Conflict Resolution
and Peer Mediation
Middletown students in grades 1-12 are getting training in conflict resolution and
peer mediation with the help of Barbara Driscoll, a youth
trainer from the Dispute Resolution Center located in Goshen,
NY.
Students, in grades 4 through 12,
are being trained in peer mediation and elementary students
are attending the ABC’s of Getting Along Workshop—which
teaches vital conflict resolution skills to Middletown's
youngest students.
About the ABC’s of Getting Along
Workshop
The 40-minute workshop educates approximately 30
students at one time. The children, led by a conflict resolution
trainer, discuss anger, look at what makes them angry, and
examine some healthy ways to control anger. Students also
explore appropriate means to handle their peer conflicts. The
trainer utilizes songs, poems, skits, and puppets to engage
students and encourage participation.
About Peer
Mediation
Conflict Resolution
education goes hand-in-hand with school mediation programs to
help create an atmosphere of respect, tolerance, and
communication. In Middletown, students are using peer mediation
to help deal with student conflict.
As part of
peer mediation services, disputing students voluntarily meet
with trained student peer mediators to resolve situations that
may arise. Not only do the peer mediators gain
invaluable communication and problem solving skills in training, but participating students learn from their peers'
positive role modeling. Peer mediators also assist school
staff by freeing teachers’ time from handling disruptions. As a
result,
more time is focused on academics.
The long range goal of the
program is to provide schools with an integral problem
solving strategy. All trainings
are implemented as part of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students
(SS/HS) grant.
