Disagreements or Conflicts

Throughout my professional life, I have been part of several disagreements with co-workers and also conflicts. Each one of them has helped enhance my problem solving and conflict resolution skills and take them to a new level. I have come to understand that in a work area not everybody practices the same work ethics as yourselves; therefore there will be co-workers who will challenge you at some point. Nevertheless, as I learned this topic this week, I am experiencing some conflicts with a co-workers in this case my teacher assistant. The conflict is about home visits. I had explain her a month ago how I would like conference week to go, for example: giving the parents the options to do them in their homes or the center, however,  if they are at their homes I would like for her to be at the center since I am taking our family service rep with me that way we get both parts in one visit. I also explained to her that I will have a to do list for us to do during this time and the conferences who are at the center, she was welcome to sit on them and if there is any input related to the children to please tell me. She agreed and we left it at that with no problems. Little did I know, she had turned around my words and had gone to a supervisors regarding the matter. The supervisor called me to discuss the matter. She started asking me about the program and how every teacher do have their own ways of doing conferences, she asked why I took my family service support instead, honestly I felt as if I was being interrogated. So I remember about the 3 R's strategies and how important they are in this cases no matter if they are absolutely don't make sense since the supervisors is for the early learning programs Head Start and ECEAP. I listened to her very well, let her finished and with respect and professionalism I stated all my answers to her questions with logical sense and with the program expectations of the teacher and their assistant. Our conflict ended by her understanding what my position as a teacher  is and how I think the best way to deal with a conflict is letting me know before hand of her problem regarding home visits. I sat down with my T.A. and acknowledge her feelings and also mu point of view.

When dealing with problems like these ones, I reflected on how I talked to her and realize that I was very respectful and professional about it. I wanted to make sure, I had not done any wrong doing but I realize that her perceptions were way off and needed some assurance.