Back in fifth grade, the teachers at my elementary tried implementing a system to curb the spurts of aggression a lot of us showed.
I'm not sure if they were the ones who came up with the idea, I'm sure other schools had the same system, but I just never asked.
"Peer-Mediators."
A select few of us were chosen from each grade. I was one of the... probably four fifth graders chosen.
We were pulled from our classes for about an hour a day, for a week. We would go to "Peer-mediation" workshops, where we were taught methods for solving/preventing fights.
At the end, we were given orange sashes with "PEER-MEDIATOR" written in huge blue letters. Oh, and a clipboard... can't forget the important clipboard.
Each day, at recess, two kids from each grade (3rd-5th, I do believe) would have to "patrol" the school yard during lunch time. We'd go looking for kids who were in the middle of a fight/argument, break it up, make a write-up of what went down and how we solved it. The fighting parties had to sign off on the sheet as well.
I hated this.
I never ASKED to be in the damn peer-mediating program, yet I was forced to walk around the yard with a stupid orange sash and a heavy-ass clipboard looking for fights every other day.
The worst part?
Each "couple" had a quota to meet. Three fights a day.
Honestly, kids can only get into so many fights in the span of thirty minutes.
After about three days, it was damn near impossible to find that many fights going on.
Teacher: They don't have to be physical altercations... you can easily solve arguments. That counts too.
What did I do? I made them up. I had my friends and relatives fake the fights.
You can't blame me for trying to expand the horizons of some of these kids.
After about two weeks, the teachers started to notice my action-packed sessions, and started the ease up on my rotation.
Either she's lying... or she's INSTIGATING the fights.
Me?! Instigate? How rude! I'd never do that! Now, embellish... that's a different story.
By the fourth week, I was out.
That's why I now resort to problem solving using only a bat.
Or... not.
Truth is, I'm still a sucker for problem solving by talking shit out, and I end up with a giant headache and close to tears.
But it fucking works.
Someone get me a clipboard and a motherfucking orange sash!
I'm not sure if they were the ones who came up with the idea, I'm sure other schools had the same system, but I just never asked.
"Peer-Mediators."
A select few of us were chosen from each grade. I was one of the... probably four fifth graders chosen.
We were pulled from our classes for about an hour a day, for a week. We would go to "Peer-mediation" workshops, where we were taught methods for solving/preventing fights.
At the end, we were given orange sashes with "PEER-MEDIATOR" written in huge blue letters. Oh, and a clipboard... can't forget the important clipboard.
Each day, at recess, two kids from each grade (3rd-5th, I do believe) would have to "patrol" the school yard during lunch time. We'd go looking for kids who were in the middle of a fight/argument, break it up, make a write-up of what went down and how we solved it. The fighting parties had to sign off on the sheet as well.
I hated this.
I never ASKED to be in the damn peer-mediating program, yet I was forced to walk around the yard with a stupid orange sash and a heavy-ass clipboard looking for fights every other day.
The worst part?
Each "couple" had a quota to meet. Three fights a day.
Honestly, kids can only get into so many fights in the span of thirty minutes.
After about three days, it was damn near impossible to find that many fights going on.
Teacher: They don't have to be physical altercations... you can easily solve arguments. That counts too.
What did I do? I made them up. I had my friends and relatives fake the fights.
You can't blame me for trying to expand the horizons of some of these kids.
After about two weeks, the teachers started to notice my action-packed sessions, and started the ease up on my rotation.
Either she's lying... or she's INSTIGATING the fights.
Me?! Instigate? How rude! I'd never do that! Now, embellish... that's a different story.
By the fourth week, I was out.
That's why I now resort to problem solving using only a bat.
Or... not.
Truth is, I'm still a sucker for problem solving by talking shit out, and I end up with a giant headache and close to tears.
But it fucking works.
Someone get me a clipboard and a motherfucking orange sash!
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