La Mediación en el Ámbito Escolar: ¿Método RAC o Método REC?
Ruben Veiga
Las instituciones educativas tampoco escapan a las situaciones de conflicto; muy por el contrario deberán, si aún no lo han hecho –a partir de la nueva concepción de escuela moderna- capitalizar el conflicto y educar a partir del mismo. Ello significa que todos los actores de la comunidad (léase: educadores y educandos, no docentes y familias de los alumnos) deben esforzarse por abandonar la connotación negativa tradicional del conflicto y optar por su cambio de valencia. Sólo así, la tan anhelada “educación para la paz”, será posible.

Elements of Style: The What, Why & How of Transformative Peer Mediation
Lisa Hershman
The recently released, second edition of “Recommended Standards for School-Based Peer Mediation Programs” (Standards) is a notable accomplishment. It compiles years of research, developments, and practical knowledge into a comprehensive, easy to read document that is certain to stimulate further development in the field. This is important to note because there is still much work to be done. Over the next decade, it is my guess that the dialogue over mediation style, currently simmering in the adult mediation community, will extend into the peer mediation field. While the Standards acknowledge that styles other than problem-solving mediation exist, “problem-solving/facilitative” mediation is the touchstone of the entire document. Problem-solving has become the gold standard by default. This article is intended for program coordinators, trainers, and funders who are interested in exploring different approaches to peer mediation.

Mobilizing the Third Side for a Winning Alliance against Violence
Anita Vestal
Twenty-two educators from private and public schools systems in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania exchanged their ideas, ideals and poignant stories about violence in the lives of school children during an online course taught at Eastern Mennonite University in 2002. In this short article, pieces of their stories are shared to illustrate a framework for enlarging the circle in prevention efforts for bullies, victims and bystanders. From the cases described and using Ury’s Third Side model, we sketch an approach where schools, families, and communities could stand together to transform some of the violent and depressing aspects in the daily lives of children.

Following the Scout Law in Mediation
David Karp
I am a mediator. I help people in conflict to resolve their differences, usually in negotiated settlements of real estate and business disputes, often so that they can avoid further litigation and/or trial. I am also the father of an Eagle Scout and a committed volunteer leader in Scouting. Except for family, which comes first, and business second, I think about Scouting a lot (compulsively according to my wife). Anyway, I believe in Scouting’s code of ethical conduct – the Scout Law. I follow it in my daily life. It forms a framework for me as a mediator. Here’s how.   2 Comments

Using a Transformative Approach in an Elementary School Peer Mediation Program
Lisa Hershman
Peer mediation programs traditionally work within a problem-solving framework: Conflict is viewed as a “problem” that can and must be solved. But what happens when there is no solution? Or, better yet, when the conflict isn’t really a problem? Faced with these dilemmas, the problem-solving approach can become frustrating and demoralizing – especially for young children. This article looks to the experience of an elementary school peer mediation program to demonstrate how incorporating elements of transformative mediation can address some of the pitfalls of the problem-solving approach.   1 Comment

Parent – Teen Conflict, Managing it Constructively
Bob Blyth
“Parent – Teen Conflict, Managing it Constructively” deals with managing the conflict inherent in parent – teen relationships, why managing this conflict constructively is important and some tools that parents and teens can use to manage their conflicts constructively.   1 Comment

Build Rapport to Facilitate Teen Behaviour
Gary Direnfeld
When the relationship is spiraling out of control and parents find themselves at their wits end, the challenge is to rise above the animosity in favour of rebuilding the relationship. Harsher, more restrictive consequences will not bring the teen “under control”. Slowly and deliberately practicing rebuilding strategies can rekindle the relationship through which the parents may find increased influence to provide direction and guidance as opposed to “control”.   1 Comment

Leadership Development: Conflict Management for College Student Leaders
Judy Rashid
Conflict is a pervasive part of group and organizational culture. Therefore, the goal of a group is not to necessarily avoid conflict, but to use conflict as a means of creating a more positive group atmosphere. Also, as conflict increases there is a demand for effective leader skills to increase in managing conflict. This study examined the influence of conflict management training on conflict management style.

Hope For The Future? Follow The Kids!
Peter Adler
Resolving complex, highly political, public policy issues is inherently messy. On occasion, a unique chemistry of effective leadership, good technical information, and principled negotiating actually does the job. It beggars the imagination to think that a bunch of smart high school kids could create inspired political breakthroughs where leaders in government, industry, and non-profits have repeatedly failed. Nonetheless, that is what recently happened.

T.A.C.T. (Teens and Conflict Together)
Suzanne VM Petryshyn
T.A.C.T. (Teens and Conflict Together) is a program that provides participants with the self-awareness and the communication skills needed to empower them to use a problem solving process when faced with conflict. Fun, educational games and exercises reinforce learning by providing a safe environment for the participants to explore conflict.

