Project Mediator
The following compilation entitled “Project Mediator” is designed to help those working in non-formal fields of education address the issues of peer violence. The material has been slightly modified to suit the needs of educators working outside of the formal educational context.
Project Work
Introduction
Non-formal educational centres and non-formal educators, along with the family, play a crucial and influential role in the personal development of boys and girls. Not only do they provide a setting for youngsters to acquire valuable knowledge in times when academic learning is most intensive, but they also offer them a chance to learn to develop themselves as individuals. This task implies working on a series of non-academic skills such as learning how to act, to learn how to think critically, and above all, how to be oneself.
In Article 27.2 of the Spanish Constitution, regarding education, the following reference is made: “Education has as its objective the complete and full development of the human personality while respecting the democratic principles of peaceful coexistence and the fundamental rights and freedoms.”
The preamble of LOGSE is also affirms that; “The principal and fundamental objective of education is to provide boys, girls and adolescents with a comprehensive instruction so that they might fully realise their own identity; building at the same time a vision of reality that considers knowledge, and ethical and moral values to be integral to the exercise of liberty, tolerance and solidarity. These are the foundations of an axiological plural society.”
Therefore, when we speak of education, we refer to the education for life. One of the most important contributions of the Reformation was the inclusion of values, attitudes, and norms as central components of the curriculum.
When speaking of education we mean to suggest an instruction which is integral to the individual, including the acquisition of positive values on both a personal and social level.
Within the field of education, various methods must be employed to overcome situations of conflict and violence among peers. Focus must be placed on the acquisition of certain social skills, strategies for conflict resolution, self-control, and self-knowledge, while at the same time taking into account the underlying social reasons that cause conflicts among peers.
Nevertheless, if we focus on the idea of prevention, we must seek to carry out a series of systematic actions, well-conceived and directed at the alleviation of certain concrete necessities.
It is essential to see the group as a collective of individuals which fulfils common objectives within our social fabric. We must lend due importance to the role of the group, for this is where the adolescent consolidates both their interests and their motives, where they foster sympathy and antipathy, and where they develop in a non-formal setting outside of the intentions of the formal educational system.
As we prepare to address this difficult topic, we should not fix ourselves to one concrete theory, but instead understand the educational centre from a systematic perspective. These centres are open systems, made up of subsystems which are constantly interacting with the rest of society, and which therefore should maintain as their principle the concept of peaceful coexistence. Fernández, I. (1998), following this line, speaks about the philosophy of coexistence, which is based upon the dynamics of conflict that interpersonal relationships and academic organisations serve to stabilise.
This Project aims to tackle the problems that arise in the pursuit of a peaceful coexistence, namely the emergence of violent conduct among peers, and to look for preventative and healthy strategies for eradicating antisocial behaviours.
General Objectives
- To promote pro-social attitudes in boys and girls
- To develop strategies of conflict resolution
Contents
Our work will focus on:
- Self-knowledge and self-esteem.
- Social skills: In this section there will be a series of tasks aimed at developing social skills such as empathy and active listening. The core objectives, however, will focus on assertiveness, which will involve a series of group activities. Also included is a direct intervention designed to deal with more concrete cases which require a deeper treatment regarding the roles of victim and aggressor.
- Conflict resolution: This section includes a model response which can be taught to youngsters to help them deal with conflictive situations. Here we employ various techniques to help with the resolution of conflicts.
Target Groups
The adolescent group and the Scout leaders, monitors and teachers
Methodology
The methodology employed will be an active one. It is necessary that the adolescents not only know the contents of the project, but also that they must experience the project and reflect upon it from the point of view of their own life experience and circumstances.
In many activities, a test will have to be completed beforehand to ascertain the level of development of the adolescent, to make sure that they will be able to relate to the rest of the group and its concrete necessities.
The types of activities included:
- Proposed exercises
- Simulations of certain situations
- Games
- Meetings
- Dramatic role plays
Normally, the work will be done in small groups, although some activities can be carried out with individuals or in larger groups.
Manual for the Scout Leader, Monitor or Teacher
Table of Contents
The current project consists of:
An initial survey of concepts and previous conceptions Page 4
An initial survey of concepts for Scout leaders, monitors, and teachers
Page 5
Initial survey of concepts for adolescents Page 6
Three different and independent sections:
- Self-knowledge and self-esteem.
Definition, justification and objectives Pages 7-9
- Social Skills
Definition, justification and objectives Pages 10-12
- Conflict Resolution
Definition, justification and objectives Pages 13-16
Intervention Strategies:
o Pikas Method Pages 17-19
o Circle of Friends Pages 20-23
o Socio-affective exercises Pages 24-25
o The Assembly as a method of group intervention Page 26
Each of these activities is independent and therefore the number and type can be selected to suit the needs of the group.
Before beginning the project, an initial survey is to be handed out. We can use these surveys to ascertain the attitudes of the adolescents and also those of the Scout leaders, monitors and teachers. An analysis and comparative study of the results can help us to proceed with a clearer idea of the perceptions of peer violence that exist within our group.
Initial Survey of Concepts – Previous conceptions
Previous conceptions about the initial survey
The initial survey aims to analyse a series of concepts in order to later draw conclusions about the setting in the educational centre.
