You can assign as a text book The Mediator's Handbook , and use for teaching purposes, NITA's The Art of Mediation . The Handbook is a great handbook that every mediator should have. You will note that CE classes are often taught on week-ends, or once a week for a three hour class, or in some other format than standard one hour class periods, and you need to plan to fill your schedule appropriately. That is a start. Remember, these initial students will the be the core recruiters and sources of word of mouth for later classes.
Some people stop right there.
They teach a forty hour class over and over. Your introduction class goes over mediation, arbitration, ombuds offices, facilitation, and simple negotiation concepts. It educates students as to why they would want to take a class on mediation, or one on arbitration, or one on facilitation and how an in depth class on negotiation can help them. Introduction to Arbitration. Introduction to Negotiation.