Logo
Donate
Logo
Donate

6 Steps Towards Restorative Justice in Your School

Dec 14, 2018 12:00:00 AM

by Eva Harder

In all the talk about the importance of reducing suspensions and other exclusionary discipline practices in schools, one question looms large for most educators and administrators: What do we do instead? For many people, part of the answer lies in restorative practices (RP), in which the school tries to understand the root cause of the student’s behavior and help them repair the damage through interventions like group discussions, mediations, peer courts or family group conferences. Though researchers say restorative practices are more likely to actually change student behavior than expulsion or suspensions, [pullquote]experts also acknowledge that these practices can be tough to implement and take years of work—requiring a shift in mindset to be effective.[/pullquote] A recent report by the Center for Promise, "Disciplined and Disconnected," provides insight from school leaders who have done just that sharing best practices that helped them to successfully implement restorative practices in their schools. Here’s what they had to say:

Address staff skepticism

Exclusionary discipline policies and practices have a long tradition in American public schools, so part of the challenge lies in convincing teachers who may be skeptical to change. School leaders described the pivotal importance of engaging the skeptics and how impactful it can be to get them on board with the idea of exploring restorative practices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ1gZNohLeo “I picked three people to go to, two who I knew would love RP and one that I kind of figured would be a skeptic, ‘cause if she didn’t buy in, nobody’s buying in, because she’s our senior member here,” one principal said. “She came back, she said, ‘We’re doing it, I’m sold,’ and it’s been a positive thing for our staff all along.”

Build trust

Building trust among staff is also crucial. One principal explained how they use group discussions, or “circles,” to address faculty concerns as well as in their work with students. “[I]n that staff circle it’s almost like therapy for free, where people can kind of just let it out, what’s going on and how they’re feeling about it, and we encourage that. Because what we do is hard. Whether we’re alternative education or in mainstream, it’s hard. It’s hard work.”

Get district and state buy-in

Multiple school leaders also described the importance of support—such as additional staff and training—from district and state policy makers, and the power of that support in generating momentum and excitement. “Teachers are asking for and need assurances that they will have the resources and backing of a school’s administrators to implement effective restorative justice practices,” said Jon Zaff, executive director of the Center for Promise. Getting this support from district personnel and policymakers paves the way for schools to adopt non-exclusionary discipline practices. It also gives school leaders the latitude to connect with other organizations and people for professional learning and support.

Invest in professional learning opportunities

Each school leader in the report emphasized both the work they did to help their staff learn about them and the importance of getting support from district and state policy-makers. For instance, this principal described bringing a core group of people from their school to a conference to begin building internal knowledge about RP. “We met during the summer with our rep…who does restorative [practices], and we met with an independent contractor [who] just retired from the Minnesota Department of Corrections [and] has been doing R[P] down there forever. “So between those two women and my core group, we just met monthly during the summer a couple times. Then we had a two-day training with all staff, which was unbelievable.”

Engage students as leaders

Other principals talked about the importance of engaging students in the process and creating structures to leverage their leadership. “So we have what’s called student ambassadors who are trained specially to work with our new students, and to assist students in various ways. Whether it be in restorative chats, restorative conversations, restorative circles, always with that ultimate goal of identifying what happened and how can we fix it.” Another principal expressed this same sentiment, describing how [pullquote]students who have internalized the RP process can help other students understand the RP process.[/pullquote] “Those kids become our shining stars, the ones that have successfully completed R[P]…they know how it works, they know what the impact is and can have, so they’ve been our shining stars here with that.”

Build capacity by sharing best practices

Once schools have the expertise, they can teach others. One principal talked about the support she received from the superintendent and how her school is now hosting trainings for other schools. She also offered advice for other schools. “So just take it slow, find people that know what they’re doing. Talk to other schools that are trying to do it.”
An original version of this piece appeared on America's Promise Alliance as "Six Steps to Implementing Restorative Practices."
Photo by Alex C-C, Twenty20-licensed.

Eva Harder

Eva Harder is a writer and editor at America's Promise Alliance.

Leave a Comment

The Feed

Explainers

all explainers

  • Why Math Identity Matters

    Lane Wright

    The story you tell yourself about your own math ability tends to become true. This isn’t some Oprah aphorism about attracting what you want from the universe. Well, I guess it kind of is, but...

  • What's an IEP and How to Ensure Your Child's Needs Are Met?

    Ed Post Staff

    If you have a child with disabilities, you’re not alone: According to the latest data, over 7 million American schoolchildren — 14% of all students ages 3-21 — are classified as eligible for special...

  • Seeking Justice for Black and Brown Children? Focus on the Social Determinants of Health

    Laura Waters

    The fight for educational equity has never been just about schools. The real North Star for this work is providing opportunities for each child to thrive into adulthood. This means that our advocacy...

Support Education Equity

Your donations support the voices who challenge decision makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. 

donate
Logo
Brightbeam Logo

Ed Post is the flagship website platform of brightbeam, a 501(c3) network of education activists and influencers demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child.

© 2020–2024 brightbeam. All rights reserved.