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"Restorative practices are predicated on the positive relationships that students and adults have with one another" (Smith 4).

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"At the beginning of the school year, she had invited her students to bring their favorite stuffed animals with them to keep in class. The stuffed animals were displayed on a shelf, each one labeled with the name of its owner. Whenever students misbehaved, they were to walk to the shelf and turn their stuffed animals around to face the wall" (Smith 9).

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We must let go of the idea that accountability equals punishment (i.e., “teach him a lesson”) and instead help students progress from acting out to remorse and repair (i.e., “I’m sorry, and I want to make amends”).

(Smith, 85).

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Schoolwide Restorative Justice Practices – A Guided Tour

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Schoolwide Restorative Justice Practices – A Guided Tour

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Schoolwide Restorative Justice Practices – A Guided Tour

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• Paula N. Johnson, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • September 2021 • Public schools are increasingly adopting a restorative approach ... read more

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....Shame can be positive when it motivates us to do the right thing - when
we modify our behavior, then put shame behind. But shame is
essentially a threat to our self-worth and when shame â€œsticksâ€ to us,
it is debilitating. In fact, I am convinced that shame plays a major
role in much offending as well as in how those who offend experience
justice.Iâ€™m also convinced that it often plays a significant role in
victimsâ€™ trauma and the negative ways they often experience justice.
But this is beyond the scope here - perhaps the topic of a later entry.
Read the whole entry.

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Shame and restorative processes - Restorative Justice

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….Shame can be positive when it motivates us to do the right thing – when we modify our behavior, then put shame behind. But shame is essentially a threat to our self-worth and when shame â€œsticksâ€ to us, it is debilitating. In fact, I am convinced that shame plays a major role in much offending […]

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Trusted Relationships Make it Harder for Students to Misbehave (Lily)

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Trusted Relationships Make it Harder for Students to Misbehave (Lily)

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"Whereas justice is by its nature reactive, restorative practices also include preventive measures designed to build skills and capacity in students as well as adults.... , it’s harder for students to act defiantly or disrespectfully toward adults who clearly care about them and their future. Healthy and productive relationships between and among students and staff facilitate a positive school climate and learning environment.," (Smith, 4).

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Rewards and Consequences are Short-Term Solutions Often Promoting the Wrong Message (lily)

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Rewards and Consequences are Short-Term Solutions Often Promoting the Wrong Message (lily)

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"punished children learn from adult examples that exerting power is the way for them to get what they want—a notion diametrically opposed to the social and emotional well-being we are trying to foster," (Smith, 9).

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The Whole School Climate Can be Impacted (lily)

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The Whole School Climate Can be Impacted (lily)

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"the actions of a single teacher can negatively affect an entire school’s climate: not only is the use of shame and humiliation to punish students toxic, but it’s also highly infectious, spreading through a grade level or department at an alarming rate," (Smith, 11)

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Conflict of Board Policies and Administrative Decisions (lily)

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Conflict of Board Policies and Administrative Decisions (lily)

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"Many caring administrators have expressed frustration at board policies that require them to mete out such harsh punishments; their professional training has taught them to see the child first—to respond in ways that teach, not punish. Policies that mandate exclusionary punishments rob educators of the ability to make child- and family- centered decisions," (Smith, 14)

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• Tier 1: This tier refers to the use of preventative behavioral supports across classrooms that generally meet the needs of about 80 percent of students.

• Tier 2: This tier refers to supports designed for the approxi- mately 15 percent of students who misbehave frequently and require extended attention.

• Tier 3: This tier refers to interventions designed for the small number of students with intractable behavioral difficulties that are especially taxing to the school’s resources. Supports in Tier 3 include more time-intensive tools than the other two tiers, such as functional behavioral assessments.

(Smith, 19)

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"In one workshop, a high school teacher asked the group for advice on increasing academic rigor while at the same time improving and deepening relationships with students. Sephun responded as follows: “I don’t have any advice for you. I’m just a kid. But I want to thank you for being the kind of teacher who wants to be better and to push kids to be better. I go to a school where all my teachers are like that. Your kids are lucky to have you.” (Smith, 20)

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Teachers in the restorative practices movement promote a sense of family in the classroom by having students sit in circles to discuss curriculum-related topics and non-curricular issues that bear discussing. (smith,4)

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A strong school climate starts with a sense of belonging. Restorative practices create space for students to reflect and repair harm; teaching long term social-emotional skills rather than just obedience.

