Safe Schools PresentationDDSB Fall 2012

Restorative Practice in the Durham District School Board

“Relationships are the active ingredients of the environment that influence healthy human development. Relationships engage children in the human community.”Dr. Wendy Craig & Dr. Debra PeplarPREVnet Conference June 2012

“Character cannot be acquired passively.  It must be developed through engagement, and supported by dialogue, reflection and action.  The Character Development Initiative is grounded in the vision of an education system in which students play a pivotal role, and are actively engaged in their own learning and in the life of the school.”

Ontario Ministry of Education, Finding Common Ground: Character Development in Ontario Schools, K‐12

Each student is unique Each student is valued Each student is welcome Each student is supported Each student has an important voice We are better together

(DDSB modification)Teach children to…

Care deeply (heart) Think critically (mind) See clearly (eyes) Act wisely (hands)

Ontario Ministry of Education, Finding Common Ground: Character Development

in Ontario Schools, K-12, 2008p. 17

We care about each otherWe respect each otherWe see each otherWe support each other

Restorative Practice is a way of thinking and being that commits to building healthy, positive relationships in the learning/working/living environment.   The roots of Restorative Practice and Restorative Justice stem from the cultural traditions of Indigenous people across countries, cultures and history.  Community Circle is a strategy ingrained in Indigenous societies that seeks to answer the question, “How can we live and learn in a good way with each other?”

1. Interdependence: We are better together2. Healthy Relationships: Adults as the Relationship 

Safety Net for the well being and healthy development of children

3. Firm & Fair Practice:  Engagement, Explanation, Expectation Clarity, Empathy

4. Accountability:  Supporting students in owning their choices; repairing harm; growing and moving on

5. Student Voice:  Engaging young people in their own education and in their own lives; giving them choice when it is appropriate

Building, maintaining & repairing relationships

Creating a safe, inclusive community of learners (classroom & school)

Creating a positive learning climate (classroom & school)

Striving to reduce problematic behaviours

Restorative Practice is a way of thinking and being

Philosophy (Proactive)

When things go wrong, we have a framework to help us find solutions

Restorative Questions(Proactive & Reactive)

It is a proactive strategy for building and maintaining relationships

Circle Activity (Proactive)

When things go wrong, one strives to repair the harm by accepting responsibility in order to maintain the valued relationships

Formal Restorative Conference (Reactive)

We strive to: treat everyone with dignity meet everyone’s needs set everyone up for success give everyone another chancewhen they make a mistake

this does not mean there are no consequences, rather we consequence appropriately and teach students to make better choices

Using the Restorative Practice questions, or a form of them,

to open the door to conversation

Restorative

ConversationRestorative

Intervention

Small

Impromptu

Meeting

Classroom

Circle

Formal

Conference

Affective

Statement

Bully-free Schools Tribes Literature Circles

Character Education SRA Professional Development

Informal Conference Inquiry-based Learning

No one is invisibleNo one is invisible

Use affective statements Help students connect with each other, with

staff, with worthy causes, higher thinking, areas of interest / passion,

Circle activities Restorative Questions – solutions oriented vs.

blame oriented Support & Responsibility Agreements –

behaviour contracts with student input Formal Restorative Conference – when a very

poor choice is made

Are hopeful Are meant to communicate honestly Are intent on bringing about a positive change Begin with the speakers’ feelings using a

respectful tone Develop empathy Encourage the development of relationships

“I was pleased to see how much effort you putinto your homework. It means you are going tosee an improvement in your mark.”

Check-in/Check-out Norms/Expectations Get to know one another Class content – review for test/check for

understanding/share studying skills/discuss key concepts

Academic goals – set orally and publicly Oral speaking / listening expectations Big Ideas discussed & shared Proactive/Community building* The more variety the better.* Routine is good! (i.e. every Monday = circles)

Circle

When things go wrong…1. What happened?2. What were you thinking of at the time?3. What have you thought about since?4. Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?5. What do you need to do to make things right?

When someone has been harmed…1. What did you think when you realized what had happened?2. What impact has this incident had on you and others?3. What has been the hardest thing for you?4. What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

1. What happened?2. Who was affected?3. How can you make this right?

Think critically

See clearly

Care deeply

Act wisely

What happened? What were you thinking

about at the time?

What have you thought about since?

Who was affected and how?

What do you think you need to do to make things right?

Planning and implementation tool that support students while holding everyone accountable

It is developed through a conversation that is restorative.

The adults commit to supporting the student. The student commits to responsibility for

future actions.

Restorative conferences are formal responses to wrong doing where all those involved and affected by an incident come together with a trained facilitator to explore what happened, who was affected, and what needs to be done to make things right.

Restorative conferences are held in a quiet, private place where everyone can respectfully express their feelings.

Victims of harm have a voice in what they need in order to move on from the incident.

Almost always, parents are involved. When affected by the incident, teachers are

involved. Supporters for both the student who did the

harm and the student who was harmed are also present.

Aims to treat the incident as a serious offence; but also an opportunity for everyone to learn, grow and move on.

Aims to separate the deed (behaviour) from the doer (student).

“Restorative” may involve altering my own attitude and believing in students even when (especially when) they are behaving badly.

Small affective exchanges, over a period of time, can have a huge impact on students.

Climate of safety and purpose at school and in classrooms

Office referrals Time on task Suspension data (overall numbers and repeat

offender data) Expulsion data Credit accumulation Personal Accounts from staff, students and

parents

Half Day Introduction to Restorative Practice for School Staff (customized to meet the needs of the school)

One Day Framework and Circles Training (or divided into three afternoon sessions delivered at schools with school staff)

Two Day Restorative Practice Facilitator Skills Training

Student Workshop Student Leadership

Workshop Parent Workshop

“Pepler and Craig identified the concept of adults creating a relationship safety net for children. When children live and learn in an environment where they see and experience healthy, respectful relationships, they are safe to explore, develop and learn in their own way. Knowing that they are safe, cared for and they have a sense of belonging, provides children with the relationship safety net that enables them to flourish.”

Dr. Wendy Craig & Dr. Debra PeplarPREVnet Conference June 2012

Please contact:Safe Schools Durham District School Board905- 666- 5500 ext. 5597