Before you attend mediation, it may be helpful to:
- Make an outline of the dispute and of your viewpoint: What's involved? About what are you in disagreement?
- Decide what you want for the student and what you would be willing to propose.
- List the solutions you would be willing to offer to settle the dispute. You may want to list the most important one first, next important second, and so on.
- Check out your viewpoint and ideas. Ask others (colleagues, friends, relatives) to react and comment on your position, what you are seeking, proposed solutions, etc.
- While it is not required, if you decide you need someone to assist you (attorney, advocate, consultant, etc.), seek an advisor who will represent your interests.
- Think about both short and long-term solutions.
- Negotiate with the attitude that, in developing an agreement, it is frequently advisable to start with a plan that might work (even though not your first choice) and then later build on it or modify it as needed, rather than maintain a single solution that is unacceptable to the other party.
- Recognize that mediation requires the give-and-take of ideas and offers, before solutions are agreed to and an agreement reached. Therefore, mediation can be a very creative, spontaneous and dynamic process for the participants.
- Remember to keep the focus on the student's needs.
- Be prepared to explain to the mediator (and opposing party) what issues you'd like to address during the mediation session.