Abstract:

School principal’s role regarding conflict management is crucial, since the principal is the one who advocates conflicts that emerge in their school. The ability of identifying conflicts among teachers and effectively manage them may prevent the negative impact that conflicts among teachers may have on school and school staff.

Empirical evidence in conflict management among school teachers in Cyprus remains scarce. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of principals on the sources that may lead to conflict among primary teachers in Cyprus, focusing on the role of the principal in an effective conflict management and conflict resolution.

A qualitative approach, in particular interview-based multiple case study was conducted, by using a purposing sample of five principals, ranked as top five, based on effective conflict management they apply in their school in order to minimise conflicts among their teachers. Participant principals were placed at the center of the study, seeking to get insights of their approaches to manage conflicts in their schools. The principals are chosen through statistical analysis of a questionnaire constructed by the researcher. The questionnaire was measuring the frequency of conflicts among teachers in their school, sources of conflicts and principal’s role on conflict management. The questionnaire was distributed to all primary schools in Limassol and Paphos districts in Cyprus.

The outcomes of this study demonstrate that conflicts among teachers in primary schools, occur few times throughout the semester and most of the time conflicts were resolved by principal’s interference. Class allocation, subject allocation, teachers’ absences, teacher’s replacement due to absenteeism, personal differences (perceptions, values, opinion) and ineffective communication among teachers are some of the major conflict sources found. Principals appear to be responsible to establish a positive school climate that will be preventative to conflicts among teachers. Principals that treat their teachers with love, compassion, kindness and empathy tend to prevent conflicts among their teachers.

Principal’s effective conflict management tends to strengthen communication among teachers enhancing collaboration and mutual trust at the same time. Contrarily, principal’s ineffective conflict management tends to affect school climate, communication and cooperation among teachers negatively. Furthermore, principal’s characteristics such as sincerity, integrity, empathy, communication skills and transparency may be useful on effective conflict management.

The conclusions emerged that principal’s role is crucial regarding conflict management, due to the fact that an effective conflict resolution benefits school, since conflicts among teachers in school environment, may occur throughout the school year. Especially, principals are responsible to create a school climate that prevents conflict occurrence in school with negatively impacts on school, teachers, pupils and parents.

Keywords:

Conflict Management, Principals’ role, Conflict among teachers.