Type of Organization(s) [government or non-government organizations such as universities]:
Government
Organization Contact Information:
Amt für Lehrerbildung (AfL) (Office for Teacher Education)
Erwin-Stein-Haus
Stuttgarter Straße 18-24
60329 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 069-3 89 89-230
Fax: 069-3 89 89-606
Email:h.rademacher@afl.hessen.de
Web address (the CRE-project): www.mediation-partizipation.de
Web address (program of the institution AfL): www.portal.bildung.hessen.de
Contact Person(s):
Helmolt Rademacher, Project Manager
Angelika Fabricius, Deputy Project Manager
Summary
This office deals with teacher training in Hessen and is responsible for conflict resolution and violent prevention in schools in Hessen. Within the project "Mediation and school program", there are more than 200 schools (10% of all schools in Hessen) which do mediation work in classrooms and Peer-Mediation. The specific aspect of this program is, that it is connected with ideas of organisational development, that means it follows a systemic approach. This is an important condition to change the culture of conflict (Konfliktkultur) in schools for sustainability.
Description of Organization's Work in CRE
A main part of the project is to establish classroom-programs in all types of schools. Meanwhile different programs for primary schools, secondary schools (form 5/6 and form 7/8) schools for pupils with a learning handicap and vocational schools are developed and partly established. Trainings for pupils' representatives and coaches for Peer-Mediators is also an important part.
The project is in a crisis because the ministry of education in Hessen made the decision to stop the program in the framework of the AfL. We are looking now for a way to find another institution, through which parts of the program can be organized further. The way the project is developed, it has a leading role inside the school mediation movement in Germany.
Besides "Mediation and school program" the project is part of a German wide program: Learning and living democracy (in schools). The name of the project in Hessen is "Mediation and participation". The aim is to combine the ideas of conflict resolution education with ideas of democratic participation. That means to democratize schools using ideas of cooperative learning, just communities, service learning and so on. Within the next years, the organization AfL will establish mediation-programs in teacher "education" (at universities and training seminars for young teacher).
Legislation and Policy Initiatives
Both education and educational policy are dealt with at a state (Bundesland) level. There are 16 states or Bundeslaender, one of which is Berlin. The first states to develop comprehensive conflict resolution / school mediation programs (in the early to mid 1990's) were Berlin, Hessen and North Rhine Westphalia. Standards for school mediation have been in effect since 2001 and were developed by The Bundesverband Mediation (National Mediation Association), a non-governmental institution.
The policy-making agencies are generally the institutes for inservice teacher training. Only one state has made school mediation part of their school law and there are some states with policies, in particular in relation to mediation training for teachers. Approximately 200 schools in Berlin have peer mediation programs.
Resources
According to Helmolt Rademacher "teachers within a school who have an indifferent attitude towards mediation, can slow down the process of implementation severely, if you don't manage to integrate them constantly into the project" (Rademacher, (2001). School Mediation in Hessen, Germany, Peacebuilding, Volume 3, Issue 1. http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Peace/pecnew.htm).
Rademacher goes on to state that "What can be observed in the actual starting phase among teaching colleagues is not a loss of motivation, but a reluctance to take the necessary steps to put the concept in practice. On the one hand, many of the teachers, despite having been trained, don't really dare to apply mediation because they don't feel secure enough and they fear they will make mistakes" (Rademacher, (2001). School Mediation in Hessen, Germany, Peacebuilding, Volume 3, Issue 1. http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Peace/pecnew.htm).
Type of Organization(s) [government or non-government organizations such as universities]:
Non-Government
Contact Information:
Institut für Friedenspädagogik Tübingen
Corrensstr. 12
D-72076 Tübingen
E-mail: kontakt@friedenspaedagogik.de
Tel.: 07071/920510
Fax: 07071/9205111
Contact Person(s):
Elke Begander
Guenther Gugel
Uli Jaeger
Summary
Since its establishment in the year 1976 (first called “Association for Peace Education“) the Institute for Peace Education (IFT) has consistently pursued the goal of bringing the problems of peace and conflict into the forefront of public consciousness. The work in this area is based on the efforts to bring the results of scientific study – in particular peace research – combined with practical work, which is relevant for peace education into the public eye. Peace education is based on the conviction that attitudes and behaviors are changeable through education, and have an influence on political decisions and structures. Peace education, in the manner in which it is developed and practiced by the Institute for Peace Education, is also a request for individual participation in society and political processes. Peace education sees the responsibility of the individual, and consider it in addition to the meaning of the basic structural conditions effecting political processes. For the work in peace education, the Institute for Peace Education was awarded the outstanding German, “Theodor Heuss Medal” in 1982 and 1999 – an honourable mention for the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.
Description of Organization’s Work in CRE
International reconciliation and communication are constant topics at the Institute for Peace Education. In addition the IFT supports school partnership programs with schools in other countries, conducts discussions during international youth conferences, and maintains close co-operation with human right and relief organizations. In the last years many internationally occupied, peace-educational trade conferences were held. The Institute for Peace Education had advisory status within the structure of an electronic network for young people in former Yugoslavia and is in the publishing circle for a Peace Education magazine in Denmark.
Legislation and Policy Initiatives
For many years, the Institute for Peace Education has been making an important contribution in the expansion and development of international campaigns through public education. The international campaigns against nuclear weapons, atomic tests and armament exports and the international campaign against the spreading of land mines are supported by the publication of educational materials. The Institute of Peace Education has also expanded public awareness of the UN Agenda 21 and the global campaign “Overcoming violence” by the World Council of Churches. Many internationally active Non-governmental Organizations (NGO) are important co-operation partners in this endeavor.
Resources
Over 100 publications with well over 100,000 copies, several video films, and CD-ROMs have been developed and published by the IFT.
Please see the following web site for additional useful information;
http://www.friedenspaedagogik.de/
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