While the previous topics provided learning activities to support social and emotional development in the classroom, the implementation of restorative practices requires commitment and focus school-wide. Community building outside the classroom, when consistently implemented, will strengthen school culture and reduce the instance of disciplinary issues requiring a response.
When restorative practices are introduced to the entire school, it is important for school leadership to identify the areas of greatest need, and the preferred outcomes. Some districts and/or schools with sufficient resources will establish a school site implementation team(s) to do the work of collecting school climate data, and establishing a discipline baseline. If you school or district does not have these resources, chances are that you and the educators you work with will be part of the front line in the assessment and strategic planning processes. It is important to provide ongoing professional development to all educators, not just the school leadership, in restorative practices. Systems of support must be put in place that sustain the implementation and allow for the measurement of outcomes so that staff can clearly see what benefits have been achieved, and what work is yet to be done to further facilitate implementation.
If the preferred outcomes from the adoption of restorative practices have not been stated in writing, ask for them. Review both the school and community preferred outcomes, and the tools to be used for the ongoing checks on progress. The more you understand them, the more effective you will be in supporting the initiative.
Examine the school policy on restorative practices. If it is not separate, but included instead in the overall policy on student discipline, look for statements that relate to how members of the school community will:
Also look for any statements related to practices that help to prevent harm and conflict by building and supporting a sense of belonging, safety, and social and emotional responsibility in the school community. Consider the work you have done to this point in this course, and relate what you have learned to what your school or district policy states. Reflect on what you believed about restorative processes when you began this course, versus what you believe now.
Assignment:
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