Dear St. Elizabeth's Community,
As we settle into the rhythm of a new school year, I'm excited to share with you some of the important work our faculty and staff engaged in over the summer. At St. Elizabeth's, our commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom, and we continually strive to grow as educators and as human beings.
This summer, our entire staff participated in a transformative professional development program centered around the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory (ICS). This innovative tool, developed by Dr. Mitchell R. Hammer, helps individuals understand their own approach to communication and conflict resolution across cultures.
Why did we choose this focus? As an intentionally inclusive school, we recognize the critical importance of effective communication and conflict resolution in our diverse community. Moreover, with numerous elections taking place around the world this year, the need for civil discourse has never been more apparent. By deepening our understanding of different communication styles, we aim to model and teach these crucial skills to our students.
The process was enlightening. Each staff member completed the ICS assessment, which identifies four main conflict resolution styles: Discussion, Engagement, Accommodation, and Dynamic. These styles are based on combinations of direct/indirect communication and emotional expressiveness/restraint. During our professional development sessions, we formed groups based on our individual styles, allowing for rich discussions and insights.
What we learned was profound:
1. Self-awareness: We gained a deeper understanding of our own communication preferences and potential biases.
2. Appreciation of diversity: We recognized the value in different approaches to conflict resolution and problem-solving.
3. Improved communication: We developed strategies to adapt our communication styles to better connect with others.
4. Conflict management: We learned how to navigate disagreements more effectively, considering cultural differences.
This experience aligns beautifully with our core values:
Compassion: By understanding different communication styles, we can approach conflicts with greater empathy and grace.
Curiosity: The ICS encouraged us to wonder about and learn from others' perspectives and experiences.
Courage: We developed tools to advocate for ourselves and others more effectively, even in challenging conversations.
Connection: This shared experience strengthened our bonds as a staff and enhanced our ability to connect across differences.
As we move forward, we're excited to apply these insights in our classrooms, our interactions with families, and our broader community engagement. We believe this work will enrich our teaching, strengthen our school community, and better prepare our students to be thoughtful, effective communicators in an increasingly interconnected world.
Here's to a year of meaningful connections, productive dialogues, and continued growth!
Best foot forward,
