Peer Mediation (7-12))  and Bridges to Safety – This 12 hour training  incorporates elements
of the Bridges to Safety program with peer mediation training so that at the end of the
training, students are prepared to do the beginning lessons of Bridges to Safety with
younger students in the school as well as peer mediation.

Philosophy behind the Bridges to Safety combined offerings – Schools get the initial Conflict Mediation
training and always intend to get back to BTS in the second semester. They really need to
start with BTS because this is the way the students get to know the mediators and they are
then more likely to use the program. Anecdotal evidence shows that initially managers and
mediators have trouble getting business. This is exactly why BTS was  developed– to give the
students a way to introduce themselves to their peers in a non-threatening way.

E: Engage Find a safe and quite place to talk. Agree to be confidential, respectful, honest and willing to solve the problem.

A: Ask Ask each other what happened. Listen to the other person and hear what s/he is feeling and thinking. Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

S: Solve Identify possible solutions. Be specific. Decide on a solution that will work best for both of you.

Y: Yes! Agree on the best solution. Make a plan and begin. Thank each other for working on the problem.

Lesson Seven: Responsibility – Grades 3-6

Introduction (5 min.)

Greet the class by telling them how glad you are to see them.

Brainstorm Web: Write the word Responsibility on the board and circle it. Say:

We are going to brainstorm what responsibility means and create a word web on the board. Raise your hand if you have an idea about how to define responsibility.

Write down responses and connect them to the circle with lines. Be sure to include the following words: duty, obligation, taking care of someone/something, trustworthy, reliable.

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout (15 min.)

Tell the students that you have a poem by Shel Silverstein to read to them and you need one volunteer.

Have a student stand in the front of the room and give him the sign, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout to hold.

As one peer mediator reads the story slowly and with lots of expression, the other peer mediator sticks each “Sylvia Sign” (papers with lines from the poem) on the volunteer as that part is read.

When finished, keep the student standing while you ask the following questions: (Remember to acknowledge and restate all responses.)

• What was Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout responsible for? (Taking out the garbage)
• Did she do other chores? (She cleaned the pots and pans)
• What happened to her? (She got smothered in the garbage and her friends would not come to play)
• What’s the message of the poem?

Small Group Discussion: Ask the teacher for help to divide the class into two groups. One peer mediator joins each group and asks volunteers how they would practice responsibility in each of these situations (these “Responsibility Problems” are also on the CD that comes with the book):

• You are watching your favorite television program and you remember that your science project is due tomorrow.
• Your row in class has been assigned a group project on Native Americans. You have to do part of the project’s research but you would rather play kick ball after school than go to the library.
• Your sister is not feeling well and your parents ask you to take over her chores for the weekend.
• You borrow your neighbor’s skateboard and it is stolen when you left it outside your house.
• Your friend asks you to do something with him, but you have promised your mom you would put away the clean dishes.
• When passing out the study guide for a test, the teacher accidentally gives you the answer sheet to the real test.
• Your coach asks you to come to practice on time but you would rather “hang out” with your friends.

Mix & Match Responsibility Sheet (10 min.)

Pass out the Mix & Match sheet (from the CD that comes with the book) and ask students to connect the correct matches. Review responses.

Wrap-up

Ask: If you take responsibility for your own actions, what privileges might you earn?

Thank the students for their responsible behavior and end with the poem “The Voice” by Shel Silverstein (see appendix).

Free Sample Lesson

Stereotypes and Tolerance

THEME OF THE WEEK: To build awareness of cultural stereotypes, to learn acceptance and tolerance
for diverse groups, and to acknowledge external and internal personal assets
for bridging the gap between groups.

TIME: 50 minutes

TEACHER/STUDENT PREPARATION: Students need
to arrange their desks in one large circle at the beginning of class. Teacher
is requested to participate in the Stereotype Hat Role-play.

ACTIVITIES:

Introduction / Upcoming Events (5 min.)

Stereotype Hat Role-play (20 min.)

Stand Up (10 min.)

Making Connections / Positive Partners (10 min.)

Wrap-up & Evaluation (5 min.)

SUPPLIES:

12 Stereotype Hats

Stapler

Felt tip pens

Student Handouts: (class sets of each)

Construction Paper strips

Evaluation

INTRODUCTION / UPCOMING EVENTS: (5 min.)

(The students’ desks should be arranged in one large
circle.)

1. Greet the students and explain that majority of the activities
   will be as a large group.
2. Review Upcoming Events with the whole group in the large
   circle.
3. In your own words say:

“The activities so far have involved learning
about the school and each other’s interests, family heritage, similarities
and differences, and harassment issues. Today we want to look at our own personal
strengths to see how we can use them to bridge differences among us.”

STEREOTYPE HAT ROLE-PLAY: (20 min.)

Tell the students that you will need twelve volunteers
for this role-play. Explain that the volunteers must be willing to talk in
the group and to wear a role hat throughout the activity. They are not to
look at their own hat until they are told to take them off. Do not pass
out the hats until all of the instructions have been given.

