RESTORATIVE

JUSTICE

Addresses the needs of the Victim,

Offender, and Community

Discussion Points for Today:1) Myths Regarding Restorative Justice

2) Definition of Restorative Justice

3) What Restorative Justice looks like from the role of

an administrator, teacher, and counselor

4) Experiencing Step One: Community Building Circle

Process

WHO ARE WE?

▪Diane Bonjour, Teacher• Serrano Middle School

▪James Cobb, Administrator• Curtis Middle School

▪Michael Partida, Counselor• Riley Elementary School

2

MISCONCEPTIONS OF

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

▪ Restorative Justice recognizes that violations hurt

everyone - Victim, Offender, and the Community.

Views infractions as a “harm to relationships”

▪ Designs interventions which are targeted to help

the student and community both assess and repair

harm that has been caused.

▪ Addresses the needs of the Victim, Offender,

and Community.

Adapted from International Institute for Restorative Practices, 2013;

OUSD - Family, Schools, and Community Partnerships Dept.

The Restorative Paradigm:▪ Focuses on the relationships violated

▪ Believes justice is achieved by addressing needs/obligations

▪ Seeks accountability through repairing the harm

▪ Views the problem as the problem; involves those affected

Seeks answers to the following questions:▪ What happened?

▪ Who was impacted/harmed?

▪ What needs to be done to make things right?

THE PARADIGM SHIFT

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES CONTINUUM:

Informal Formal

Affective

Statements

Affective

Questions

Impromptu

Conference

Group or

Circle

Restorative

Conference

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

CURTIS MIDDLE SCHOOL

▪Two rival crews in

constant conflict were

able to repair harm

and build strong

relationships

▪Leaders were

assigned to work

together to assist

counselors in lunch

time activities.

James Cobb

Administrator, Curtis Middle School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Narrative (Conflict) Mediation was used as an intervention for

5th grade girls who were effected by a conflict story to create a

new story of cooperation and respect

Michael Partida

Counselor, Riley Elementary School

Before Conflict Mediation After Conflict Mediation

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Narrative (Conflict) Mediation

▪Determine who will be part of the conversation

▪Listen to the problem story

▪Name the problem

▪Map the effects of the conflict

▪Brainstorm ideas to make things right

▪Follow up

▪Celebrate

Michael Partida

Counselor, Riley Elementary School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

RJ Problem Worksheet

▪ What is the problem?

▪ What did the problem

make you do?

▪ How will you change

this problem?

Michael Partida

Counselor, Riley Elementary School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Community Building Circle

Worksheet

▪ All girls participated in a

Community Building Circle

Michael Partida

Counselor, Riley Elementary School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

RILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Effects of the conflict-story Celebration of the new story

Michael Partida

Counselor, Riley Elementary School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

SERRANO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Community Building “Trust Circles” (I will share more detail later on

in this program)

• Occur every Monday

• Build a sense of belonging and connectedness

• Create a safe space and “comfortableness” needed to

conduct effective Problem-Solving Circles

• Have explicitly defined and regularly taught routines and

procedures (respect the talking piece, etc.)

• Teacher participates in circle; doesn’t just observe

Problem-Solving Classroom Circle

• Utilized to address behavior concerns

Diane Bonjour

Teacher, Serrano Middle School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: BLENDING PBIS WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Serrano’s Time-Out Form

Blends the PBiS practices with the Restorative

Justice practices

Used for problem-solving circle with the violator,

victim, and other’s affected by situation.

Diane Bonjour

Teacher, Serrano Middle School

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: BLENDING PBIS WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Diane Bonjour

Teacher, Serrano Middle School

Ted Wachtel (2013)

International Institute for Restorative Practices

“Human beings are happier, more cooperative

and productive, and more likely to make positive

changes in their behavior when those in

positions of authority do things WITH them

rather than TO them or FOR them.”

