By José Jesús Trujillo
School mediation should be a fundamental tool for managing conflicts that arise in the educational environment. In recent years, coexistence in schools and classrooms has become especially important, not only due to cultural and social diversity, but also because of the challenges posed by daily interactions between students, teachers, and families. It is a voluntary process guided by an impartial person (the mediator), whose objective is to help the parties involved in a conflict to engage in dialogue, understand their differences, and find solutions that are satisfactory for everyone. This method promotes communication, empathy, and respect—essential values for healthy coexistence. In the case of schools, it would be advisable for those responsible for this work to be members of the school community: teachers, parents, students, etc., forming a team to which all conflicts deemed "worthy of mediation" are referred.
What are the reasons for the presence of mediation in schools and classrooms?
We can highlight countless reasons, among which the following stand out:
- Conflict prevention: Mediation helps to identify and address conflicts before they escalate, preventing situations of violence, harassment, or exclusion.
- Improving the school climate: An environment that fosters dialogue and peaceful problem-solving helps students feel safe and respected.
- Development of social skills: Students learn to listen, to express their emotions, to negotiate and to work in a team, key skills for their personal and professional life.
- Promoting responsibility: By participating in mediation processes, students take responsibility for their actions and understand the consequences they have on others.
Inclusion and respect for diversity: Mediation facilitates the integration of students from different cultures, religions or abilities, promoting respect and tolerance.
Benefits of mediation for the educational community
The presence of mediation in schools benefits not only students, but also teachers and families. It reduces the number of serious conflicts, improves relationships among all members of the school community, and creates a more conducive environment for learning and personal development.
Furthermore, school mediation contributes to the acquisition of democratic values and the construction of a more just and equitable society, where words and understanding prevail over confrontation.
Therefore, incorporating mediation into our schools and classrooms is essential to moving towards a holistic education, where every person feels valued and heard. Investing in mediation is investing in the well-being, peace, and future of our students and society as a whole.
How to build and implement, step by step, a school mediation program, through a culture of peace
At the International School of Mediation, we have been working for years on mediation and the best way to create programs to mediate in different areas.
Following Corbela and Romera (2008), a series of phases should be taken into account: 1) the commitment of the center and the creation of the coordinating team; 2) the design of the program and the implementation process; 3) the selection of the mediation team; 4) the training of the mediation team; 5) the dissemination of the program; 6) the organization of the service; 7) the coordination and monitoring and 8) finally the evaluation.
For peer mediation to become a reality, it is necessary to cultivate a mediation culture throughout the school, since a mediation service that no one uses is a wasted effort. Therefore, it is essential to promote mediation more actively so that students' first option when faced with a conflict is to request the mediation service. To achieve this, the entire school community must be involved, not just the teachers who are aware of the issue and are implementing the program. For this reason, the collaboration of the school administration, the teaching staff, and the Parents' Association is crucial (Galindo & Sanahuja, 2020).
In the post: Educating for peace through educational mediation, we tell you the keys to building a culture of peace in schools and classrooms: https://eimediacion.edu.es/ser-mediador/noticias-escuela-mediacion/mediacion-educativa/
Bibliography:
Corbeña, L. and Romera, C. (2008). How to implement, step by step, a peer mediation program in schools. Department of Justice and Public Administration of the Basque Government.
Galindo, EI and Sanahuja, A. (2021). Implementation of a peer mediation project: towards an improvement of coexistence in the educational context. Margins, Journal of Education of the University of Malaga, 2(1), 130-147 https://doi.org/10.24310/mgnmar.v2i1.8459
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