About TMTR
TEXAS MEDIATION TRAINERS ROUNDTABLE
Providing guidance and resources to the Texas Mediation Training Community
MISSION STATEMENT
The Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable establishes and communicates standards and best practices for mediation training and trainers to promote the highest degree of professionalism, integrity, creativity and quality of mediation in Texas.
Goals of Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable
1. Design, update, and promulgate standards for mediation training
2. Create standards for mediation trainers
3. Provide members with support including resources, networking, and training
BYLAWS OF TEXAS MEDIATION TRAINERS ROUNDTABLE
A Brief History of Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable
Background
In 1992, a group of Texas mediation trainers met to discuss opportunities to enhance the quality of mediation training in Texas and to strengthen collegial relationships among mediation trainers. As a result, the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable was formed. TMTR was initially an informal coalition of Texas mediation trainers interested in developing statewide standards for the basic 40-hour mediation training as mentioned in Section 154.052 (a) of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
Basic Mediation Training Standards
In 1994, TMTR members who represented the major mediation training providers in Texas reached consensus on the 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training Standards. One of the first such training standards in the nation, the Roundtable standards were published in 1995 by the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, now merged with ACR, the Association for Conflict Resolution. After accomplishing its goal, the members of the Roundtable dispersed and the business of TMTR was considered finished.
Family Mediation Training Standards
In 1999, the Roundtable was re-formed with a more formal structure as a way to have a more effective voice in the credentialing initiative in Texas. Members of TMTR also began to develop standards for family mediation training. The 30-Hour Family Mediation Training Standards were finalized in September of 2000. They were delayed to make sure they were consistent with others being developed by AFM (Academy of Family Mediators, now merged with ACR, Association for Conflict Resolution). It is important to note that the 30-hour length of training in the standard exceeds the 24 hours mentioned in Texas Law (Section 154.052 (b) of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code). The committee felt that it was important to add issues of domestic violence to the curriculum and to add more time for roleplays.
Continuing Development of Standards
TMTR members revised the 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training Standards in 2003. TMTR members also developed Standards for Ethics Training for Mediators in 2003. In 2004, TMTR created Standards for Continuing Education in Mediation. In 2015, TMTR developed Texas-Specific Mediator Short Course Standards and later in 2022, TMTR changed the minimum time for this course from 4 hours to 2 hours. TMTR members developed Elder Mediation Training Standards during 2017 which were adopted in 2018.
Annual Training for Mediation Trainers
As a way to support professional development for Texas mediation trainers, TMTR began to sponsor annual training sessions including those on the following topics:
1999 Assessing Mediator Performance,
2000 Training Techniques for Effective Role Plays,
2001 Instructional Techniques for Adult Learning Styles,
2002 Teaching Mediation Ethics: Issues, Processes and Techniques,
and many more in subsequent years.
Ongoing Activities of TMTR
The current form of TMTR is a Texas nonprofit corporation which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization as determined by the Internal Revenue Service. The members of TMTR represent many of the major mediation training organizations in Texas. Since Covid, TMTR has continued holding meetings and Train The Trainer (T3) programs using online video conferences. TMTR has determined that online mediation training courses that are both at the same time LIVE and INTERACTIVE for the entirety of the course conducted by a TMTR approved trainer are meeting the TMTR standards.
Providing guidance and resources to the Texas Mediation Training Community
MISSION STATEMENT
The Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable establishes and communicates standards and best practices for mediation training and trainers to promote the highest degree of professionalism, integrity, creativity and quality of mediation in Texas.
Goals of Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable
1. Design, update, and promulgate standards for mediation training
2. Create standards for mediation trainers
3. Provide members with support including resources, networking, and training
BYLAWS OF TEXAS MEDIATION TRAINERS ROUNDTABLE
A Brief History of Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable
Background
In 1992, a group of Texas mediation trainers met to discuss opportunities to enhance the quality of mediation training in Texas and to strengthen collegial relationships among mediation trainers. As a result, the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable was formed. TMTR was initially an informal coalition of Texas mediation trainers interested in developing statewide standards for the basic 40-hour mediation training as mentioned in Section 154.052 (a) of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
Basic Mediation Training Standards
In 1994, TMTR members who represented the major mediation training providers in Texas reached consensus on the 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training Standards. One of the first such training standards in the nation, the Roundtable standards were published in 1995 by the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, now merged with ACR, the Association for Conflict Resolution. After accomplishing its goal, the members of the Roundtable dispersed and the business of TMTR was considered finished.
Family Mediation Training Standards
In 1999, the Roundtable was re-formed with a more formal structure as a way to have a more effective voice in the credentialing initiative in Texas. Members of TMTR also began to develop standards for family mediation training. The 30-Hour Family Mediation Training Standards were finalized in September of 2000. They were delayed to make sure they were consistent with others being developed by AFM (Academy of Family Mediators, now merged with ACR, Association for Conflict Resolution). It is important to note that the 30-hour length of training in the standard exceeds the 24 hours mentioned in Texas Law (Section 154.052 (b) of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code). The committee felt that it was important to add issues of domestic violence to the curriculum and to add more time for roleplays.
Continuing Development of Standards
TMTR members revised the 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training Standards in 2003. TMTR members also developed Standards for Ethics Training for Mediators in 2003. In 2004, TMTR created Standards for Continuing Education in Mediation. In 2015, TMTR developed Texas-Specific Mediator Short Course Standards and later in 2022, TMTR changed the minimum time for this course from 4 hours to 2 hours. TMTR members developed Elder Mediation Training Standards during 2017 which were adopted in 2018.
Annual Training for Mediation Trainers
As a way to support professional development for Texas mediation trainers, TMTR began to sponsor annual training sessions including those on the following topics:
1999 Assessing Mediator Performance,
2000 Training Techniques for Effective Role Plays,
2001 Instructional Techniques for Adult Learning Styles,
2002 Teaching Mediation Ethics: Issues, Processes and Techniques,
and many more in subsequent years.
Ongoing Activities of TMTR
The current form of TMTR is a Texas nonprofit corporation which is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization as determined by the Internal Revenue Service. The members of TMTR represent many of the major mediation training organizations in Texas. Since Covid, TMTR has continued holding meetings and Train The Trainer (T3) programs using online video conferences. TMTR has determined that online mediation training courses that are both at the same time LIVE and INTERACTIVE for the entirety of the course conducted by a TMTR approved trainer are meeting the TMTR standards.
