Peer Mediation

PEER MEDIATION YEAR 5

Peer Mediation is an opportunity for the Year Five students to learn and put into action their skills in resolving minor social conflicts in the yard.

All Grade 5 students last week received training to become peer mediators. They will be rostered on in pairs or groups of three, and have ‘shifts’ during the term. This will be starting in week 5.

The job of Peer Mediators is to assist the yard duty teachers in the junior playground at recess and lunchtime to resolve conflicts.

Our training last week was very successful. It was great to see all the Grade 5 students display their leadership skills and work well together.

The Grade Five students have been trained to:

Demonstrate listening skills
Show empathy
Use their communication skills
Brainstorm solutions to problems and guide younger kids to resolve minor social conflicts in the yard.
Make connections and meaningful relationships with younger students in the school.
Teach basic social skills and strategies to younger kids that they can then use to help manage difficult situations
Assist younger children in emotional regulation skills and provide basic strategies and suggestions to assist with this.

Although the peer mediator's role is to help the younger kids resolve their conflicts, the Grade Fives also know that there are times and situations where adults and classroom teachers will need to step in.

The students engaged in hands-on activities and practised their new skills through some role plays of scenarios that they might come across in the yard.

The steps that peer mediation students will be using out in the yard are:

Introduce themselves
Listen to the students problem
Help the students brainstorm solutions
Help the students resolve their problem and agree on an outcome
Praise the students for resolving their problem
Record the solution in the peer mediation folder so that classroom teachers can track play and problems in the yard.

We are looking forward to starting our shifts out in the yard.

Look out for the yellow vests in the junior playground!

Thanks,

Grade 5 students and teachers.