Kimberly Gonzalez's Portfolio Page
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About Me
My name is Kimberly Gonzalez. I am currently an 8th-grade English Language Arts teacher at Troy Middle School. I graduated from Siena College in May 2023 with a B.A. in English Education (certification 7-12) and a minor in Educational Studies. I am currently working towards completing my M.S. in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology (CDIT) from the University at Albany (SUNY). My M.S. in CDIT is just one of the steps I need to take to complete my goal of becoming a school administrator.
My Topic and Purpose
Topic: Steps to Promoting an Inclusive Classroom Environment
My mini-course explores the idea of promoting an inclusive classroom environment. In order to promote an inclusive classroom environment, teachers have to create a welcoming and affirming environment for their students. Creating a welcoming and affirming environment based on students' wants, needs, and interests is the key to building a safe and brave space for students to learn. Building strong relationships gives teachers the autonomy to personalize learning for each student and cater to each student's interests. The course also explores ways to restore relationships with students who have become a closed book. I chose to research and create this course because building relationships and having a classroom environment where everyone feels safe and comfortable are some of the keys to creating a successful learning outcome. I also rely on my inclusive classroom approaches because it leads to mutual respect between myself and my students. Both my students and I acknowledge that we come from different backgrounds, thus bringing various assets to the classroom.
Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content
Learners will be able to:
- Define classroom environment, specifically what it means to create a welcoming and affirming environment by promoting language, literacy, and culture
- Identify the various ways to build relationships with students
- Determine the various ways to restore relationships with students
- Design a classroom environment that promotes diversity and inclusion
Needs Assessment
Educational Opportunity:
Current research on restorative practices repeatedly emphasizes the need to validate and focus on relationship-building within the classroom. Dr. Beverly Title outlines the five "R's" of restorative justice: Relationships, Respect, Responsibility, Repair, and Reintegration (ReSolutionaries, 2024). These practices encompass the ability to prevent, resolve, and transform conflicts that have arisen within the classroom or other educational settings. A study conducted by the University of Chicago's Education Lab (2023) showed a staggering 35% reduction in student arrests in schools, a 15% reduction in out-of-school arrests, a decreased number of out-of-school suspensions by 18%, and improved student perception of school environments (p. 2). Schools are still in the process of replacing punitive policies with those of restorative practices. The majority of teachers do not have formal training in conducting restorative justice approaches and will continue to need assistance with establishing the proper ways to conduct interventions within the classroom.
Current Learning Gap:
Teachers are beginning to transition their punitive forms of punishment to those of restorative forms that promote resolution. Some aspects of the transition that might be particularly challenging include inadequate institutional support, imbalance of power, and incomplete participation (Hutchinson, 2023). Inadequate institutional support is a challenge because many schools do not have the funding nor staff to complete the professional development needed to follow the restorative justice approach. Critics argue that this approach to punishment leads to an imbalance of power between the victim and offender because it may undermine the severity of the encounter. The process of conducting the restorative practice is also undergoing scrutiny because full participation is needed to complete the restorative process. Without full participation from the victim, offender, and community, the problem may not be fully addressed, thus limiting the truth. Despite these challenges, modern research suggests that restorative approaches are the new way to transform student behavior and relationship-building.
Existing Efforts:
Many district and building leaders have begun to transition their original punitive forms of punishment to those of restorative forms that promote resolution. The Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester (2017), for example, analyzes the transformation of three urban school districts that transitioned from a punitive approach to punishment to a restorative approach. Another example, conducted by Adukia et al. (2023), analyzes the implementation of restorative justice practices in Chicago Public High School. Both of these examples show a decrease in out-of-school suspensions and out-of-school arrests. These resources are prime examples of the time and effort school leaders are putting in to help revolutionize the education system in various schools across the nation.
The intent of this course is to support educators in developing and promoting inclusivity, relationships, and restoration within the classroom environment.
Analysis of the Learner and Context
Learner: This course is designed for every person in the educational field: administrators, teachers, and support staff. These participants may have prior experience dealing with punitive punishments, such as detention, suspension, and/or expulsion; however, with the shift in the practices, personnel in the educational field require professional development training. Realistically, educators may be familiar with the theory behind restorative justice but are unfamiliar with how to put the theory into practice, which may result in hesitations towards implementing the practices within the classroom. The course will explore the ways to create a welcoming and affirming environment, the ways to build strong relationships with students, and the ways to incorporate restorative practices within the classroom.
