Start with meeting individually with the two students to get both sides of the story. I would then try to set up a mediation with a counselor before getting the parents involved. I have found that this can escalate things because many parents immediately feel the need to defend or take the side of their child. If this does not resolve the issue, I would try a meeting with the parents, counselor, students, and possibly an administrator. As a last resort, I would see if there is a possibility of putting the students in different classes.

Mrs. Reese should speak with the counselor to mediate privately with the students. They may not get along for a specific reason that they could easily solve if given a safe environment to discuss their problems with each other. Parents conferences may also help as the parents can usually provide additional information that the students might share at home regarding the situation.

I think the best solution is for the students to have a pow wow with the school guidance counselor to resolve their issues and talk them out. The issue is the root of the problem as to why they can not get along. By having what I call a pow wow will help them gain respect for each other and learn to talk things out.

First speak with each student alone to find out what is really going on to fuel this situation. After gathering all of the facts maybe have both students mediated by you and a counselor or someone else who can witness what is going on. As a last resort I would involve parents.

The students can meet with the teacher and a counselor to get to the issues that may be causing conflict. The students may be able to work on a project or issue with assistance of the counselor together that can bring them together.

I suggest having them sit down with a mediator to try a work out the problems. I personally also would inform the students that inside the classroom, their bickering will not be tolerated because the classroom is a learning environment. They have a choice to sort it out with one another to solve the problem, they can just stop talking to one another and they can stay away from one another or they can face the consequences and lose privelages because of their bickering and constant disruption of the class because it is unfair to the other students. They can consider that as their warning and the next time it will be a refferral for continuous disrupption of the class. I would also inform parents of those options as well.

The students need to find a common factor between the two of them. If Mrs. Reese can find something that they both enjoy and help the two students see them maybe they can learn to accept each others differences and embrace their similarities.

I would recommend changing the students' seats, communicating with the counselors, and parents with e-mails initially, and if necessary meeting with both sets of parents separately. It seems like the arguing has been going on for a while, thus I would also recommend documenting your observation of who's bothering who first, or if it's both students trying to bother each other after changing seats, they should avoid being near each other, and this is where you would see who's trying to start the arguing. I would suggest talking to both students and the parents to let the student know to be cordial and civil to each other. Sometimes students won't get along no matter what is tried and thus it is best to teach them to be cordial, respectful, and if unable to become friends, to maintain a distance. Students need to know that respect goes a long way, and who knows maybe after being away from each other for a while, they will miss each other and become great friends. Maybe they just need a break from each other.

I would see how the students act in other classes or in specials. I would then see if either of the students have EBD. I have had a similar situation with one of my students where one of them had EBD, and would always try different seating assignments for the students. I would also try and have the parents involved with what you are doing and any suggestions the parents have for the situation.

I was in a classroom with a similar situation, we brought the parents in but that still did not help. In the end we had to move one of the students to a different room.

The best way to bring peace is to talk to the students on how they can work to get along better. If that fails then get the parents involved and ask how they can help talk to their kids to get along with the other student. If this fails then have the school counselor get involved and give some helpful advice to help break the tension.

I would talk to administration and let them know that this is an on going issue, and see if there is anyway they could switch out one of the students into a different classroom.