The Kid’s Guide To Working Out Conflicts (Book Review)
Jon Linden
In Naomi Drew’s newest book she presents one of the very best exhortations and explanations ever written on Peer Mediation. Peer Mediation usually refers to the process of mediation between and with Children/Adolescents in school situations. Most books on the subject try to help schools develop “in school” programs to support a Peer Mediation Implementation. It has been definitively shown, that such a program provides an outlet, a forum to discuss and resolve conflicts that arise and such a forum significantly reduces school violence. The forum allows the release of frustration and retaliation in violent manners, especially by the abused.

Parent Teen Mediation - A Family Systems Perspective
Suzanne VM Petryshyn
Parents and Teens often find themselves in conflict with each other. Parent Teen Mediation is a helpful alternative that promotes healthy communication between Parents and Teens about their issues. Parent Teen Mediation offers a family system faced with conflict with an opportunity to promote understanding in order to resolve the issues within the system.   1 Comment

Lessons from the Playground: What We Can Learn From How Kids Resolve Their Disputes
Jeffrey I. Abrams
Disputes and conflict are an inevitable part of life. While some believe that learning to deal with these daily challenges is something that can wait until adulthood, it is actually on the playground, as pre-schoolers, where dispute resolution skills are first developed. At a very early age, most pre-schoolers learn the valuable lesson that selecting the appropriate dispute resolution process is often the single most important factor in the successful resolution of a dispute.

Cleaning Up the Schoolyard
Sue Farley
The classroom isn’t the only place in the school community where tension can mount. Whether it’s in the grounds, the staff room, the board room or even at home, the staff, pupils and management provide a fertile environment for dysfunction to manifest and simmer away in.   1 Comment

Student/Peer Mediation: A Multi-Purpose Tool
Jim Eisele After reviewing several articles regarding student/peer mediation, one thing is clear: student/peer mediations have several benefits, many of which are long-lasting.   1 Comment

Peer Mediation in Chautauqua County, N.Y. Schools
Jamestown Area Labor-Management Committee
Teaching conflict resolution to elementary, middle and high school students is as important to preparing tomorrow's workforce as their reading, writing, and math classes. In fact, the value and importance of the benefits derived from peer mediation programs - from the skills the young mediators gain to the overall impact the program has in school - parallels the values and benefits employers derive from a well-trained and skilled workforce.

Parent Child Mediation
Jim Eisele Communication is an extremely important part of a psychologically healthy family. Lack of communication can be extremely detrimental to a family. When communication breaks down, especially between a parent and their child, troublesome situations may arise. What can be done to repair and resolve these situations? Parent/child mediation may be the resolution.   6 Comments

Community Conferencing for Young People in Conflict
David B. Moore
In the classroom of a Sydney secondary school, an exam is in progress. Two Year 10 students are arguing over a copy of a book. The book is thrown across the aisle. The teacher calls for quiet. One student mutters to the other, 'We'll sort this out at lunch time!'   3 Comments

Guest Editorial for Youth and Schools Section
Jim Eisele
There are many different options as to what can be done to make our schools a safer place, especially in the area of reducing violence. Conflict resolution has been shown to be one of those answers.

Statement Of Restorative Justice Principles
Restorative Justice Consortium of the UK
The Restorative Justice Principles developed by the Restorative Justice Consortium of the UK with input from some practitioners in the US forwarded by Ann Warner Roberts Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking (CRJ&P), University of Minnesota, USA   1 Comment

Encouraging the Use of Mediation by Families from Diverse Backgrounds
Anita Engiles, Catherine Fromme, Philip Moses, Diane LeResche
School systems and families sometimes have different perspectives about the education of children with disabilities. When a family files for a due process hearing, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Amendments of 1997 [P.L. 105-17] requires state departments of education to provide access to mediation to help resolve these differences. For some families mediation is a viable and relatively easily understood process. For many families, however, mediation is an unknown process and may seem inaccessible or unattractive.

Ten Challenges Facing College Mediation Programs
Nathan Makdad
College Mediation programs face a variety of difficulties in delivering their services to students. Interviews with college programs focused on the areas of intakes going to mediation, training, publicity, and referral sources. Ten major challenges were identified and are discussed.   1 Comment

Conflict Resolution and the Arts
Marianne Klink & Donna Crawford The arts are a natural forum for teaching, modeling, and using conflict resolution processes. CR skills can provide tools for creating more peaceable environments within arts programs and within families, schools, and communities.

Conflict Resolution, Delinquency and Violence
Donni LeBoeuf & Robin V. Delany-Shabazz Delinquency and violence are symptoms of a juvenile's inability to handle conflict constructively. By teaching young people how to manage conflict, conflict resolution education can reduce juvenile violence in juvenile facilities, schools, and communities, while providing lifelong decisionmaking skills.

Guidelines for Victim-Sensitive Victim-Offender Mediation: Restorative Justice Through Dialogue (2000)
Mark S. Umbreit & Jean Greenwood The growing interest in victim-offender mediation arises from its capability to facilitate a real and understandable sense of justice for those most directly affected by crime: victims, victimized communities, and offenders. Victim-offender mediation breathes life into the emerging concept of restorative justice by asking, who was harmed, how can the harm be addressed, and who is held accountable for what happened.