A Curriculum in Mediation

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Peer Mediator Training Workshop Presenter Notes - view page 06
06 Begin Structured, Step by Step Mediation, Process Activity/Instruction
Need: MITs in quads with workbooks and pen/pencil

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

Structured, Step by Step Mediation, Process Activity/Instruction <06mit.pdf> (684 KB) [6 M1] view. This is like a, "get ready, get set, go!" page. The Missing iPod Mediation is set up in detail and roles and names are established. Pat & Kelly (cleverly chosen unisex names) are to be our two disputant names. Co mediator and recorder are our mediator team titles employed to help to designate their mediator role. This gives us four (4) roles to be played and each MIT will have played both mediator roles and ONE disputant role by the end of the training. It is suggested that the text (beginning with, "NOTE") in the middle of this page be covered first. MITs need to be made comfortable here to help ensure the success of today's process. Next, read through the iPod issue at top of the page while using the diagram on the previous page (LP) to help explain things. A poster is used here in our discussion. Discuss it and CFU before moving to initial group role assignments. Oldest group member starts the assignment process - see text just above "Getting Ready." The first two MITs playing the role of mediators begin their mediator training with their four items to be followed. MITs ion the role of Pat & Kelly study their parts on the previous page as noted. Check for readiness and proceed to next page (M2). The fun begins. It may take a little while for MITs to get fully immersed in their work as role playing takes a while to get off the ground. The structure of the conflict is set up to have relationship and material issues, both of which, need to appear in the agenda of items to be discussed.

The text information in figure 1 is that which is in graphic form on the previous page. Pat and Kelly are deliberately unisex names to help the MITs get past the first few awkward moments of role play. Presenters should carefully develop the iPod conflict story using the figure 1 text and the previous page's graphic. Read the story, discuss it, etc. Everyone should know the story so that as we change roles throughout the day, the change comes easily and smoothly with minimal reference to this information here. The Story Board poster will be visible all day as we refer to it every so often.

The design of this material dictates that mediators switch roles (recorder & co mediator) within the mediator diad (pair), but is not concerned about rotating the roles of Pat and Kelly--this is not a drama class! It is OUR TRAINING RULE that whomever plays Pat in a diad, always play Pat in that diad whenever his/her diad is playing the disputant roles, AND to do so in the same seat or desk for reasons explained on the next page. Same RULE goes for Kelly's part. Besides, we do not want to encourage more schizophrenia in the general population! It is far more important that the diad switch roles back and forth as recorder and co mediator when they are mediators. See the paragraphs immediately below for "triad" situations. . .

In case you are dealing with a few triad configured groups: When the mediator diad-triad team takes its turn as the role play "mediators" all write on their journals and into their workbooks and participate in asking questions or discussing elements of the mediation with the other members of the "mediator diad-triad." They are full-fledged members of the mediator team, then, who do some co mediator stuff and some recorder stuff. The model of a high profile legal team in a trial where all of the team may speak in session might be close to this concept.
When the mediator diad-triad team takes its turn as role play "disputants," the "extra" MIT is simply silent and present, much like we might be watching a mediation silently to learn of the dynamics of the process. They may make notes of what they see. In our own Los Angeles County DRS-based mediator training, part of the early practicum was to simply sit aside (after being introduced to disputants as an MIT) and, with disputants' approval, observe the proceedings as we accumulated "observation" hours leading toward actual participation in future mediations.

We emphasize that the mediator diad roles of co mediator and recorder are to be understood as equal in importance. The recorder is fully active as a mediator and simply has the extra responsibility to make certain that the "group memory" of the proceeding is well recorded. The co mediator is also fully active as a mediator and simply has the extra responsibility for keeping the flow of the mediation moving along. These roles within a mediator diad then change to give both members of the diad experience with recording and flow responsibilities. In the end, all four members of each quad will experience recording and flow responsibilities. No one is to be a junior mediator diad member to what we do today! Our design dictates that all participants experience a "taste" of mediator experience.

Take some time to explore our disputant roles now as they are described in and below figure 1. Note that the character "colorization" in the paragraph below figure 1 will have an effect on the "story" in the box of figure 1. That's life! The study of the "panorama" of any dispute must take this all into account.

We're almost ready to begin. A quick review of the four (4) roles in a sentence, or two, is appropriate here. Mention rules of role play, for certain. We're just going to get a tiny taste of the steps of mediation next and then be rudely interrupted by theory. Ugh! Ask, "Any questions so far?"

The pages that follow have a format, of sorts. Boldface type often explains how the first role assignments are determined. Please help to explain this practice and make certain that all MITs know who they are to play, for now. Show of hands, if necessary to CFU. Roles will change all day. Assure them that every one usually feels a little awkward doing this at first. To assure them that we will switch roles, have the MITs turn briefly to the next page, M2, about the middle of the page where it says, PRACTICE, and read the second line. This very sort of direction will continue throughout the rest of today and the MITs should look very carefully for this sort of directions for them.

Getting Ready. Here are some last minute instructions for our MITs. Because the MITs will change roles they should be aware of both sets of directions, MEDIATORS and PAT & KELLY, but concentrate mainly, for now, on whomever they are playing first. For the mediators, the listed steps 1-4 are the "real deal"--for today AND for real mediations. But, for the disputants, their listed steps 1-4 are really only for their "Emmy winning" performances today, BUT, by following them, we all benefit when it's our turn to play mediator working with such great "actors & actresses."

Before we go on to M2, let's be certain that all have read all of the steps for each role. Now, re-read the steps for your current role. When all indicate that they are ready, we proceed to the next page. We must be on the "same page--literally and figuratively as we begin process.

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