RESTORATIVE CIRCLES:

PURPOSE

▪ Creating community bonds with one another so that

we can support each other through growth and

problem-solving

▪ Creating a special or sacred space where we will all

come together to share in ways that we don’t ordinarily

have the opportunity to do

▪ Learn ways to communicate and solve problems in a

positive environment

RESTORATIVE CIRCLES:

GUIDELINES

▪ Respect the talking piece

▪ Speak from the heart

▪ Speak with Respect

▪ Listen with Respect

▪ Remain in the Circle

▪ Say just enough

▪ Honor Privacy

Circle Templates –

OSUSD Restorative Justice Resources

RESTORATIVE CIRCLES:

CIRCLE KEEPER

▪ The circle keeper is not a facilitator but rather a guide

that introduces the circle prompts and ensures that the

norms are kept for the discussion

▪ Circle Keeper participates in circle; doesn’t just

observe

CIRCLE ROUND:

GREETING

▪ Use the Post-It notes on the chair to write your First

Name, Last Initial on 3 post-it notes

▪ All participants get up and mingle in center of circle

▪ Each person must greet 3 other people

▪ When you greet a person, collect a post it and hand

over a post it

▪ When you no longer have any a post-its with your

name on it, please have a seat in the circle

Kriete, R., & Davis, C. (2014). The Morning Meeting Book

RESTORATIVE CIRCLES:

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

As you introduce the idea of restorative circles to

students, you will choose activities or topics for the

circles that help build relationships and help students get

to know each other.

COMMUNITY TRUST BUILDING CIRCLES

▪ Trust Circles began at beginning of year…

I chose topics that were “safe” to share about

Favorite class and why?

Favorite sport and why?

What is one of your “Bucket List” items and why?

▪ Trust Circles started to go deeper…

I then chose topics that were relevant to student problems, concerns, team

trends, etc

Hardest class and why?

How can I improve as a teacher?

How do you feel when someone in class is verbally disrespectful to another student?

How do you feel when someone makes fun of you in class?

What has been a struggle for you this week?

BUILDING COMMUNITY CIRCLES

▪ Using Tedx to start a topic for the Trust Circle…

I regularly scan Tedx videos on YouTube for appropriate video clips to introduce a

Trust Circle theme…

Balance Goddess

How I Chose Peace…I am not my father

Father/Daughter Dance in Prison

▪ Restorative Justice Circle: After building trust with my kids, I then found it

much easier to use the Restorative Circles to solve problems that had occurred

in other rooms, with substitutes, and to solve conflicts between kids which

affected entire class…

CIRCLE ROUND:

SHARING ACTIVITY

▪ Remove one chair from the circle

▪ "It" stands in the middle of the circle and states

something they like/love by first adding “I love my

neighbor whose favorite color is red”

▪ All the other participants in the circle who like the color

red would get up and move to a free seat somewhere

else in the circle including the original speaker

▪ The last person standing without a seat is “it” who

stands in the middle and completes the phrase I love

my neighbor who...

VALUES & AGREEMENTS

▪ During this round with students, a significant amount of

time would be spent talking about the things we value

as a community.

RESTORATIVE CIRCLE:

TALKING PIECE

▪ The talking piece exists to help make sure that our

Circle Guidelines are maintained.

▪ Whenever you use a talking piece, you share why you

have chosen to use it.

▪ A talking piece won’t always be used.

▪ When used with your students, you will want to model

how to use it.

CIRCLE ROUND:

REFLECTION

Starting with the talking piece in one area of the circle,

take no more than 20 seconds and share:

• 1 question or topic you might pose to your students to

get acquainted and build trust

• 1 thing you learned, were surprised about or

appreciate about the professional development today

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Presenters:

Diane Bonjour, Teacher

Serrano Middle School (909) 388-6530

James Cobb, Administrator

Curtis Middle School (909) 388-6332

Michael Partida, Counselor

Riley Elementary School (909) 388-6460

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

PBiS-RJ District Coaches:

• Brenda Freshwater

• Suzy Johns

• Michelle Myers

• Jacquelin Patrick