5. Activities

As part of a whole-school implementation of restorative practices, the development of social and emotional capacity is an important part of a systemic approach to the prevention of disciplinary issues. By building community in the classroom, teachers support this development through learning-based activities. These activities help to establish strong relationships with students and among students, set positive classroom structures, facilitate formative assessments and employ protocols that assist the learning process in increasing achievement for all students.

Social and emotional learning is the process through which students acquire and apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (Elias, et al. 1997).

Discipline issues in the classroom are greatly reduced by engaging instruction (Oliver & Reschly, 2007). The activities in this lesson are designed to help the teacher create a safe classroom environment supported through structures that promote self-regulatory learning expectations for all students.

Assignment:

As part of the 2020 PLC, you are required to record your restorative practices experiences in a journal. Click here to download the journal form. The deadline for completion is Wednesday, September 2 by 3pm. You will be required to upload your completed journal later in this lesson.