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Case Study: A resolution for all teachers
David Ortiz
School of Education, Liberty University
Author’s Note
David Ortiz.
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to David Ortiz.
Email: dortiz20@liberty.edu
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Conflict
A conflict has risen between two teachers whom disagree with an approach involving the
development for the curriculum plans for the school. Mrs. Vet’s approach to the curriculum plan
is a traditional one by following the textbook and structured lesson plan. She has not
recommended any significant strategies considering how she believes that this approach is
already successful. Mrs. Vet’s class performance average is at the seventy-sixth percentile. Mrs.
New’s approach involves teachers working as a team over the Summer in order to develop a
better curriculum. Her class performance average is a the Seventy-third percentile from her
previous position. Mrs. Vet implies that the curriculum is working perfectly fine and that there is
no need to change it. However. Mrs. New’s states that the student achievement in this school
demographic-wise should be in the ninetieth percentile or above. According to Shanka and Thuo
(2017), such conflict should me managed and examined carefully in order for a peaceful
agreement to take place between teachers and school leaders. Otherwise, the learning process
will not run properly. As an administrator, it can be seen that both teachers want the best for the
school’s future. Yet, one perspective cannot be taken and the other rejected. Thus, an agreement
must be settled in order for both teachers to work in an efficient manner with each other.
Resolution
It is my job as an administrator to promote the increase of school performance and to
settle this conflict so that both teachers can work together. My approach to this process will start
with the formation of a professional learning community over the Summer to see if a change is
needed to the school’s curriculum in order to reach the expected percentile. The learning
community will be arranged in the form of a committee that will meet four to five times each
month beginning in the month of June and through July. The committee will meet via video chat
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due to some possible travel by some members during the Summer break. This learning
committee will be composed of both experienced and new teachers that work in the school as
well as school supervisors considering how everyone should have something positive to
contribute. Mrs. Vet and Mrs. New will be welcomed to join in this learning committee. Because
the school is located in a community where the parents of students are upper middle class
professionals, with some of them being educators themselves, it would be appropriate to involve
the parents as well. This will provide an opportunity for them to be part of a professional
learning community where they can share accountability in contributing to their child’s learning
and to the school’s performance. Members of the learning committee will discuss if change is
needed for the current curriculum. It is required for the learning committee to revise data from
the previous five school years on student’s performance (Cho et. al., 2014) to see if the current
curriculum is responsible for not meeting expectations. A conclusion must be made by June
twentieth. An independent decision will be taken apart from the preferences of Mrs. Vet and Mrs.
New. Members of the committee must keep in mind how there is a high expectation for students
to be in the ninetieth percentile which will ultimately lead to a change in curriculum. Therefore,
if the latter is decided, the committee will have the opportunity to contribute to a curriculum that
will benefit students. Such formation will require the participation of everyone in the committee.
Once again, Mrs. Vet and Mrs. New will be more than welcomed to contribute ideas in the
formation of a new curriculum. It is important to especially implement some of the ideas of the
veteran teachers. Seeing how a new curriculum is already being formed, it will be appropriate to
strongly consider some of their suggestions so that they can see that they play an important role
in the learning process. Creation for a new curriculum should begin immediately on June twenty-
first and completed by July twentieth. Once the new curriculum is complete, it will be revised
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and approved by the school principal at the end of July. The teachers will then undergo
professional development which will begin during the tenth of August and will end before the
school year starts on August twenty-third. Finally, the learning committee will remain in order to
monitor the progress of the new curriculum throughout the school year.
Reflection
It is important to implement professional development for all teachers taking on a new
curriculum. Simply providing professional development opportunities will not be enough for a
new curriculum to be implemented. Thus, it is important to provide the necessary knowledge,
resources, and support in order for sufficient and effective professional development to take
place (Bynum & Harrell, 2018). Furthermore, according to Cho et. al., (2014), the formation of
professional learning communities are needed as the demand for the school increases. Such
actions are necessary for teachers like Mrs. Vet and Mrs. New to attend as it will prevent them to
succumb to isolationism, which will harm students and school performance (Cho et. al., 2014).
The book of Proverbs reminds one of such teamwork and how it is beneficial to live by it.
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety”
(English Standard Version Bible, 2002, Proverbs 11:14).
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References
Cho, V., Sergiovanni, T. J., & Starratt, R. J. (2014). Supervision: A redefinition. Boston:
McGraw-Hill.
English Standard Version Bible. (2002). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com
Shanka, E. B., & Thuo, M. (2017). Conflict management and resolution strategies between
teachers and school leaders in primary schools of Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Education
and Practice, 8(4), 63-74.
