Brandon Twp.- When two students were having an argument at Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School last week, Matt Read stepped in to help.
‘We talked about it, got them to agree on something and they basically solved it themselves, we just coached them along,? said the fifth-grader. ‘After we were done, I felt good, because we solved one of the billions of arguments that will probably happen.?
Matt was using his skills as one of 16 students trained to be mediators in the school’s new ‘Peers Making Peace? program.
Joel Malkasian, a physical education teacher at BFIS, is coordinator for the program, which began last month with training, and has now taken effect with mediators helping resolve disputes. About 100 students applied to be mediators. Malkasian and BFIS Principal Jeff Beane interviewed them, choosing 10 fifth graders and six sixth graders to receive training from Oakland Mediation Center representatives.
‘We tried to select a wide variety of students that match the diversity of our school, so they can relate to any student that is being mediated,? Malkasian said.
These students help other students resolve conflicts between each other, which can range from teasing to verbal arguments, to physical altercations. Through the grant-funded training, student mediators were taught communication and listening skills, the mediation process, how to mediate, and how to market the program? advertising to students in the school who may be having problems.
A program presentation which will include an example of the mediation, is planned for 5:30 p.m., March 16, at BFIS, 300 South St. All parents are invited to witness how peer mediation works.
‘It’s definitely a positive change, so far,? said Malkasian. ‘We can already see an effect. We have students coming up and asking if they can be mediated because they have a problem with another student. They want to fix their own problems.
Haley Lapanowski, a sixth grade student, was the mediator in two disputes last week.
‘It was hard, but after it was over with, it felt really good,? she said. ‘I thought it was going to be more like counseling, but it’s more of listening by me. I help the students tell each other their feelings. Mediation isn’t about solving the problem, it’s more about them telling each other how they feel, but that helps solve the problem.?