(Sky)

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The example I used the teacher began to spend more time establishing and teaching rules and set- ting expectations, structuring conversations with students that strengthened relationships and helped develop communication skills, and learning new ways to de-escalate disruptive events. Most importantly, she learned (and continues to learn) that problematic behaviors signal a student’s lack of skills for responding appropriately to difficult situations. Just as students need teachers to teach them grammar and math, they need us to teach them how to respond properly to events.

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The U.S Department of Education has specific guiding principles for improving school climate. Such as creating positive climates and focus on prevention, develop clear, appropriate and consistent expectations and consequences to address disruptive student behaviors. As well as ensure fairness, equity, and continuous improvement.

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The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Restorative Practices (Makenzie) 

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The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Restorative Practices (Makenzie) 

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"Traditional school discipline practices are considered separate from the academic mission of the school. By contrast, restorative practices are interwoven into every interaction in the building" (Smith et.al., 2015, Page 5).

Not only can traditional school discipline practices be mentally harmful to the students they are enforced upon, but they actively take time and attention away from the true purpose of school: learning. By implementing restorative practices instead, the school day can function more smoothly.

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Restorative practices are predicated on the positive relationships that students and adults have with one another. Simply said, it’s harder for students to act defiantly or disrespectfully toward adults who clearly care about them and their future. Healthy and productive relationships between and among students and staff facilitate a positive school climate and learning environment (Smith et al., 4).

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Rewards suggest to people that they are being compensated for engaging in an unpleasant obligation. Importantly, research shows that good behavior diminishes as rewards are phased out (Smith et al., 7).

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"In reality, rewards and consequences are two sides of the same coin: both are attempts to control students’ behavior rather than teach them how to engage in productive learning. Tangible rewards have actually been shown to undermine motivation" (Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, 2001). (Smith, 7)

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For our part as educators, we need to examine our daily interactions with students and ask ourselves whether we ourselves allow a form of bullying to occur in the name of discipline (Smith et al., 12).

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Although a focus on safety is certainly laudable, the unintended effects of ZT policies—soured school climates, higher dropout rates, and lower performance on measures of student achievement (Skiba & Rausch, 2006)—are not. Another troubling aspect of ZT policies is the fact that they disproportionally affect certain demographic sub- groups of students (Smith et al., 13).

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Individual Conferences to Adress Problematic Behavior (Cooper)

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Individual Conferences to Adress Problematic Behavior (Cooper)

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"In some cases, conferences involve two sets of parents or guardians who are very much at odds with each other: it’s common for the offender’s family to lobby for mercy and for the victim’s family to demand retribution. To ensure that conferences run smoothly, it is crucial to engage with families preventively, before crises occur." (Smith, 4)

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The restorative approach to discipline incorporates principles of the SWPBIS approach to focus on prevention through relationship building by drawing on the collective strengths of the community to help individuals in trouble regain their footing in a nurturing environment with consistent classroom practices and high expectations (Smith et al., 19).

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"Too often, exchanges in schools serve to tear people down..." (Smith, 15)

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Building relationships and creating healthy learning communities (Kali)

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Building relationships and creating healthy learning communities (Kali)

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Circles - circle time to discuss curriculum related topics in a movement break way.

Individual conferences to address problematic behavior - teacher talking with the parents about continued behaviors

The criminal justice system - figuring out student discipline and getting therapeutic interventions for the child

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" In the restorative practice approach , when relationships in the school are damaged , the parties are involved are encouraged to engage in reflective conversations that help offenders understand the harm that their actions caused and provide them with opportunities to make amends. (Smtih 4)

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When it comes to the traditional and restorative approach it discusses when it comes to the traditional approach focuses on establishing guilt on the students whereas for restorative identifies needs and obligations. " We believe that students should have a chance to learn from their mistakes and to restore any damaged relationships with others." (Smith 3)

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"Restorative practices represent a positive step forward in helping all students learn to resolve disagreements, take ownership of their behavior, and engage in acts of empathy and forgiveness." (Smith, 19)

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"Unfortunately, the actions of a single teacher can negatively affect an entire school’s climate: not only is the use of shame and humiliation to punish students toxic, but it’s also highly infectious, spreading through a grade level or department at an alarming rate." (Smith, 11)

