The relationship between the mathematical thinking levels and conflict management strategies of school directors

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the conflict management levels of school directors working in Adana and Mersin cities while being exposed to student conflicts and the relationship between their mathematical thinking skills and conflict management strategies. The research design of the study is based on the relational screening survey model. The sample covers 240 school directors officially working in Adana and Mersin areas in 2017–2018 education years. After the analysis of the gathered data, the following results were found out: the directors mostly use (1) constructive strategies, (2) strategies based on getting support from others, (3) avoiding strategies, and (4) destructive strategies, respectively. Looking at the recent mathematical achievements of the school administrators that they got in the universities they garduated from, it can be said that their mathematical thinking skills are often good. In terms of “destructive strategies” and “avoidance strategies,” there is no significance between the used conflict management strategies and gender. But, the average scores of male school managers are higher than the average scores of female school managers in subdimensions of “constructive strategies” and “strategies based on getting support from others.” The level of schools in which the administrators work has created different averages in different subdimensions. Significant differences were mostly in high school, kindergarten, secondary, and primary school levels, respectively. The results showed that mathematical thinking had a significant impact on conflict management strategies of the school managers.