Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach

1. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach “Relationships, not strategies, bring about meaningful change” Bob Costello, 2005

2. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • School behaviour has changed • Zero Tolerance programs have had little impact on changing behaviour • According to Chmelynski, 2005, “The dramatic change in behaviour is largely a result of a loss of connectedness”

3. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Restorative Approaches is about a paradigm shift in thinking • From retributive to restorative • It’s about doing things with students, rather than to them or for them. • It is not a program, it is a way of doing, being, and thinking!

4. HIGH TO WITH punitive restorative authoritarian stigmatising authoritative respectful Discipline & Accountability FIRM NOT FOR permissive neglectful protective easy/undemanding indifferent passive FAIR HIGH LOW Care & Understanding

5. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Restorative • Emphasis is on relationships over the need to assign blame • Both victims and offenders are part of the process • Seeks to repair the harm done • Consequences may be applied • Retributive • Wrongdoers need to be punished • Punishment changes behaviour • Threat of punishment will ensure complicity

6. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach VIDEO: Introduction to Restorative Practice THINK ABOUT: The community as your school and the people as the stakeholders in your school: colleagues, students, parents and community members

7. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Advantages • A safer more caring environment • Greater commitment to listen • Reduction in interpersonal conflicts, including bullying • Greater awareness of connectedness; feel valued by adults and peers • Emphasis on responses that seek to re-connect, not disconnect • Reduction in fixed term exclusions (suspensions, expulsions) • Staff confidence in dealing with challenging situations • Increased belief in young people to take responsibility for their actions

8. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach The Steps of Restorative Approaches Driven by a set of values and an ethos that emphasises trust, mutual respect, and tolerance as a base upon which to work.

9. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Restorative Pedagogy • Teachers practices include: • Modelling expected behaviours, values and skills • Creating opportunities for students to practice their skills (circles, class meetings, small group sessions, etc) • Incorporating expected values into the curriculum • Explicit teaching! • As well as: • Active listening, Non-violent communication, Anger Management, Reflective Practices, Emotional Literacy, patience, objectivity, inclusive practices, develop and maintain self-esteem, the ability to express feelings and needs.

10. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Restorative Approaches • Active and empathetic listening • Inclusion and collaboration • Modelling • Mediation • Conferencing

11. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Restorative Conference • Used by trained mediators, administrators, appropriate teaching/support staff to deal with issues involving group issues, re-entry meetings, staff issues. Includes everyone that has been affected by the incident. • Choosing to Run a Conference • Has the offender admitted the offense? • Has the incident adversely affected or harmed anyone? • Is there a need to repair the harm? • If you can say yes to all three, then you can run a conference.

12. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach VIDEO: Restorative Practice Introduction FOCUS: What a conference looks like

13. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach Participants • Offender, Victim and any body else who has been affected Conference Facilitator • Have a pre-meeting with Victim and Offender to prepare for the conference • Must be neutral • Follows the script at all times • Begin Conference with a preamble • Use the 4 questions consistently

14. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach Conference Seating Planner Teacher Vice- Principal Guidance Counsellor Victim’s Parent Offender’s Parent VICTIM OFFENDER FACILITATOR

15. Restorative Approaches: An Alternative Disciplinary Approach • Thoughts on Restorative Approaches • It takes time • You need trained people to make it work, including guidance counsellors, CYW’s and administration • Entire staff needs training and support/ entire staff needs to be “on board” • It takes patience and understanding at first. • It is difficult for some to accept. Communication is highly important to all stakeholders. • It is both a proactive and reactive approach. • It is the “Operating System” for all school programs