Peer Mediation

 

Tim Anderson                                                             Phil Goetstouwers

Professional School Counselor                                   MSUM Intern 2002-2003

Minnesota Lake Middle School                                  Minnesota Lake Middle School

Minnesota Lake, MN                                                 Minnesota Lake, MN

 

Description of the Lesson

 

Peer mediation is an activity that is taught to the middle schoolers that feel responsible enough to help students their age and younger to get through difficult times with other peers.  This is a guidance lesson plan taught to students in grades 5-8, whom have volunteered to be peer mediators.  It is designed to help build responsibility and confidence in these middle school students.  Typically, this lesson requires 30 minutes to deliver.

 

The Activity

 

Introduce yourself and ask the other students to introduce themselves to one another.  Explain confidentiality in great detail to these students.  They must be able to comprehend and explain confidentiality in their own words.  Once this is accomplished, students will gain an understanding of what mediation is. 

Mediation is:

á      A skill that can be learned.

á      A process that allows students to take responsibility.

á      A process that makes one feel good.

á      A simple process, but not always easy.

á      Always confidential.

 

Then students will learn some of the issues they will be dealing with.  These may include:

á      Name-calling

á      Teasing

á      Lying

á      Friendship issues

á      Bullies (being pushed around)

á      Arguing

á      Peer pressure issues

á      Rumors

á      Swearing

 

These peer mediators will not handle issues such as:

á      Clear-cut harassment issues

á      Physical fighting

 

These peer mediators will get a description of how they are expected to act and explained what they are and what they are not when considered a peer mediator.

A peer mediator is not:

á      A disciplinarian or cop

á      A person who interrupts or focuses attention on himself/herself

á      A judge or person who judges

á      A person who gives advice

á      A person who doesnÕt maintain confidentiality

 

A peer mediator is:

á      A good listener

á      A good team member

á      A fair (neutral) person

á      A helper

á      A dependable person

á      A person you can trust

 

After this explanation, students will learn three ways of handling conflict.

1.     No problem! (avoiding the problem or denying it)

2.     Fighting (negative confrontation)

3.     Peace-making! Talking and finding a solution that is good for both people involved (problem-solving)

 

Once students accept their role as peer mediators, they are expected to handle conflict by the third way (problem-solving).  The students will receive a Peer Mediation Report Form.  This form will explain the process of handling the conflict.

1.     Introduce Yourself.

2.     Ask each student to introduce themselves

3.     Tell students about confidentiality (what is talked about here, stays here)

4.     Ò3 strike ruleÓ-if any of the following rules are broken 3 times, the student(s) will be taken to an adult.

1.     No name calling

2.     Do not interrupt

3.     Must tell the truth

5.   Ask each person to say what they see as the problem.

6.     Ask each person to tell how they feel.

7.     Ask each person to tell what they would like to see happen.

8.     Ask each person to repeat what the person has just said:

á      What the other person sees as the problem

á      How the other person feels

á      What the other person would like to see happen

***If the student has forgotten what the other student has said, the other person may have to say it again.  MAKE SURE EACH PERSON UNDERSTANDS WHAT WAS SAID!

9.     Ask each person to suggest some solutions.

10.  Give the students time to discuss what solution they can both agree on.

11.  After each student agrees to the same solution, have the students shake hands and then say, ÒCongratulations!  You have just solved your problem.Ó

 

The Peer Mediation Report Form may also include the names of the mediators, date, location, names of people involved in the conflict, the grade they are in, and type of conflict.  The last part to fill out involves describing whether the problem was solved.

 

Some process questions that peer mediators might use while trying to handle the conflict include:

1.     What do you want?

2.     How do you feel?

3.     What does the other person want and feel?

4.     What are some ideas on how to solve the problem?

5.     What is a fair solution to both parties?

 

Connections to Related Standards, Competencies, and Domains

 

Peer mediation is directly related to the personal/social, educational, and career domains of the Minnesota School CounselorsÕ Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling.  This activity encourages responsibility and maturity in and out of the school environment.  The personal/social domain is a part of this lesson since students learn how to help mediate issues, which peers might face.  Peer mediation is designed to help increase self-esteem and confidence in dealing with issues.  The educational domain is a part of this lesson since students have an opportunity to learn the different ways to handle a conflict and then choose the correct way to handle the conflict.  The career domain is a part of this lesson since students have an opportunity to become more responsible and increase the skills for problem solving.

 

For Further Information

 

Tim Anderson

Professional School Counselor

Minnesota Lake Middle School

Minnesota Lake, Minnesota

Phone: (507) 462-3348

Fax:  (507) 462-3219

E-mail:  Tanderson@isd2135.mn.k12us.com