Each year, a group of 5th grade students have been trained in mediation. They are chosen from a large group of students who express an interest in being peer mediators following a classroom presentation. Several staff members have also been trained and serve as adult supervisors, offering guidance and support throughout the peer mediation process. There is always an adult mediator present during mediation.
Mediation promotes learning and accepting the differences that exist between people.
It requires that students deal respectfully with one another, even when they are in disagreement. Mediation is a process in which individuals who are involved in a conflict are given the opportunity to negotiate a settlement between themselves. Students have the opportunity to learn about the consequences of their own behavior as they work out their differences or help others to do so. The object of mediation is not to judge, fix, or blame. The goal of the mediator is to help people find a mutually acceptable agreement as to how they will change their behavior towards each other.