Remember: Accept Imperfection 57

Chapter 4 Practice Makes Imperfect 59

Every Difficult Conversation Is a Three-In-One 59

Why Robin and Pat? 61

Robin's Case Study 62

Pat's Case Study 65

Learning from Robin and Pat 69

Chapter 5 Starting with Yourself 75

Helpful Reminders as You Prepare to Prepare 75

The Four Personal Preparation Tasks 89

Chapter 6 Building and Rebuilding Trust 95

Trust = Empathy + Logic + Authenticity 95

Collaboration, Behavior Change, and Ambivalence 97

Collaboration 1: Figure Out Logistics 99

Collaboration 2: Plan for Plenty of Time 105

Collaboration 3: Clarify Shared Expectations 107

Collaboration 4: Establish a Safe and Neutral Ground 113

Do Not Skip These Steps! 116

Chapter 7 The Big Conversation 117

You're Ready 117

There's No Such Thing as "Ready" 118

The Big Conversation Is Really, Really Big 119

The Opportunity of Leadership 120

Conversation Step 1: Start with What Happened 122

Conversation Step 2: Loop Your Way Through the Conflict 125

Conversation Step 3: Relate Alternative Perspectives 129

Conversation Step 4: Consider Contributions (and Avoid Blame) 130

Continuing the Big Conversation 132

Chapter 8 We Never Stop Learning About Conflict 135

The Tools in Your New Tool Kit 137

Choosing the Right Approach 137

Developing a Provisional Response 138

You've Got This! 143

Acknowledgments 145

References 149

Index 151

About the Authors 157

Editorial Reviews

Finding Your Way Through Conflict is a timely and valuable manual in an era when conflict, often unrecognized, let alone openly acknowledged, divides us personally and politically, as well as professionally. The book offers readers the work and life skills we all need now. Once learned, and continually relearned, we can pass them on to the next generation.

Ann S. Epstein

Brimming with practical advice and useful insights, this book will not only change how you approach relationships with coworkers, parents, and children, it’ll transform how you approach your life.

Amy Gallo

Far from a one-size-fits-all presentation of magic solutions, this book offers strategies and research that will guide the reader in developing skills for reflection, learning, and improvement. In the words of Chris and Christine, ‘If you do not learn these skills, conflict will erase and silence the very people you seek to serve.’ If you work to serve children and families, you’ll want to read this book.

Vincent J. Costanza

For those in search of critical dialogues and healthy resolutions for countless conflicts teachers face at work, this book offers invaluable insights and innovative perspectives.

Kyong-Ah Kwon

A must-read and study guide for those interested in exemplary early childhood care and education. Walk into the fear, break the organizational silence, stay curious and courageous, and do this work!

Cynthia D. Jackson

Finding Your Way Through Conflict is a timely and timeless book for early childhood educators seeking to improve the early childhood experience for all children and adults. Conflict is a way of life and living, and we must go through it to become better human beings . .  . Effectively embracing and addressing conflicts will strengthen relationships adults have with each other and with children. We must check our power, privilege, and biases at the door when resolving conflicts to ensure healthy and affirming relationships.

Iheoma U. Iruka