SEL Peer Mediation & Restorative Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which stage of the peer mediation process involves helping disputants brainstorm possible solutions without evaluating them?
- Option generation (Correct answer)
- Problem identification
- Agreement writing
- Opening statement
Correct answer: Option generation
Option generation (brainstorming) encourages creative thinking before solutions are assessed for feasibility.
Question 2: The concept of 'proportionality' in restorative agreements means that the repair plan should:
- Match the severity and scope of the harm caused (Correct answer)
- Always include community service regardless of the offense
- Be determined solely by the harmed party
- Mirror the punishment that a disciplinary process would have assigned
Correct answer: Match the severity and scope of the harm caused
Proportionality ensures that the effort required to repair harm is reasonably related to the harm's impact.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a 'restorative consequence' rather than a punitive one?
- A student who vandalized school property is required to help repaint the damaged wall (Correct answer)
- A student who vandalized school property is suspended for three days
- A student who vandalized school property receives a failing grade
- A student who vandalized school property is placed in in-school suspension
Correct answer: A student who vandalized school property is required to help repaint the damaged wall
Restorative consequences require the student to actively repair the harm, reconnecting accountability to community.
Question 4: In a peer mediation program, 'caucusing' refers to:
- Meeting separately with each party during a session to allow private conversation with the mediator (Correct answer)
- A formal vote among mediators to decide how to proceed
- A break taken when emotions become too intense to continue
- The initial training session before mediators begin practicing
Correct answer: Meeting separately with each party during a session to allow private conversation with the mediator
Caucusing allows mediators to privately explore concerns or reality-test proposals with each party without the other present.
Question 5: Which social-emotional competency is MOST directly strengthened when students practice active listening in peer mediation?
- Social awareness (Correct answer)
- Self-management
- Responsible decision-making
- Goal setting
Correct answer: Social awareness
Active listening builds social awareness by developing empathy and perspective-taking toward others' feelings and viewpoints.
Question 6: A restorative 'harm circle' differs from a standard classroom community circle primarily in that it:
- Specifically addresses an incident of harm and focuses on repair and accountability (Correct answer)
- Is facilitated by an outside adult rather than a peer
- Meets daily instead of weekly
- Is only attended by the students directly involved in the incident
Correct answer: Specifically addresses an incident of harm and focuses on repair and accountability
Harm circles are convened in response to a specific incident to restore relationships and repair harm, unlike proactive community circles.
Question 7: When writing a peer mediation agreement, the MOST important characteristic of each action item is that it is:
- Specific, realistic, and measurable so both parties can track follow-through (Correct answer)
- Suggested by the mediator rather than the disputants
- Vague enough to allow flexibility in how each party responds
- Signed by a teacher before it takes effect
Correct answer: Specific, realistic, and measurable so both parties can track follow-through
Agreements are more likely to be honored when each step is concrete and verifiable by the parties themselves.
SEL Peer Mediation & Restorative Practices 3
Which stage of the peer mediation process involves helping disputants brainstorm possible solutions without evaluating them?