Restore the Respect

Unresolved conflicts in schools build barriers to learning, including low motivation, lack of focus, and disruptive behaviors that remove students from the classroom. When teacherstudent conflicts occur, the negative effects can be longlasting without a safe and structured way to repair the relationship.This readerfriendly guidebook has a concrete, evidencebased solution: an easy and effective 50minute mediation technique for teachers and students in Grades K12. School psychologist Ondine Gross guides you through the whole process of starting a teacherstudent mediation program, conducting successful mediations, and collecting and monitoring data to measure the effectiveness of the program. Youll also learn how to use the technique to mediate conflicts between students and between adults in schools, including staff members and parents. Highly successful as a Tier II intervention, this commonsense solution will help your school leave ineffective discipline techniques behindand embrace more supportive approaches that model social and problem solving skills, reduce suspensions, and keep students learning.WHY MEDIATION?Reduces disciplinary actions82% of students who participated in teacherstudent mediation had no further disciplinary referrals from that teacher Removes or reduces obstacles to student learning and achievementGives teachers insights into student stressors so they can develop positive solutionsStrengthens and repairs relationships among all members of a school community: teachers, students, staff members, and parentsEnhances socialemotional learning and communication skillsBuilds trust and promotes a caring and respectful environment among people of different backgroundsFits perfectly within response to intervention and systems of schoolwide positive behavior support frameworksWorks in any schoolembed it as a Tier II intervention in your multitiered system of supports or use it as a standalone strategy Statistic derived from average of three years of data from a midsize public high schoolPRACTICAL MATERIALS: Compelling school stories; candid feedback from teachers, students and administrators; stepbystep mediation training and practice scenarios; sample mediation dialogue and communication tips; an intervention tracking tool; and a mediation toolbox of handouts and forms.