- Administration is responsible for school-wide discipline and are under increasing pressure to develop anti-violence and safety programs.
- Must be available to provide resources and support.
- Reward team members with staff.
Peer Mediation Team
- Formation of a team that consists of teachers from each grade level, as well as counselors and administrators involved in the program.
- Buy in!
- Decisions regarding curriculum delivery, peer mediator selection, and program logistics.
- Many of these important decisions are left up to staff because of their increased knowledge regarding schedules, needs, and student characteristics.
- Much of this process can be started by beginning with a presentation to all staff in the school. Then a level-of-interest questionnaire can be dispersed to define commitment.
Peer Mediator Selection
- Students selected on a basis of grade level, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and placement in special programs.
- It is important to include students at risk for behavior problems so the entire student body is represented.
- Given effective instruction, students who have experiences high levels of conflict in school, may be the most insightful and skilled mediators.
- Mediators may be selected by students or chosen by teacher nomination.
- Most programs include mediators that are seen as "successful" or "leader-type" students.
Logistics
- How and by whom will students be referred? Students or teachers?
- What kind of conflicts are suitable for mediation?
- Where will mediation take place?
- Who will supervise the mediation?
- How will mediators be made available?
- How often will mediators miss class?
- Can teachers refuse to release a mediator or disputant from class?
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