* Seeing multiple points of view
* Intuiting other's feelings and sensing other's motives
* Practicing empathy
* Facilitating communication between people
* Working collaboratively in groups… read this issue >>

I sometimes arrive at a school to conduct a peer mediation training and find that the coordinator has assembled a homogenous group of trainees: most of the students are high achieving, relatively well- adjusted, and represent the majority racial/ethnic group in the school. Many are even part of the same clique of friends. … read this issue >>

As I approach the end of my 20th year at School Mediation Associates, I find myself wondering: How has peer mediation managed to hold my interest for so long? Part of my longevity is attributable to finding ways to keep the work interesting, be it growing the organization, coaching our wonderful trainers, writings books, refining our training program, or publishing this newsletter.… read this issue >>

Role-plays are good for you. These training exercises — in which two people act as if they are in conflict while two trainees mediate the simulated conflict — are the heart of any peer mediation training.… read this issue >>

I recently helped a group of experienced mediators develop a plan to educate their peers about mediation. As we explored the reasons why students might hesitate to try mediation, a girl named Sasha boldly admitted: "I would never go to peer mediation myself." I used to be surprised when mediators said things like this; by now, however, I have heard such comments too often to be surprised.… read this issue >>

Much of mediation's power stems from this fact: Mediators make parties feel like we understand what they are going through. Think about it: By the time people sit down with mediators, they are typically "full" of strong and often difficult feelings. They are hurt, furious, jealous, humiliated, hopeless, afraid. One of the most important messages a mediator gives to parties, therefore, is simply: I feel for you.… read this issue >>

Twenty years ago I began swimming for exercise. I couldn't run anymore; my knees hurt too much. Though I never took swimming lessons, I cobbled together a passable crawl stroke from the informal and haphazard instruction I received as a kid. The other day in the pool, however, I realized that I've had an impressive swimming teacher recently. You've probably heard of him: Michael Phelps, American swimming phenom and winner of 8 gold medals in last summer's Olympic games.… read this issue >>