A Curriculum in Mediation

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Peer Mediator Training Workshop Presenter Notes - view page 05
05 Let's Pretend
Need: MITs in quads with workbooks and pen/pencil
Need: "Acting School - Role Play Rules" Poster & "Steps of Mediation/Role Play Rules" placards at each table.

PLEASE NOTE: The information below supplements the specific flow and process directions of the Student Workbook pages and is reflective of the theory and practice delineated in the 12 page pdf Conflict Management booklet. Therefore, this "teacher's guide" information, the Student Workbook information and the Conflict Management booklet work together for presenters' preparation and should be considered integral to one other. No document stands on its own from a presenter's preparation viewpoint. Use the view page ___ link above, page by page, to view related Student Workbook pages. Download the 12 page pdf Conflict Management booklet to your desktop, read it once, and have it ready as reference as you proceed with preparation.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Let's Pretend <05mit.pdf> (316 KB) [05 LP] view. This page is content rich! The upper third deals with the concept of role play in our training. How to behave and letting them know that roles will change constantly today. We want them to be realistic without overdoing it. It's a rules for fair play summary and how to play. Table placards will reflect this role play "rules" information. Reference to the tape we just viewed is appropriate here as we examine the complexities ("baggage") of disputant's lives that they bring into a conflict. A brief introduction to the scenario that we will work with all day is followed by a brief summary of the six steps (our model and reflected on the reverse side of the table placards) of mediation.The bottom of the page is a graphical representation of our scenario which is described in detail on the next page (M1). What superficially appears to be two kids squabbling is a far more complex issue and this is the realization that should begin to dawn on our MITs as they prepare to learn through role play. Our teaching style is to get kids interacting as soon as possible - that's their nature (Kagen, et al) - and so we include role play with procedure and theory as we move through the mediation journal (MJF & MJB) step by step starting with M2.

At first glance, this sheet is overwhelming! So much stuff on it! It's meant to serve as a focus for discussion of:
a. role play rules and expectations,
b. the six (6) steps of mediation, and,
c. our iPod "disappearance" mediation that we will gradually dissect and discuss all day.

Please assure the MITs that this is a helpful reminder page that they may always consult as needed. In a way, it is a graphic form of a story like the video that we just viewed where the actors played their roles as they followed the steps of a mediation of a conflict which had some interesting twists and nuances to each disputant's story. The graphic at the bottom belongs to the story on the next page, M1, and we will look at it when we begin our work with M1.

OVERVIEW.The information in the text box near the top must be embraced by the MITs! We need each other's cooperation in the role plays to hone our mediating skills. It's worth going over this information together and carefully to get off to a good start. Reminder placards which contain hints for both disputants and mediators, are at the desks. Have the MITs orient them appropriately as needed as we switch roles today. Emphasize that we will switch roles often and in a very structured manner.

ROLES & PROCESS. Presenters control the flow of training just as mediators control the flow of a mediation. All writing today should be either in the Mediation Journal (aka journal) or in the workbook. Be certain that MITs know where their Mediation Journal is located, always. As they switch from disputant to mediator, they need to have them readily available for use as mediator. We'll use one journal for each MIT throughout the day as we go step by step through our role play. The journal will get messy and that's OK. At times, MITs' journal information will appear different from another MIT as they will be entering their own impressions, etc. At times, we will simply transfer information from our workbooks to our Journals.

Toward the end of the day, at times, we discuss and develop a "common" memory, as needed via Class Discussions , and then proceed along individual paths to another point where we, again, develop another common memory via another Class Discussion. This type of activity begins on page M5 and is preceded by printed workbook directions and a Class Discussion each time. At times, the process of delivering this workshop will feel like we are trying to herd cats! This is the reason for the Class Discussion "joining" of minds before proceeding further.

For now, we take our first quick look at the six steps of mediation by reading them, 1-6, with the printed explanations. Mention that our journals have the very same step information, but, in an expanded form to lead us through our mediations. For today's training, the steps are also on the reverse side of the placards containing role play information. These two-faced placards can be rotated as described above.

The graphic at the bottom of LP can be discussed briefly as an introduction to Pat and Kelly. Inside the circle and square, Pat's and Kelly's "baseline" personality characteristics, respectively, are listed. Some separate interests/concerns of Pat (to left of Pat) and Kelly (to right of Kelly) are depicted. Between Pat and Kelly are some shared interest/concerns depicted which may be indicative of the symptoms of the relationship they are currently experiencing. Ultimately, this is the area we will hope to enhance during the healing process of the mediation as we uncover and then focus on shared interests. Hopefully, this shared battleground of conflict can be transformed (via mediation) to a shared ground of peace. Referring back to the video, we as presenters might ask the MITs if there are any similarities in content between this dispute and the video's dispute via Q&A.

In the role plays, whomever in the diad is playing Pat, assumes Pat's separate interests and whomever plays Kelly, assumes Kelly's separate interests. This "character colorization," plus whatever the MITs wish to add in the way of their own "spin" should give us ample information with which to work. Remind the MITs that this graphic can be revisited, anytime, as we prepare now to move on to M1 and the start of formal training and role play. The graphic is also in poster form somewhere in the room.

But, ask first, if there are any questions before moving on . . .

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