Context: This class is a fully online course that will likely take multiple days to complete. This course offers videos, articles, and databases that are linked directly from the course, which allows for an accessible experience. In order to complete the course, the learner will need reliable internet access and familiarity with either Google Suite or Microsoft Office. Additionally, the learner will begin to personalize their classroom setting based on the learned criteria. School leaders have permission to assign or modify the course to best meet the needs of their learners.
Performance-Based Objectives
After completing this mini-course, learners will be able to:
- Define inclusive classroom environment, relationship building, and restorative justice as terms in the context of education
- Recognize the benefits of having an inclusive classroom environment
- Recognize how restorative practices help shape the culture of schools - specifically with students and staff
- Explain the processes and principles for creating inclusive classroom environments through relationship building and restorative practices
- Create an effective plan that promotes the practice of restorative justice for their own classroom
Task and Content Analysis
- Define inclusive classroom environment, relationship building, and restorative justice as terms in the context of education
- Recognize the benefits of having an inclusive classroom environment
- Recognize how restorative practices help shape the culture of schools - specifically with students and staff
The first three course objectives are foundational research tasks necessary to support later work in the course. The information will be presented using articles and/or video resources about the key terms listed and examples of what they may look like. Students will conduct research to define and recognize the elements of inclusive classrooms and restorative justice. These sources may come from publishers of NYSED, or other reputable sources, such as teachers or organizations. Learners will be supported with a graphic organizer to take notes and track their learning.
- Explain the processes and principles for creating inclusive classroom environments through relationship building and restorative practices
The next course objective is a higher-level task that asks learners to research the processes and principles that align with inclusive classroom environments, drawing upon their experience, learning, and understanding from the first part of the course. Learners will create a brochure that describes an “ideal” inclusive classroom environment, providing examples for relationship building exercises and restorative practices. The purpose of this objective is to push the learner towards more complex understanding, thus preparing them for the final project. The learner will be supported with detailed prompts and a template.
- Create an effective plan that promotes the practice of restorative justice for their own classroom
The final course objective is a written task that encourages teachers to reflect on the course and create an effective action plan using Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. Learners will personalize their plans by encompassing the key elements of an inclusive classroom environment that promotes restorative justice. Learners will then take what they have learned and implement it within their classrooms. It is their responsibility to reflect and measure whether the practice of restorative justice was effective or ineffective within their classrooms. The learner will be supported with detailed prompts and a template.
Curriculum Map
| Unit 1 | |
| Objective
Learners will be able to: → Define inclusive classroom environment, relationship building, and restorative justice as terms in the context of education → Recognize the benefits of having an inclusive classroom environment → Recognize how restorative practices help shape the culture of schools – specifically with students and staff |
Activity
→ Using examples from research and personal experience, develop a persuasive journal entry that examines the relevance of restorative justice. You should reflect on how your school’s culture may change or be shaped by the implementation of these practices |
| Unit 2 | |
| Objective
Learners will be able to: → Explain the processes and principles for creating inclusive classroom environments through relationship building and restorative practices |
Activity
→ Given various sources, create a slide deck that analyzes examples of relationship building and restorative practices – categorizing how each contributes to creating an inclusive classroom environment |
| Unit 3 | |
| Objective Learners will be able to: → Create an effective plan that promotes the practice of restorative justice for their own classroom |
Activity → Create a personalized restorative justice plan (using the slide deck from Unit 2)
→ Write a reflection that shares the best restorative justice practices that worked within your classroom. Use these questions to help prompt your thinking:
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References and Resources
Adukia, A., Feigenberg, B., Momeni, F. (2023). From redistributive to restorative: An alternative approach to justice. The University of Chicago: Becker Friedman Institute for Economics. https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/research-summary/from-retributive-to-restorative-analternative-approach-to-justice/
Hutchinson, M. (2023). Critiques and challenges of restorative justice. Social and Crimonol, 11:275. https://www.longdom.org/openaccess/critiques-and-challenges-of-restorative-justice-101989.html
Marsh, V.L. (2017). Becoming restorative: Three schools transitioning to a restorative practices culture. Center for Urban Education Success: The Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester. https://www.rochester.edu/warner/cues/wpcontent/uploads/2023/04/RestorativePractices-Brief-2_marsh_final.pdf
ReSolutionaries Incorporated. (2024). Restorative practices in schools: Equity in action. ReSolutionaries Incorporated. https://www.resolutionariesinc.com
University of Chicago. (2023). From retributive to restorative: An alternative approach to justice. The University of Chicago Education Lab: Urban Labs. https://educationlab.uchicago.edu/wpcontent/uploads/sites/3/2023/09/UChicago-Restorative-Practices-2-pager-09.07.23.pdf