Restorative Justice in Schools: “The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem.”

Restorative Narrative Practice Helps students take responsibility for their action by

being a part of the solution in a non-judgmental andsupportive manner.

Draws upon the student’s strengths, not theirdeficiencies

Focuses on the problem, not the person

Restorative Narrative Practice

Asks what is really going onbeyond the presenting problems

Four Main Practices

Practices:

Circles (prevention & response)

Conversations (prevention &response)

Mediations (response)

Conferences (response)

Circle Guidelines:

- Speak and listen from your heart

- Speak and listen with respect

- Respect the talking piece

- Honor privacy

- Be peace

- The problem is the problem, the person isNOT the problem.

Circle Elements

Talking piece

Center piece e.g., fabric, basket, orsymbol (optional)

Circle keeper

Circles & Conversations

Circles used as the main preventive practices forteaching compassion, empathy, and understanding.

In circles everyone is an equal and the social &emotional competencies of self awareness, socialawareness, and self control are learned andreinforced.

Circles & Conversations

Respect Agreements instead of rules work better.

The circle keeper must model, respect, appreciation,and deep non-judgmental understanding.

Circles & Conversations

Guides students toward deeper understandingsthat can lead to solutions.

Intentional dialogue between two people with thepurpose of de-escalating a situation; guidesstudents toward solutions; or prepares students formore in-depth conflict and peacemaking practices.

Students are asked questions from a respectfullycurious perspective, both in circles and inconversations.

Mediations & Conferences

Used when more than one person is involved inproblematic behavioral issues.

The mediator or conference facilitator, like thecircle keeper or conversation initiator must modela respectful and supportive tone.

Circles & Conversations

Ask more questions, make fewer statements.

Ask about assumptions, feelings, actions, andways of thinking and how these ways of beingwere formed. (deconstruction)

Types of Circles

CommunityBuilding

PeaceMaking

Restorative Justice Practices

Learning

Types of Circles

Create safe and inclusive spaces,enhance group dynamics throughrelationship building

Provide opportunities for dialogueand reflection on topics that impactthe community

CommunityBuilding

Types of Circles

Circles used to promote Social-emotional intelligencecommunications, interpersonal andacademic skills and comprehension.

Learning

Types of Circles

Skill Building Circles: centered around developingskill-sets that support a community's ability tointeract with each other in ways that are healthyand productive.

Communications skills Emotional awareness and expression Empathy skills Race,Privilege and Class awareness Conflict resolution skills

Academic Circles: utilize the structure and process ofrestorative practices to engage students in activitiesthat elicit critical thinking introspection, problemsolving and reflection related to educationcurriculum.

LearningCircle

Types of Circles

Focuses on equitably addressing surfacelevel and root causes of harm and conflict.

Identify what happened, addressing needs,uncovering impacts and collectively creating sustainable solutions.

Cultivate safe spaces to clarify misunder-standings, acknowledge responsiblyand provide support for those who wereharmed and those who harm

PeaceMakingCircles

Problem Solution

Mediations and Conferences

Person

Mediations & Conferences

The emphasis is on what is right with the partiesnot what is lacking.

To assist students to make things right, a caringand trusting relationship between student andteacher or student and administrator is essential.

Examples of Restorative Narrative questions:● Can we talk about what is happening in your life?

● How would you characterize your greatest caring qualities?

● Do you demonstrate these qualities to your family?

● To your friends? How did you learn to act this way? e.g. loyal,friendly, helpful?

● Do you prefer acting like a good guy/gal?

● What gets in the way of your acting like a good guy/gal?

● It seems like your bullying behavior was out of character for

you, is that right?

Mediations & Conferences

Natomas Middle School

811 Students

47% eligible for free lunch

14%eligible for reduced lunch

TotalSuspensions

583 46158 5

31% 22% 54% 60%

SUSPENSIONS & EXPULSIONS 2013 – 14:

InstructionDays Missed

TotalSuspensions

5-daySuspensions Expulsions

5-daySuspensions

Expulsions

SUSPENSIONS & EXPULSIONS 2014 – 15:** as of 05/14/15

RJ and SEL at Natomas Middle School2014-15

401 123 21 2

InstructionDays Missed

Circles

545Classrooms

27Mediations

112Suspensions Prevented

330

Key findings:

➔ Teachers, parents and classifed employees participated in 12RJ workshops

➔ Students in 23 classes at all grade levels created and adoptedRespect Agreements

➔ Established a seventh grade Upstander Club that has beenregularly attended by 24 students boys and girls who arededicated to being peacemakers at their school and intheir lives

➔ Trained over 90% of teachers plus 2 APs and some classifedstaff in the basic philosophy and toolkit for restorativejustice practices were the least likely to have been trainedand are likely the least familiar with restorative practices

RJ Implementation at Natomas Middle School

Key findings:

➔ Students at all grade levels participated in 687 classroomcommunity building circles

➔ 174 Students participated in 81 mediations or conferences

➔ 12 re-entry conferences were conduced

➔ 100% of the 81 mediations were successful in avoidingserious punitive outcomes

➔ Zero expulsions down from 5 the previous year

➔ Assistant Principals reported signifcant reduction indisciplinary referrals

RJ Implementation at Natomas Middle School

Tabletop Circle Practice

TABLE EXERCISE:

Identify a Circle Keeper

Follow the Circle Guidelines

Tabletop Circle Practice

Topic: Compassion

Round 1: What does it mean to becompassionate?

Round 2: How do we show compassion?

SAMPLE CIRCLE TOPICS AND QUESTIONS

Tabletop Circle Practice Topic: Bullying Behaviors, Bystanders, and

Up-standers

Round 1: Why do some people engage inbullying behaviors and why are somepeople bystanders to this behavior?

Round 2: How do we prevent and respondto bullying behaviors and what role doesthe up-stander play in this prevention &response?

Circle Guidelines:

- Speak and listen from your heart

- Speak and listen with respect

- Respect the talking piece

- Honor privacy

- Be peace

- The problem is the problem, the person isNOT the problem.