COLLAPSE
There are a variety of problem solving methods for disciplinary issues that teachers experience with students. When a teacher is actively handling an issue with students, peer mediation can be a productive way to handle conflict.

Peer mediation can be effective with a variety of ages. Working in Kindergarten, I couldn’t use this strategy initially. Now, I often use this strategy. The reason I have not been able to use peer mediation all year is because students are often time learning policies and procedures for the first time. They have to learn how to positively interact with peers and to treat other children as they would want to be treated.

At this point in the year, I have several students that serve as “super citizens” that I often turn to when I can’t seem to get through to a troubled or disruptive student. These student(s) reinforce positive behavior support with their classmate(s) that are having an outburst, not compliant, or those that have a disability in some cases. To help ensure a positive behavior support behavior system, peer mediation can help a teacher create a sense of group accountability for student achievement to couple individual accountability.

In my classroom, peer-mediation is often a win-win strategy for all involved. When a child that is having a behavior issue can hear the perspective of another peer, they often tend to be more successful in getting through to a troubled student than I am. Peers have the ability to empower each other. I also have been pleasantly surprised with this type of intervention, because I have heard students from the compliant side, appropriately voice frustrations of their experience and perspective with behavioral disruptions. Sometimes they can successfully appeal to children that are having a crisis to stop their disruptive behavior. Students may not care at the time a behavior is happening