How often these days do we hear of teachers who have quitted or want to quit their jobs because it is becoming too difficult to deal with young people and discipline? It is true that life has changed and is no longer what it used to be. Young people want to have their say in all that concerns them. With globalization and ICT, they might have much to learn from teachers. On the other hand, the dialogue with parents has often failed because the latter don’t seem to speak the same language and share the same values as their kids. But is that enough to call it quits and leave the boat?

Most teachers who have chosen this job as a career undoubtedly believe that there are still ways to bring peace and harmony in their classrooms. One of them is called peer mediation and it involves giving students the responsibility of problem-solving in class. Mediation is a process for resolving conflicts in which a neutral third party acts as a moderator. It provides schools with an alternative to traditional disciplinary practices. Students involved in this process, either as mediators or disputants, learn new ways of handling conflict.

In mediation, trained students help their classmates identify the problems behind the conflicts and find solutions. Peer mediators ask the disputing students to tell their stories and ask questions for clarification. The mediators help the students identify ways of solving the conflict.

A key component to any mediation is letting each student tell his/her own story and feel as if someone understands his/her perspective. Not every kind of problem is suitable for peer mediation but It can be used in little everyday conflicts that can disturb the harmony in a classroom. It is very important to specify the ground rules and the steps of the mediation process. When students agree to the ground rules, the mediation can proceed. Many schools have drafted their own rules. Here is one example of such ground rules.

"Participants should be willing to:

• Solve the problem

• Tell the truth

• Listen without interrupting

• Be respectful

• Take responsibility for carrying out the agreement

• Keep the situation confidential"

Peer mediation is not a question of finding who is right or wrong. Instead, students are encouraged to move beyond the immediate problem and learn how to get along with each other - an important skill in today's world.