Violence is not the answer, and any peer mediator would agree. Peer Mediation club is designed to help students fix the issues they might have between each other. The mediators help the disputants solve their conflict in a peaceful manner.
The sponsor for the Peer Mediation club is one of the guidance counselors here at North Point, Dr. Ford. She was also the sponsor when the club first last school year. “I believe it is a great program for our school climate and it teaches leadership skills for the mediators,” said Ford. The meetings that the disputants and mediators have are completely confidential. The mediators are not permitted to talk about what happened in the meeting. Some examples of the issues that the mediators would face are things like, name-calling, teasing, rumors, friendships, threats, etc. Things like these could be handled with violence if the students did not go to peer mediation.
A few of the mediators are Nichole Kessinger (’12), Erica Adedeji (’12), Carly Robertson (’13), and Joi Sullivan (’13). Robertson has been a peer mediator since last school year. She stated, “I think there is a better way to solve issues than physically, and I wanted to help spread the memo.” The mediators do not just sit and listen; they are responsible for the flow of the conversation. It is their job to make sure that the conversations do not get out of hand; they lay down the ground rules. As a mediator, it is important to let the disputants know that they have their best interest in their minds.
The Peer Mediation referral form must be filled out before going to a club meeting. By answering the questions on the form the mediators have a good understanding of whatever the conflict is and help the disputants settle their differences. Going to peer mediators may not be the student’s choice, but if an adult sees that two students are having problems, they can send them there. Either way it is for their own good.
The Peer Mediation club is the better way to solve problems. Talking it out peacefully and constructively is better than getting physical and violent.
