FACT: Research has shown that having mediation as a consistent practice helps decrease incidents of student discipline as well as increase student engagement in the classroom.
VBCPS continues to build the capacity of specific staff members in school buildings – primarily school counselors – to offer mediation when it’s appropriate. Again, it serves as a proactive measure to help meet students’ emotional needs to prevent poor decision-making in the future.
As such, mediation can take on several forms. For example, when teachers can sense a child is getting frustrated and overwhelmed in the classroom, they can call on mediators to work directly with the child before they act out. Or, if a teacher does refer a student, a mediator can work with the student and the teacher to assist with an appropriate classroom relationship.