Peer Mediation at Wymondley
This September (2022), our Year 5 and 6 children will be being trained as Peer Mediators to give them the skill set to be able to mediate playground disputes at break and lunchtimes across the school. Being able to resolve conflict is a key skill that every person needs to learn, as conflict is unfortunately a part of life and is something that will almost certainly be experienced by everyone, to varying degrees, in every stage of their life. Peer mediation is a good way for this skill to be developed in the safe environment of the school and with the support of our staff team.
This page will be updated following the training of our Year 5 and 6 children, but the material below that will be used by the trainers when they come in to train the children, will give you more of an understanding of what peer mediation is and how it works...
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S.A.R.A.H is very important
- Stop talking and listen. You have to turn off your need to be listened to and concentrate on what the person is saying. This is difficult to do if you are thinking about what you want to say.
- Active listening. This is deep listening when you are open to hearing another person’s perspective without judging or interrupting. It requires concentration which you can shoe in your behaviour.
- Repeat back what has been said to you. This helps you remember and understand what has happened. It will also help if there are any misunderstandings.
- Accept how the person is feeling and their view of things. You may disagree but their feelings are real to them and have value. Ask the other participant if they are willing to recognise the other’s feelings, try to name the emotion.
- Help them to list some choices about what to do. Remember it is not your job to give then advice or tell them what they should do. Encourage them to make suggestions.
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Mediators Safety Rules
- There is never any confidentiality from relevant staff. Mediators don’t gossip to other pupils, but they do tell their mediation co-ordinator about what they are mediating.
- Mediators do not mediate problems from home, siblings or best friends.
- When there is anything against school rules (eg violence or racism) – the mediation should be stopped and you must speak to a teacher.
- Mediators must not touch the disputants either to break up a fight or to comfort them when upset.
- A member of staff will always be within easy reach when mediators are mediating.
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Body Language
Here are some tips to help you with positive, listening body language...
CHAIR – 90 degrees to the client, not directly facing them.
POSTURE - Relaxed, open, not leaning too far forward, back or to the side.
ARMS – Loose, uncrossed.
HANDS- Relaxed, sometimes with hands together or open.
LEGS – Feet on the floor, avoid crossing.
EYES – Comfortable eye contact.
HEAD – Nod to convey agreement and give encouragement. Head on one side can signal empathy.
VOICE – Calm, clear with warm tone.
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The 5 Steps to Mediation
The Mediator's Promise...
We will not take sides
We will not tell you what to do
We will not gossip
THE MEDIATORS’ RULES
Speak one at a time
Speak with respect
Don’t blame the other person
Make sure they agree!!
- Ask participants what the PROBLEM is and REPEAT it.
- Ask them how they FEEL about it and REPEAT what you have heard each one says.
- Ask each one if they can ACKNOWLEDGE or HEAR the other person’s feelings.
- Ask them to offer SUGGESTIONS about how they can sort things out. REPEAT what both participants have said, and each person is clear about what they have agreed on.
- Ask them to agree on the SOLUTION
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