Materials and construction:
- Strips of plain (no pattern) fabric, plastic or paper cut into strips12” to 18” wide and 6 to 8 feet long.
- Permanent markers, black wide tip
- Divide the strip into 10 equal STEPS, you can draw lines as dividers
- Write the words on the steps, having the words facing the person who is about to step on them; The steps are identical with the exception that steps #2 and #3 are reversed. Older children can write their own words.
Directions for use:
Step 1: Mediator makes sure that each person understands the agreements, and then asks each person if they agree to abide by the rules/agreements. If yes, then they each step onto their first STEP.
Step 2: First person, who is on the “Tell story” step, explains their problem and how they feel about it. Second person just listens. Mediator then asks the second person to explain in their own words what the first person said. Mediator checks with the first person to see if that is what they meant, and how they feel. If not, work on it till person two has really heard what the first person said (active listening process). Each person steps forward one step.
Step 3: Second person tells their side of the disagreement, and how they feel. Mediator repeats process of making sure that the other person was really listening, and can explain what was said. Each person steps forward one step.
Step 4: Each participant tells what they want, and what they are willing to do. The mediator facilitates finding common ground and exploring a variety of solutions. Each person steps forward one step.
Step 5: The parties discuss and decide on a solution, shake hands. The mediator helps set a time for trying the solution and checking back to see if it worked.
Peace Path Handout prepared by Marilyn Shelton (2005), based on an article by Pamela Lane-Garon (1998), “Addressing Kindergarten Students’ Conflict Behavior: Encouraging Social-Cognitive Development,” where she described her concrete application of the steps developed by Johnson and Johnson (1991) in Reducing school violence through conflict resolution.