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"When we suspend and expel, undercut our own efforts to boost attendance." (Smith, 15)

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"Many students are like Sephun: they come to school, do what is asked of them and no more, and leave without being noticed. However, over time, Sephun came to discover that he could thrive as an agent for change. In the 9th grade, his contributions to class discussions earned him a reputa- tion for being insightful, serious, and mature. By 10th grade, he was occasionally leading Socratic Circles in class. He joined the basketball team, where he used his social capital to positively influence team- mates by showing them that it was OK for sports jocks to also care about academic achievement." (Smith, 20)

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Building a  Strong School Climate ( sofia ) 

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Building a  Strong School Climate ( sofia ) 

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Regardless of motivation, it is in our collective best interests to create safe places to work, teach, and learn.

The U.S. Department of Education (2014) has identified the follow- ing guiding principles for improving school climate:

Create positive climates and focus on prevention; Develop clear, appropriate, and consistent expectations and con- sequences to address disruptive student behaviors; and Ensure fairness, equity, and continuous improvement. (p. 1)

A three-pronged approach is essential—if one of the three compo- nents is missing, balance is compromised.

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According to Better Than Carrots or Sticks, there are four elements to engaging students in "invitational education." These four elements are: Trust, Respect, Optimism, and Intentionality (Smith et. al, 2015, pg. 22). By focusing on these four aspects, educators are able to encourage students to take initiative in their own education which will improve their retention and enjoyment.

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Sephun began as a strong but quiet student. Over time, he emerged as a thoughtful leader in class and on the basketball team, showing that athletic success and academic excellence go hand in hand.

He says "“I don’t have any advice for you. I’m just a kid. But I want to thank you for being the kind of teacher who wants to be better and to push kids to be better. I go to a school where all my teachers are like that. Your kids are lucky to have you.” (Smith, 20)

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We are not talking here about necessary corrective discipline but, rather, of punishments specifically intended to make children “feel guilty, humiliated, or fearful in an attempt to get them to change their behavior” (Hall, 2013, p. 25). (Smith, 12)

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Suspensions and Expulsions Don't Work (Cooper Bantle)

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Suspensions and Expulsions Don't Work (Cooper Bantle)

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Black and Native American children, students with disabilities, and males of all

backgrounds are overrepresented in national suspension and expulsion data (Hoffman, 2014; Jones, 2013; see Figure 1.2). (Smith, 13).

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"Every child and adult has a right to feel safe and secure in school, but instituting banishments for minor infractions doesn’t contribute to the well-being of anyone involved, prevents learning from occurring, and compromises the school climate" (Smith, Fisher, Frey, 15). (Grace)

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"Being human, we might find ourselves lapsing into sarcasm or speaking more harshly than necessary. For a minority of teachers, responding in this way becomes an unfortunate habit, turning them into “the mean teachers” whom students know to avoid lest they be run roughshod over." (Smith, 11). It is important for teachers to stop and reflect on how they are talking to students. If a teacher notices that they are starting to sound sarcastic or mean, they should try to correct themselves and speak in a calmer and more respectful way. Teachers are role models, and the way they communicate teaches students how to treat others.

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A strong school climate is important. (Tamara)

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A strong school climate is important. (Tamara)

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"We could list other studies, but you get the idea—school climate mat- ters; it informs how we work, teach, learn, and live. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to assess your school’s climate from the inside. In addition, school climate isn’t static—it shifts from day to day, depend- ing on a variety of factors (e.g., who’s present and who’s absent, what happened over the weekend, whether the school is in the midst of statewide testing, how close the school year is to ending)." (Smith, 17) School climate is crucial for the staff but especially for the students.

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SWPBIS and restorative practices both help create a positive school environment. SWPBIS focuses on teaching clear expectations and encouraging positive behavior. Restorative practices help students take responsibility for their actions and repair relationships when problems happen. Together, these approaches help students learn respect, empathy, and problem-solving skills.

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"Sephun now facilitates restorative practices workshops with Dominique, during which he explores the boundaries of his own leadership skills. In one workshop, a high school teacher asked the group for advice on increasing academic rigor while at the same time improving and deepening relationships with students." Sephun is a great example of why restorative practice works on students.