Whether you're an educator, CST member, administrator, or other educational professional, you share one thing in common: dealing with difficult parents and families. Every educator has experienced problematic, unproductive, and/or uncomfortable interactions with parents or families. Whether it be issues of defensiveness, noncompliance, the belief that his or her child "does no wrong," or just plain hostility, it can place an incredible stress on your job duties. Utilize this book to equip yourself with effective, practical tools geared to help productively tailor your interventions around the most common types of challenging parents and families.

Brett J. Novick has a master's degree in family therapy as well as post certifications in school social work as well as educational leadership and is an adjunct instructor at Rutgers University. He has published numerous national and international articles as well as received several awards for his work in education, administration, counseling, and social work.

Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Climate Change of the School Environment and the Vital Nature of Conflict Resolution Skills for Educators
Chapter 2: Know Thy Self: The Importance of Knowing Your Own Conflict Management Style and That of Others
Chapter 3: Maybe It Is YOU!
Chapter 4: Building the Foundation: Making Sure You Are On Firm Footing Before You Climb the Mountain of a Challenging Conversation.
Chapter 5: A Deeper Dive: Looking Under the Surface
Chapter 6: Top Ten List: The Top Ten Most Challenging Parent/Family Types
Chapter 7: Prevailing with Parents: Understanding, Involving and Interacting with Challenging Parents
Chapter 8: The Elephant in the School: Expanding Your Conflict Skills to Other Members of the School Community
Appendices
Appendix A: Assertiveness Self-Assessment
Appendix B: Conflict Styles Survey
Appendix C: Verbal Aggressiveness Self-Assessment
Appendix D: Conflict Resilience Quotient (CQ)
Appendix E: Parenting Quiz
Bibliography
About the Author
Index