Conflict Coaching for Teachers

**This Program Ended June 30, 2021

This year, back-to-school looks very different. Teachers and guardians are facing enormous change and considerable uncertainty.  It’s no surprise that stress and anxiety are very high right now.  And that means that people can be more reactive, resulting in quickly escalating conflict. At the same time, many of our  trusted methods for handling conflict, like in-person chats after school, are not possible.  What options are there for reducing and resolving conflict?

Mediate BC Roster Mediators are offering free Conflict Coaching to teachers who are trying to find new ways to resolve problems that might lead to conflict with parents. Conflict Coaching can support teachers to prepare for difficult conversations, manage current conflicts, and prevent future conflicts.

We know that Teachers already have a lot of strong conflict resolution skills honed in the classroom. Conflict Coaching can help to quickly adapt those skills to the changing environment and support families by de-escalating conflicts to get to the heart of what guardians  and students need right now.

Request a Conflict Coach

How Does it Work?

• Request a Coach by email or phone (see the Request a Conflict Coach section for Contact Information)
• Provide some basic information about the situation or challenge
• We match you with a Conflict Coach
• The Coach will contact you by email or phone within 48 hours  
• You meet one-on-one by phone or videoconference with your Conflict Coach 
• This program covers up to 2 hours of free Conflict Coaching

Eligibility

• K-12 Teacher
• Currently working with a school in BC
• Distance Teachers are welcome
• Conflict is with a Parent or Guardian

What is Conflict Coaching?

• Confidential one-on-one support from a conflict resolution professional
• Focused on managing current conflicts or preventing future conflicts
• Increases confidence and skills to engage on hard topics
• Creates personalized strategies to de-escalate specific conflicts
• Focuses on skills and issues that are important to you
• Lessens the psychological impacts of conflict

Privacy 

We only gather the information we need to administer our program and to collect  the statistics necessary for us to understand how our service is being used and where it is working best.. We will not share your information with anyone. Some non-identifying disclosures of data are made for research and funding purposes.
More information available here

Confidentiality

Conflict Coaching sessions are confidential, meaning that your Conflict Coach will not share anything you tell them within your sessions without your permission unless required by law.

What about conflicts with other Teachers or administration?

Mediators are available to support schools in a wide range of circumstances. Most often, mediators working with teachers, staff, administrators, or school boards are contracted with the input of unions or other stakeholder groups. Your school will have processes in place to handle many of these conflicts. These may be eligible for the QCRS Program if they are caused by or related to COVID-19. If everyone involved wishes to mediate, you can also  contact a Civil Roster Mediator directly or call 1-877-656-1300 for more information.

Questions?

If you have any further questions please contact our Program Manager. 

Amanda Semenoff 
amanda.semenoff@mediatebc.com

Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service (QCRS)

If a Conflict is related to Covid-19 it may be eligible for the Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service, which provides low fee mediations to people experiencing conflicts related to Covid-19. You may wish to share this contact information with families experiencing co-parenting disagreement related to back-to-school issues, or where parent-teen conflict has arisen as a result of Covid-19 related changes.

Pro Bono Clinics

Mediate BC hosts monthly virtual pro bono (free) advice clinics to help people identify appropriate conflict resolution options. 

** This Pilot Project has been extended until June 30, 2021