The areas to be analysed are:
A) The Concept of aggressiveness
B) The Perceptions of and experiences with aggressive behaviours
C) Group Integration
D) Conflict resolution and peer pressure
These areas have been broken down into a series of indicators:
A) The Concept of aggressiveness (Question 1): Discern what both adolescents and leaders consider to be aggression in order to compare results.
Indicators: Aggressiveness in relation to physical contact
Aggressiveness in the psychological field
Aggressiveness in the material field
B) Perceptions of and experiences with aggressive behaviours:
1.- Importance of/ attitude towards being faced with aggressive behaviours (Questions 2, 7)
2.- Aggressive feelings and behaviours (Questions 3, 12)
3.- Frequency of aggressive behaviours (Question 4)
4.- Manners and forms that aggressive behaviours can take (Question 5)
5.- Places where aggressive behaviours often take place (Question 6)
C) Group Integration (Questions 10, 13)
1.- Interpersonal relationships in the group
2.- Perceptions of how an adolescent feels valued among the group
D) Conflict resolution and peer pressure (Questions 8, 9):
1.- Attitude towards the group
2.- Behaviours
Initial Survey of Concepts I
For the prevention of peer violence
Survey for Scout leaders, monitors and teachers1.- What do you think the term “aggression” means to your group members? How would they rate the following behaviours in terms of aggressiveness? / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Not at all / Very much
a) To laugh at a companion. / / / / /
b) To insult a companion. / / / / /
c) To touch or handle the belongings of a companion:
(hiding their things or their work...). / / / / /
d) To speak about a companion and act as if they aren’t present.
/ / / /
e) To physically interfere with a companion:
(pushing, shoving, striking...). / / / / /
f) To threaten and obligate a companion to do things against their will.
/ / / /
2.- What do you think your group thinks about those companions that bother or interfere with others?
1.- They think it is very bad behaviour.
2.- Normally, they think it is bad behaviour.
3.- They think it is normal that some companions act this way.
4.- It seems completely normal to them.
5-. They think it is very good and that the others get what they deserve.
3.- How do you think it affects them to see another companion being mistreated like this?
1.- They feel badly and try to help the other.
2.- They feel badly but they do nothing to help.
3.- They are indifferent.
4.- If there is a reason for it, they think it is fine.
5-. They think it is entertaining and breaks the monotony of the group.
4.- How often do you observe aggressive conduct within the group?
1.- Never
2.- Hardly ever
3.- Sometimes
4.- More than 4 times per week
5.- Everyday
Initial survey of concepts II
Project MEDIATORFor the prevention of peer violence
Survey for adolescents
1.- Which behaviours do you think “abusing” another companion includes? / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Not at all / Very much
a) To laugh at another companion. / / / / /
b) To insult another companion. / / / / /
c) To touch or handle the belongings of another companion:
(hiding their things or their work...). / / / / /
d) To speak about a companion and act as if they aren’t present.
/ / / /
e) To physically interfere with a companion:
(pushing, shoving, striking...). / / / / /
f) To threaten and obligate a companion to do things against their will.
/ / / /
2.- What do you think your group thinks about those companions that bother or interfere with others?
1.- It seems like very bad behaviour to them.
2.- Normally, it seems like bad behaviour to them.
3.- It seems like normal behaviour to them.
4.- It’s fine.
5.- It seems like good behaviour to them and the others get what they deserve.
3.- How does it affect you to see another companion being mistreated like this?
1.- I feel badly and try to help the other.
2.- I feel badly but I do nothing.
3.- I feel indifferent.
4-. If there is a good reason, then it is OK.
5-. I find it entertaining and it breaks the monotony of the group.
4.- How often do you observe aggressive conduct?
1.- Never
2.- Hardly ever
3.- Sometimes
4.- More than 4 times per week
5.- Everyday
Self-knowledge and self-esteem
Definition and justification of this section
For L’Ecuyer R (1985) the term self-knowledge or the self refers to the knowledge that an individual has of their own psyche. It includes all that the individual thinks and feels. This self develops with age in a manner closely connected with the acquisition of meta-cognitive capacities.
Self-esteem refers to the evaluation that one makes of oneself. It implies the relations between different levels of aspiration and success. Therefore, when we speak of self-esteem, we also imply the evaluation that one makes of their own characteristics.
Some other definitions:
- Coopermith, S. (1967): Self-esteem is the evaultation that a person makes and generally maintains about themself. It is expressed in an attitude of approval or disapproval which implies the degree to which the person sees themselves as capable, important and worthy.
- For Rogers, C. (1967): Self-esteem is a combination of organized and changing perceptions which refer to the person. To provide an example of these perceptions, Rogers talks about the person’s characteristics, their attributes, qualities and defects, their worthiness and the relationships which the person identifies as descriptive of themselves and which give them a sense of identity.
- For Castaño (1983) the dimensions of self-knowledge are:
a) The structural dimension:
Made up of one’s own image, understood as the perception that one has of oneself, and of self-esteem, which is understood to be the sense of worth that one has of oneself.
b) The dynamic dimension:
In this dimension, the ideas of real self and ideal self come into play, and between these two concepts a certain cognitive dissonance is produced which can be reduced according to the degree of self-confidence (hope) and self-esteem (marked by the individual’s experience) that the individual has.