Now that each disputant has identified their need, the mediator asks both parties if they could do what the other party said would make them feel better. Agreement usually follows, after which the disputants are congratulated on their successful mediation. The entire process usually lasts about five minutes. The Challenges of High School As children move into middle and high school, their level of emotional and intellectual development becomes more sophisticated and their methods of learning change. Middle and high school mediation programs are marked by diverse mediator pools that are representative of the peer cliques that exist in the school's social structure.
Much more flexibility exists in the way mediations occur.
Confidentiality of mediations is paramount to a program's success, as any violation of this standard can result in a student's ridicule or rejection by peers. Adult intervention is minimal in the actual mediation process. The actual mediation process is virtually identical to the adult mediation model, incorporating the same basic steps of orientation, fact finding, option building, negotiation, agreement writing and closing. In training and practice however, an emphasis is placed on communication and identifying emotions, as a majority of disputes that arise have emotional as opposed to concrete issues underlying them. Adolescence is a period of confusing and conflicting emotions.