Archive

Trust

Volume I, December 2001
A Summary of the Dilemma: Angel, one of very few "out" gay students at his high school, has applied to be a mediator. The team of veteran peer mediators who interviewed Angel gave him a poor score. The coordinator, who knows Angel well and feels he would make an excellent addition to the mediation team, is concerned that unacknowledged homophobia prevented the mediators from considering Angel.… read this issue >>
Volume IV, November 2004
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 >>
Volume IV, April 2005
I recently received this email from a peer mediation coordinator: We have some very talented student mediators who recently got into trouble at school. Although the violation was not hurtful toward others, it was a blatant violation of our code of conduct. We believe that the students need to be removed from the team because they can no longer be considered positive role models. However, our population is smaller than most public schools and the pool of mediator candidates is significantly less. Does anyone see a way where these students can maintain their Peer Mediator status without sending the wrong message to other students? Thank you very much!read this issue >>
Volume VI, September 2006
Your peer mediators are trained and ready to go. Your outreach campaign is in full swing. At last, the assistant principal responds by referring students in conflict to the peer mediation program. Now what? Time for intake interviews.… read this issue >>
Volume VI, October 2006
How do you convince a reluctant student to try mediation? There is no easy formula; instead, as discussed last month, first you must develop a strong rapport with students. Only then do skillful coordinators educate about/advocate for mediation in response to each student's unique concerns.… read this issue >>
Volume VI, May 2007
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 >>
Volume VII, October 2007
During a peer mediation training at East Boston High School last week, a number of students bristled at our standard recommendation that mediators create and enforce ground rules. Lest you assume we have a book full of rules, you should know that we suggest that mediators ask parties to agree to follow only two rules as a requirement to participate in the process: no putdowns and no physical violence. (Many peer mediation models have more ground rules.)… read this issue >>
Volume VII, February 2008
One of the major differences in peer mediation models is whether they employ "private sessions." This month I thought I would explain School Mediation Associates' approach to this issue, and a bit of related history. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, private sessions refer to the separate meetings that mediators can hold with parties. Each party is called in individually to speak with the mediators while other parties wait their turn in an anteroom.… read this issue >>
Volume VIII, April 2009
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 >>
 

INDEX

Academic Performance Administrative Support of Peer Mediation Adult Conflicts Adultism Advisor/Advisee Aggression and Gender Aikido Alternatives to War Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copeland Association For Conflict Resolution Australia Bandura, Albert Benefits of Peer Mediation Buddhism Bullying/Harassment Community Conferencing Center Center for Nonviolent Solutions Centers for Disease Control Centre for Conflict Resolution in Schools Chardon, Ohio School Shooting Childhood, History of China Columbine High School Tragedy Community Boards Program Compassion Competition of Peer Mediators Condon, William Confidentiality Conflict Resolution Conflict Avoidance Coordinator Responsibilities and Committment Criticism of Peer Mediation Cross-talk Curriculum on Conflict Resolution Dalai Lama de Mause, Lloyd Debrief Mediators Demonstration as a Teaching Strategy Dialogue Diener, Sam Discipline Diversity Doing vs. Observing Drug Use Among Teens Electronic Communications Emotional Intelligence Empathy Empowerment European Centre for Conflict Prevention Face to Face Seating Feelings/Emotions First Names, Teachers' Use of Fisher, Roger Frames of Mind, Howard Gardner Funding for Peer Mediation Programs Future of Peer Mediation Gardner, Howard Gay Marriage Gender Differences Getting to Yes Girls Gladwell, Malcolm Global Reach of Peer Mediation Goleman, Daniel Ground Rules Guns Handling Difficult Topics Harris, Dr. Robert Harvard Negotiation Insight Initiative High-Performing Peer Mediation Program History of Peer Mediation Homophobia in School International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) Impact of Peer Mediation Increase Understanding Influence of Mediator Instant Messaging Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation Intake Interviews Inter-American Summit on Conflict Resolution Education Interpersonal Communication Interpersonal Harmony Interpersonal Intelligence iPods Jennings, Peter Kenya Leadership Learning Pyramid LeBaron, Michelle Lederach, John Paul Listening Little League Baseball Longevity Marketing Massachusetts Attorney General's Office "Mature" Peer Mediation Program McDuffee, Morgan Media Mediators As Parties Misbehavior of Peer Mediators Miscommunication Martin Luther King Jr. Day Models of Peer Mediation Multiple Intelligence Theory Music N.A.M.E. Negotiation Non-attachment Non-Violent Conflict Resolution Olweus, Dan Outreach Parenting Peacebuilders International Peer Mediators As Role Models Perspective Persuasion Pestering Program Phelps, Michael Pikas Method Positive Peer Pressure Principles of Effectiveness Private Sessions Psychohistory Punishment of Peer Mediators Questions Race to Nowhere Ramirez, Manny Reagan, Ronald Recovery Time Re-entry Mediation Referrals Relational Aggression Relationships, Power of Religion Research on Peer Mediation Restorative Practices Role-plays Room Set-up Rumi "Sacred Cows" Safe and Drug Free Schools Funding Sanders, Frank School Climate School Connectedness School Shootings SCRAM (Schools Conflict Resolution and Mediation) Selection of Peer Mediators Self-esteem and Peer Mediation Self-referrals Selman, Robert September 11th Should Coordinators be in Mediation? Shy Peer Mediators Side by Side Seating Arrangement Silence During Mediation Skills of Peer Mediators Slovenia Social Learning Theory Somalia Spirituality Standards Steps in Peer Mediation Sterling, Sy, "Hair Club President" Stress Among Youth Suicide Swimming Talking to Kids about Tragedy Teacher Support of Peer Mediation Terrorism, Responses to Texting The Promise of Mediation: Responding to Conflict Through Empowerment and Recognition The Tipping Point Tibet Time Tissue Paper Flowers Training Train the Trainer Programs Transformative Mediation Trust Underperforming Peer Mediation Program Understanding Does Not Equal Agreement Ury, William Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) Video Games Violence War in Iraq Wenger, Etienne Wingspread Declaration of School Connectedness