You're facing conflicting educational approaches within your team. How can you ensure a cohesive dynamic?
When educational approaches clash, fostering a unified team is key. To navigate this challenge:
How do you bridge the gap between varying educational methods in your team?
You're facing conflicting educational approaches within your team. How can you ensure a cohesive dynamic?
When educational approaches clash, fostering a unified team is key. To navigate this challenge:
How do you bridge the gap between varying educational methods in your team?
-
As already into conflicts as a leader I would take preventive measures like - Make sure everyone are aligned with the objectives of the initiative - Encourage them to have as many brainstorming before kick starting the works - Ensure equity on responsibilities and credits - foster Pause Empathise Analyse Collaborate Execute technique If a conflict arrives particularly with me as a leader I should be aware that - The responsibility is theirs and suggesting is the only provision I have - I might also be unsure and even wrong at times - Everyone have unique skills and approaches for it
-
There is robust richness in a gamut of educational perspectives - from Dewey’s learning by doing, to Freire’s push to remake the world, to Noddings’ emphasis on care, to Hirsch’s desire for all kids to have deep background knowledge - and beyond. There is something good in all of them. Whomever you back and whatever you espouse, if you and your team stay open to the greatness embedded in every approach, your school can only benefit. Discuss what pieces of the new, divergent perspective can work with what you’re already doing, and find the common ground. What is more - your team, your families and young people will see healthy ways to integrate diverse ideas.
-
John Kotter's Change Model is an eight-step process designed to help organisations implement change effectively. The first steps involve creating a sense of urgency and forming a powerful guiding coalition. The subsequent stages of Kotter's model focus on developing and communicating a clear vision and strategy for change. This involves envisioning future states, articulating how the change will benefit the organisation, and ensuring that all stakeholders understand their roles. The final steps of Kotter's model involve empowering broad-based action, generating short-term wins, consolidating gains. Short-term wins provide motivation and demonstrate the benefits of change, while consolidating gains ensures that improvements are sustained.
-
Start by fostering open communication. Organize a discussion where team members can share their perspectives and explain the rationale behind their methods. Identify common goals and align approaches to prioritize student outcomes. Encourage collaboration by integrating complementary elements from different strategies to create a unified framework. Lead with empathy and focus on mutual respect, ensuring everyone feels heard and valued. By promoting shared understanding and flexibility, you can build a cohesive team dynamic while maintaining educational effectiveness.
-
When conflicts arise, it is crucial to address the issue promptly and with an open mind. Ignoring conflicts can lead to further misunderstandings and inefficiency. First, it is important to identify the source of the conflict. Once the cause is clear, consider the most suitable time and place to discuss the issue with the team. Creating a positive and constructive platform for team members to express their viewpoints is essential. As a leader, you should set a good example by actively listening to all parties involved, facilitating a professional discussion, and remaining calm and patient. After hearing the different perspectives, clarify key points, collaboratively identify objectives, and work toward a consensus on the conflicting ideas.
-
To bridge the gap between varying educational methods within a team, fostering collaboration and unity is essential. Start by encouraging open communication, allowing team members to share their perspectives and fostering understanding. Focus on shared goals, such as improving student outcomes, to align efforts and create a common purpose. Promote professional development through workshops that expose the team to diverse strategies, building mutual understanding. Encourage flexibility by blending the strengths of different approaches to address varied learning needs. Lastly, lead by example—actively listen, mediate conflicts constructively, and celebrate team achievements to strengthen unity and collaboration.
-
Use science based and fact based research. Ask the team members to provide facts on what kind of learners they're dealing with, then provide research evidence targeting the learning styles for their target audience and provide points why they think their method is most fitting. Have each member present and then discuss. Using facts and evidence introduces logic that no one can refute. Utilizing one type of learning method and asking that to fit all is not realistic and suboptimal as everyone learns differently. Certain groups learn in certain ways - kids vs adults vs gifted, etc. Therefore, not only does there need to be communication but evidence and facts to backup their methods.
-
I use a framework called the Triangle of Abstraction. This is a communication framework that allows groups to agree conceptually, but perform in their own style. Basically, a group decides on the outcome they are chasing. This is where an adept facilitator is recommended. Once there is consensus about the outcome, each individual is invited to share their plan for how they will contribute to the outcome. This process provides a language to talk at a conceptual level about progress, rather than arguing about the technical details.
-
To ensure a cohesive dynamic when facing conflicting educational approaches within your team, consider the following steps: 1. Facilitate Open Dialogue: Organize team discussions to allow everyone to express their perspectives. 2. Define Common Goals: Identify shared objectives that align with the school’s mission. 3. Encourage Collaboration: Promote cross-functional teamwork to blend different approaches. 4. Provide Professional Development: Offer training sessions to build consensus on best practices. 5. Establish Guidelines: Set clear protocols for decision-making and instructional strategies while allowing flexibility for creativity and individual styles.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
TeachingHere's how you can navigate conflicts with challenging colleagues in a school setting.
-
K-12 EducationWhat do you do if your students are constantly interrupting each other during class discussions?
-
TeachingStruggling to establish boundaries with students and colleagues?
-
Peer SupportHow can you facilitate peer-led discussions with open-ended questions?