Cool Schools Primary Programme

Cool Schools Full Primary Training

The Cool Schools Primary Peer Mediation Programme is a whole school programme. A full primary training is 5 hours with the whole staff. This can include your teacher aides, principal release teacher, RTLB, caretaker, bus driver/s, day relievers, BOT and other parents. The time of this training is flexible and is negotiated between the Cool Schools trainer and the school.

The most popular training options are:

• Teacher Only Day - 6 hours (9am - 3pm, incl interval and lunchtime)
or
• Two consecutive staff meetings - 2 hours each with the additional hour given to a meeting with the Cool School Co-ordinator/s normally just before the second staff meeting.

Once staff are trained in the skills, they then pass these on to the students in their classrooms. This includes junior children!

The full training session includes:

• Introduction/Aims
• Conflict - Destructive vs Constructive
• Recognising different response options to conflict
• Role of the mediator
• The mediation process
• Classroom skills
• Handling difficult situations
• Effective implementation

Cool Schools Co-ordinator

Once staff are trained, Cool Schools Co-ordinators are selected who then begin the step-by-step process towards effective implementation practice. This includes selection, additional training and rostering on duty in the playground a team of senior pupils who become the schools “ambassadors of social justice” - the Cool Schools Peer Mediators! They are identified in the playground by a special uniform (available for purchase from The Peace Foundation - Click here to download the Cool Schools Resource Order Form). Children caught up in a conflict situation have the option of approaching a mediator or a teacher for help. If both parties are willing then a mediation takes place.

The Cool School Co-ordinators, once appointed, need to be given sufficient time to undertake the additional responsibilities the programme brings. This includes:

• Extra skill training for the student mediators (best during school hours).
• Regular weekly mediator meetings (best during school hours).
• Being available to support mediators on duty.
• Attending the regional Cool Schools Co-ordinators Network Meetings.

The benefits of the Cool Schools Primary Programme are:

• Life long conflict management skills are learnt and practised by everyone in the school community.
• Students are empowered to help other students.
• Creates a more peaceful, harmonious, safer learning environment.
• Provides an opportunity for students to be in a leadership role offering an important service as “peace-keepers” in their school.
• Teachers can teach these skills and processes as part of their Health Curriculum.

ARE YOU CONSIDERING IMPLEMENTING THE COOL SCHOOLS PEER MEDIATION PROGRAMME?

Please consider the checklist below. This is a list of recommendations which we ask you to consider BEFORE you decide to implement Cool Schools.

Effective implementation means you will make an attempt to action as many of the items on the checklist as possible.

Checklist for effective implementation of Cool Schools in a Primary School

Essentials

1. ALL staff need to have the Cool Schools Full Primary Training so that they are fully able to support the Co-ordinator and student peer mediators in the most effective way possible and are “on board”.
   
   If you book in early enough with your local Cool Schools trainer, this training may be provided FREE by the Ministries. If it was under 5 years that your school had a full training, then you may be due for a Cool Schools Revisit which may also be fully funded by the Ministries.
2. School time made available to give the selected school peer mediators their specific skill training by the Co-ordinator/s (at least TWO DAYS release from class if at all possible).
3. Co-ordinator release time made available to have weekly meetings with the school team of mediators (e.g. meeting at 12 noon on a Friday afternoon)
4. A BUDGET of approx $500 to buy resources from The Peace Foundation and to have some fun at the end of the school year as an appreciation of the service the mediators have given to the school throughout the year.
5. One afternoon’s release time for the Co-ordinator to attend the regional Cool Schools Network Meeting. This event is normally once a year and is a wonderful way to connect/network with other Cool Schools Co-ordinators in your local area.

Desirable

6. The Co-ordinator’s playground duty should be to look after their team of mediators 5 days a week. That will keep them busy enough if they are doing an effective job!
7. Co-ordinator’s need some release time within the course of a week to do administration work associated with this role. There is a substantial amount of this! This allocated time can also include the Co-ordinator’s Meeting. Some Co-ordinators’ around the country are getting an afternoon’s release per week for this. These schools really value this programme and the work their Co-ordinator’s are doing to implement the programme effectively in their school!
8. Value the Co-ordinator and the importance of this role in the school by allocating an MU (temporary units) for the position of Cool Schools Co-ordinator. Schools that are doing this at present, have an effective programme being well managed by a very motivated Co-ordinator!
9. At least ONE other colleague assisting the Head Co-ordinator with the role of Cool Schools Co-ordinator (relevant for schools with a roll of 200 plus pupils)
10. This is a WHOLE SCHOOL PROGRAMME! New, untrained staff need to be sent to a Cool Schools training facilitated by the National Manager at your local Teachers’ Centre (Education Plus venue). Your school will be informed via the Cool Schools Newsletter and email about an up-coming training available in your region. If it is over 5 years that your school has had full staff training, it may be time to have another FULL staff training to refresh everybody with the skills and processes.

Please contact your local Regional Cool Schools trainer if you want to find out more information or/and you want to book a training for your school. Click here to see the Cool Schools trainer contact details.

What Additional Support is Offered to Schools Once Trained?

The Cool Schools Revisit

It is recommended that a Cool Schools trainer make a follow up visit 12 months after the initial staff training. The purpose of this visit is to give additional support to help with effective implementation of the programme.

The Revisit session includes:

• A one hour training session with the mediators.
• A one hour staff meeting.
• A one hour meeting with the school co-ordinator/s.

Ongoing annual Revisits are encouraged to maximise effective implementation practice and to support/update the Cool Schools Co-ordinator.

Regional Cool Schools Network Meetings

These are annual/biennial meetings are an opportunity to gather Cool Schools Co-ordinators from the region together with the Cool Schools National Manager and the Cool Schools Regional Trainer to discuss and share innovations, successes, needs, challenges, new resources, programme developments, etc. Cool Schools Co-ordinators leave these meetings recharged and feeling enthusiastic about how they can implement the programme more successfully in their school. Regional Cool Schools Network Meeting dates are listed in the Cool Schools bi-annual Newsletters. Cool Schools Co-ordinators will be sent an agenda informing them of details for their regional network meeting.

Regional Cool Schools Trainer or/and Cool Schools National Manager

The Cool Schools National Trainer Christina Barruel and/or your regional Cool Schools trainer are always available to offer support/advice/help by phone or email. Click here to see the Trainer Contact details.

Cool Schools Bi-annual Newsletter

This publication is sent to Cool Schools throughout New Zealand during Term 2 and Term 4 of each year. It contains articles and photos from Cool Schools mediators, co-ordinators, trainers plus other interesting news from the national/international Cool Schools community. Certainly a great way to keep in touch with all the new innovations, resources, developments, etc., happening in the global Cool Schools world! Please email Christina,   if you have a contribution. This will be well appreciated!

Email: christina@peacefoundation.org.nz

Click here to download the latest Cool Schools Newsletter.