These are gloomy times for many US schools. A sour economy and a standards-oriented government have led to budget cuts, program terminations, stifled creativity, and teacher layoffs. (An example close to home: my son's wonderful Kindergarten teacher may not be rehired next year.)… read this issue >>

It was bleak around here recently. The melted snow revealed scattered rubble on the curbs and twisted stalks in the gardens. The sky was often dark and gray, and the cold rain felt even colder, Spring having lowered our guards and raised our expectations. It took a nudge from a colleague, however, for me to notice that it was bleak in other ways, too.… read this issue >>

Have you ever observed mediators say something counterproductive, something that makes it more difficult for parties to resolve their conflict? Perhaps they ask an unhelpful question, or restate something in an inflammatory way, or inadvertently give their opinion. Sometimes, however, the problem is not what the mediators have said. It is that they have said anything at all.… read this issue >>

I recently saw the grass-roots movie phenomenon "Race to Nowhere." The filmmaker, Vicki Abeles, describes it as a "call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens."… read this issue >>

"If all the statisticians in the world were laid head to toe, they wouldn't be able to reach a conclusion."  Anonymous It was great to receive so many responses to the "State of Peer Mediation 2011" Survey. Ninety-nine people responded, about 4% of The School Mediator's subscribers. Respondents represent a fairly wide geographic range: they live in 25 different US states and 8 countries.* About 4/5 of respondents are based in the US, and 29% percent of the total live and work in Massachusetts, where School Mediation Associates is based.… read this issue >>