Page 17 - Shared Solutions: A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special Education Needs 2007

Understanding Conflict
Cultural Awareness
It is important to remember that some behaviours are culturally based and that this can add to communication difficulties when a situation is emotionally charged.
Well-documented cultural differences exist in both verbal and non-verbal communication. Volume, tone of voice, response time, maintaining or avoiding eye contact, increasing or decreasing the physical space between speakers, and gesturing during oral communication may all be culturally influenced to some extent. In some cultures, increased volume signals heightened conflict, whereas in other cultures, changes in the amount of physical space between speakers may indicate rising tension.
Educators need to work with the communities they serve to understand the cultural bases of behaviours that are demonstrated by students and/or parents. However, it should be remembered that a wide range of behavioural patterns is found in every culture and that not every member of a particular cultural group will display all the behaviours typically attributed to that group.
(Source: Adapted from Ontario Ministry of Education, Many Roots, Many Voices: Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom, 2005.)
Recognizing Warning Signs
Some tension may be anticipated if a conversation or a meeting involves the sharing of unwelcome information – such as changes in the availability of serv- ices, or problems with behaviour management. There may be other, less obvious sources of conflict, however. Both educators and parents need to be alert for signs that not all parties are satisfied with how a student’s special education needs are being met.
Early recognition of such signs can help parents and educators take timely steps to defuse potentially contentious situations and make an extra effort to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone.
Warning signs may include:
a history of conflict between the student’s family and the educator or school, particularly if a conflict has escalated beyond the school in the past;
tension-filled phone, e-mail, or in-person communications and evidence of major differences between the perspectives of parents and educators;
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