Set up the role play as follows:

“These students wearing the hats have been
selected to represent some of the different groups of students on campus.
We will lead a group discussion and we want you to treat the role players
according to the hat instructions. Please raise your hand to speak. It is
important for the role players to contribute to the discussion. Please do
not tell the role players what is written on their hat.”

Distribute the hats to the volunteers. Then say:

“We are going to begin the role-play. As your
peer leaders we want to discuss the lunchtime situation with the many different
student groups we have represented here. We really think that lunchtime is
boring and not very much fun. People are just hanging around, the food choices
are limited, people leave garbage all over, and sometimes students get in
fights. We want to know what you as freshmen think and what you want to see
happen at lunch. So who wants to start the discussion?”

If no one volunteers pick someone to start. Keep the discussion
going by restating what is being said and asking follow-up questions. Be sure
to include everyone who is wearing a hat. The more you get involved
in the role-play and “ham it up,” the more the freshmen will get
the idea and the more fun and successful the activity will be! It
will be important to keep control of the class and make sure only one person
speaks at a time.

Continue until everyone wearing a hat has a chance to
get involved in the discussion and has had enough clues to figure out who
they represent.

End the discussion by asking each role player which group
s/he represented. Collect the hats and continue by asking:

“What was the purpose of the role-play?”

To point out how people are treated when they are classified
into a stereotype.

“What is a stereotype?”

A judgment that classifies a person based on superficial
evidence.

“Are these typical stereotypes at our school?
What are some other stereotypes on campus?

“How does stereotyping people affect groups
trying to work together?”

People make assumptions that keep them from listening
or caring about what others in the group have to say. Nothing gets accomplished.
Resentment and hurt feelings develop which leads to conflict in the group.

“How does the person wearing the hat lose?”

No one will see her/him for who s/he truly is.

“How does the person doing the stereotyping
lose?”

S/he misses out on understanding the person who is wearing
the hat.

“Can you change your ‘hat’ —
the way people see you?”

Sometimes you can change your hat by changing your appearance,
your social group, your behavior, and/or your activities, but certain ‘hats’
are permanent and it’s a matter of being who you are and tolerating others
for who they are.

“Are there hats associated with different ethnicities?
What labels are attached to them?”

Stereotype Hats:

Cute — Flirt with me

Clown — Laugh at me

Teacher’s Pet — Resent me

Partyer — Make fun of me

Nerd — Ignore me

Brain — Compliment me

Leader — Follow me

Bully — Fear me

Cheerleader — Don’t take me seriously

Jock — Admire me

Newcomer — Separate from me

English Language Learner — I don’t understand

STAND UP (10 min.)

With students sitting in a large circle of desks say:

“In this exercise,
we will ask you to stand silently if the statement we read applies to you.
Notice any feelings you have as you stand. If you decide not to stand for
something that applies to you, think about what would make you feel comfortable
enough to stand. Please do this exercise in silence. If you feel a need to
laugh or comment, notice what uncomfortable feelings you may be having. When
you are standing, look around and see who else is standing. Please remain
standing until we ask you to sit.”

Please stand up silently if: (read
each time)

• You were ever criticized because of your clothes or appearance.
• You have ever been put down by a teacher or schoolmate.
• You were ever ignored or watched suspiciously in a store because you are a teenager.
• You have ever felt your physical safety threatened at school.
• You were ever yelled at or harassed in a public place.
• You have ever heard people say put-downs or jokes about women, people of color, people of various religions, people with disabilities, or gays.
• You were ever the victim of put-downs or violence due to prejudice.
• You have ever felt uncomfortable in a situation because you were the only member of your ethnic group or gender.
• You have ever been made to feel dumb.
• You have ever felt left out of a group of friends.
• You were ever forced to fight or otherwise defend yourself against another student.
• You ever felt unattractive or felt bad about your body.
• You have ever been considered a partyer or druggie.
• You have ever been considered a nerd or teacher’s pet.
• Your ancestors were forced to leave their home and move somewhere else.
• You have ever tried to change how you look or act because you felt judged by someone else.
• You have ever felt guilty or powerless to do anything about racism.
• You have ever felt racial tension in a situation and were afraid to say anything about it.
• You haven’t stood up yet.

Debrief this activity by asking:

“What feeling or thoughts did you have during the Stand up activity? Were there any questions that were difficult for you?”

Use active listening to reflect back students’ responses. Point out that some people feel surprised and relieved to know that there are others who have had the same experiences.

MAKING CONNECTIONS /POSITIVE PARTNERS (10
min.)

(This activity can be done in the large group or small groups)

1. Have each freshman choose a partner sitting next to her/him.
2. Ask each student to think of a strength or quality that
   her/his partner could use to help make the school community a more peaceful,
   accepting place for all students.
3. Each person writes her/his partner’s name and quality
   on the construction paper provided.
4. When everyone is finished, have each person share with
   the group what s/he wrote about her/his partner.
5. Make a chain with each person’s piece of construction
   paper.
6. Hang the chain in the classroom.

WRAP-UP & EVALUATION (5 min.)

Tell the group:

“We hope all of you will use your positive qualities to help end stereotyping and make our school a more friendly and peaceful place.”

Thank them for their time and distribute the evaluation.