Conflicts are a part of our daily routine, necessary and inevitable. Literature states different definitions of conflict. Iršič (2010) regards conflict as a state of contradictory views in a system, in an individual, as well as among people inside a certain community or space, or among groups, which are part of a larger society or work on different fields with cross interests.
Despite the hint of negativity, conflict has several beneficial effects. However, the consequences of unsolved conflicts remain negative.
Several forms of conflicts are known – mutual or interpersonal conflicts are a basic part of every school and emerge among all attendees.
People react differently to conflicts, as well as their solutions. In recent literature three possibilities of conflict solution are mentioned. Cohen (2012) talks about negotiation, mediation and arbitrage. The main focus of our thesis is mediation or peer mediation, described in miscellany Punishment in school (2010) as a process in which at least two pupils, having a conflict, dispute or difference, participate. Both have agreed on solving the situation on a calm, tolerant and productive way, which can lead to a concrete, voluntary and consensus solution. A third, neutral peer, with different techniques, skills and knowledge, helps the pupils in dispute by interpreting different perspectives and expressing wishes or needs, in order to find the best possible solution. A neutral person, involved in the process of mediation is called a mediator.
Although peer mediation is based on teenagers solving mutual conflicts on their own, a support of an adult is still needed – in this case a coordinator.
Our interest was how peer mediation works in practice on chosen primary schools and how effective it is as a strategy of teenage conflict solving.
With interview analysis the positive effects of peer mediation and its applicability and efficacy were presented on chosen primary schools through the perspective of a peer mediator.
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