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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Students Help Keep The Peace

Candace Burns The Idaho Statesman

Students at Brooklyn Elementary School in Salmon say student mediators for playground disputes are in danger of putting themselves out of business: nobody’s fighting any more.

Carrying neon orange clipboards, fourth- and fifth-graders called “conflict managers” team up for recesses and lunch breaks, patrolling the playground for disputes among their peers.

Most disputes break out on the asphalt-paved area where kids play games. When the conflict managers do spot a problem, they let the students choose whether they want to work it out with them or a with teacher. Usually, squabbling students choose to work their problems out with their peers.

First, the students have to agree to tell the truth, not interrupt, not call each other names, and to resolve the problem.

Then the team asks each disputant for their version of what happened, how they think the problem can be resolved, and whether or not they think the problem has been resolved.

They must also agree not to tell anyone else about their conflict. If students are actually pushing or hitting, the teams are instructed to get help from the playground teacher.

“I’ve been through it twice and I’ve never had a conflict,” reported fifthgrader Deraek Larson. “They stop fighting as soon as they see the clipboards.”

Last year, though, before the school tried the program, there were plenty of fights.

“There were lots of detentions, lots of problems that couldn’t be solved by kids because we were solving their problems for them,” said Brooklyn principal Sue Rodgers. “Usually there would be three or four kids lined up waiting for me after lunch.”

Teachers say the program helps keep the peace even in the classroom, and saves them time when a dispute arises between students.

Fourth-grade teacher Rose Morphey said rather than having to stop teaching to help settle a dispute among students, she can now send them out in the hall with a conflict manager.

And even those students not trained as managers - there are 60 out of the 230 fourth- and fifthgraders at Brooklyn - are picking up on the skills.

Not all disputes can be resolved. Fifth-grader Robert Brown said that he once tried unsuccessfully to resolve a dispute that broke out among six students.

“They were throwing rocks at each other and every person had a different story,” he said. “They didn’t want to solve it so I sent them to Mrs. Rodgers.”

The 60 peace keepers selected by the school’s teachers say they like their job.

“It really makes me feel better knowing that I’ve helped someone solve their problems,” said fifthgrader Kristy Dutton.

Brooklyn’s conflict managers may be among the future peacemakers of the country. They have already taken their skills home with them, teaching them to their siblings, parents and friends.

“I used to just duke it out with my sister,” said Sierra Edgar. “Now I try to work it out.”

The students agreed that more people could benefit from their skills. “I think it works with anybody at any age,” Dutton said.