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You've Got A Friend

If you are a Murch student and you've got a problem, peer mediators are on the playground to help. Murch has 16 peer mediators for the 2009-2010 school year. They are all fifth graders who have been selected because they are considered to be "fair, patient, interested in helping, and are good listeners," says Murch Counselor Lauren Miller. Any student can ask a peer mediator for help while on the playground if they find that they are arguing with someone, having frustrations, feeling left out, or just feeling lonely.

Peer mediators introduce themselves to the students who might need help and tell the kids that they won't tell their teachers about the mediation or take sides in a disagreement. Peer mediation is private and confidential and problems won't be described to other students.

"Peer mediators don't tell anyone except Ms. Miller or me," says fifth-grade teacher Vicki Otten (back row, left) who with counselor Lauren Miller (back row, second from left) is one of the Murch peer mediator coordinators.

"This is the first year that Murch has had peer mediators in the 5th grade," says Ms. Miller. "Peer mediators have always been 6th graders. They have done an amazing job taking control."

Peer mediators stand out because they wear a blue hat with a picture of a yellow Murch Mustang that reads, Peer Mediator. They are on the playground for both recess times to help students. The peer mediators can play and have fun, but they also keep an eye out for students who might be having problems. You might see them near the Murch Peace Pole area during school recess working with students to help solve problems.

Sovanna Carnell-Guyon and Jordan Dean both are peer mediators. They say they like having an opportunity to show leadership and help fellow students. "Peer mediators ask people to explain the problem. The mediators won't interrupt the students. They give them suggestions and choices, but they leave it up to the students to solve their own problems," Carnell-Guyon says. She adds that she has used her peer mediator skills to help her solve problems at home with her sister.

Dean says that peer mediators "carry a paper with specific questions to ask each student and a pencil to write down what the students tell them. They are careful to ask every student they work with the same questions, so that everyone is treated fairly."

The peer mediators follow certain guidelines, such as:

1. They don't take sides and always remain neutral.
2. They ask students to walk around the Peace Pole labyrinth on the playground hill and think about how the students can fix their own problem.
3. They encourage students to talk to each other about the problem.
4. They encourage students to listen to each other and to express to each other how they are feeling.

If a problem cannot be solved at recess, the peer mediators will take the students to Ms. Miller's office and will continue to work with the students there.

This year's peer mediators are:

So, if you are having problems on the playground that you need help solving, look for a peer mediator in a blue hat.

-- Lindsay Harper, 5th grade & Danielle Allen, 5th grade

Photo by Danielle Allen