Klass Portifolio Page
Link to: Embracing Restorative Practice in The Classroom
About Me
Hello everyone, I am Lily! I teach General Biology, Regents Living Environment and Marine Science. I love teaching science and have almost 300 gallons worth of saltwater aquariums, and many saltwater critters in my classroom!
My Topic and Purpose
My chosen topic is restorative practices in the classroom. Recognizing that restorative practices are a current buzz topic in education I will be focusing on how we can teach students how to carry out restorative practices within their school community along with strategies teachers can use to better their restorative practices. I chose this topic and focus because restorative practices have a growing collection of research and support showing positive outcomes, however, there are also a fair few critics. Many critics have had poor experiences with restorative practices citing a lack of discipline crumbling the school structure. Restorative systems rely on collaboration and community, when members of the community are not on board these systems often don't work as well as they could or should. My goal is to create a learning sequence that teachers can use as a foundation for restorative practice they can carry out, ways to get students involved, and how we can teach students to be restorative with each other. The student population is a large part of the school community, this means student involvement is a powerful tool to structure restorative practices, as students get on board, more staff are likely to see the benefit and the whole system becomes much stronger.
Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content
Learners will be able to:
- Describe restorative practices and their use in a day-to-day classroom environment.
- Execute restorative strategies in their classroom. [assessment boundary: this does not include restorative justice on an administrative disciplinary scale]
- Encourage student involvement in a restorative community
- Create a practical plan to enact a long term restorative community
Needs Assessment
The Educational Problem
Over the last decade school systems have faced increasing and unprecedented challenges associated with high levels of dysregulation in students, growing numbers of individuals struggling with their mental health, and increasing teacher burnout. Additionally, we know that traditional exclusionary methods of discipline are known to have bias and often cause more harm than they fix for dysregulated students. That said our shift away from traditional disciplinary methods has left many teachers feeling frustrated that non-traditional methods lack consequences and structure resulting in chaos and poor learning environments. Restorative practices, when done correctly, seek to shift the paradigm recognizing the importance of structure and consistency while removing punitive discipline. Restorative practices focus on relationships and conflict resolution the educational goal is to empower teachers with strategies to do this while still maintaining high expectations and structure.
Learners/participants
The intended learners for this course are school faculty, primarily teachers and pre-service teachers, as well as students interested in building a better community.
Analysis of gaps
The reality: Restorative practices have been around for long enough that many learners, have heard of them, or are working in a district that is actively trying to enact them. However, there are many misconceptions about restorative practices. Unfortunately, many districts have made well-meaning but inadequate attempts to shift to a restorative framework leaving many teachers bitter or wary of restorative techniques. In the data I have gathered for this project some of the feedback I received from teachers about restorative practices include "This new trend is just a lack of consequences, and has resulted in worsening student behavior" - 9th grade ELA teacher. "Giving a student a bag of chips and talking about feelings is not addressing the fact they are regularly starting fights and cursing out teachers and peers" -Middle school Science teacher. "Restorative practices are not consistent, we are sitting around singing kumbayah while nothing is being done to address harmful and sometimes dangerous behavior." - Secondary language teacher. That said there are many others in support of restorative practices who feel they need more support in how to implement it in their classrooms.
Ideally: Learners would come into the course with a baseline understanding of restorative practice and an open unbiased mindset to learning more about them. At a minimum learners would be receptive to the idea that there are ways to improve relationships, build community, and recognize there are effective alternatives to punitive systems of discipline.
Existing efforts to address this gap
There has been a growing push for restorative practices all across the United States. In 2032 the National Education Association published data showing a growing number of schools making the shift. Schools that are effectively using restorative practices have seen a staggering 35% reduction in student arrests in school, an 18% reduction in school suspension, and overall improvements in school climate. (Walker, 2023). My school and many schools in the surrounding area have been actively working to integrate restorative practices for several years.
Intent statement
This mini-course will help learners better understand restorative practices and feel empowered to utilize a restorative approach by presenting tools and strategies that are both high support and high control that can be used in classrooms and integrated into everyday teaching.
Analysis of the Learner and Context
My learners are school faculty in non-administrative roles. The target learners for this mini-lesson are specifically in-service and pre-service teachers and student support staff such as teaching aids and assistants. These learners have a general sense of the teaching profession and have worked in and around schools with students. Teachers in this mini-lesson are expected to come in with some but minimal background on restorative practices. These individuals are potentially wary of restorative practices or nervous about how to implement them but are open to trying some strategies. The course material is self-paced and designed to allow learners to skip around as needed however in full it will likely take several 1-hour sessions across a few days to fully engage and explore the content. Learners will be given access to all the materials they will need, apart from an electronic device, and a positive attitude.
Performance-Based Objectives
After completing this mini-course, learners will be able to
- Confidently describe restorative practices and their use in day-to-day teaching and learning environments.
- Identify and reflect upon the restorative practices they already utilize in their classrooms.
- Execute a new or previously under-used restorative strategy in their classroom.
- Encourage students to be active participants in a restorative community by teaching a lesson that models restorative conflict resolution and peer community building strategies.
- Analyze their current classroom practices and identify the ways they are and are not restorative.
- Create a foundational plan that can be built upon and carried out consistently to foster long-term restorative classroom communities.
Task and Content Analysis
Unit 1: Understanding Restorative Practices
Learners will
- Reflect on their current understanding and relationship with restorative practices. Specifically looking to reflect on previous experiences and identify any bias they may have.
- Choose two of the following to engage and reflect on:
- Read: a book section that describes Restorative Practice and why it works.
- Watch: a video showing Restorative Practices and their impacts on the community.
- Listen: to a podcast on Restorative Practice and its importance in schools.
- Reflect on how their understanding of restorative practices going into the unit compares to their learning in this unit. The goal here is to address misconceptions and to open teachers who may be wary of the strategies.
Unit 2: Practical Restorative Strategies for Classroom Teachers
Learners will
- Read about 6 restorative classroom strategies and ways you can try them in the classroom
- Identify the restorative strategies they are already using in their classrooms by listing them and providing examples. Again I want to specifically address individuals who are wary of the practice, hopefully, this exercise will help some to realize they are already engaging in restorative practice. It's not a new thing to add to your plate but a foundation to build on.
- Attempt to use a previously unknown restorative practice in their classroom.
- Reflect on their attempt to utilize a new RP strategy.
Unit 3: Getting student’s Involved
Learners will
- Learn something new by choosing to engage in at least one of the following:
- Read: A Guide to Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills in High School
- Listen: Teaching conflict resolution to young kids
- Survey student interest in learning about effective communication and restorative practice
- Use a circle script to teach a mini-lesson to interested students modeling affective statements for communication.
- Reflect on their mini-lesson and thoughts going forward
Unit 4: Building Long-term Restorative Communities
Learners will
- Read a formal explanation of the benefits of creating a Restorative Community and long-term practices that create a culture of care
- Conduct an in-depth analysis of their own practice and the ways it is and is not restorative.
- Write a reflection focusing on setting goals for the long-term changes they can enact to build toward restorative practices
Curriculum Map
| Unit | Objectives | Activities | Assessments |
| 1 | Confidently describe restorative practices and their use in day-to-day teaching and learning environments. | Reflection on current understanding and relationship with RP
|
Reflection on current understanding of RP following after engaging in content. |
| 2 | Identify and reflect upon the restorative practices they already utilize in their classrooms.
Execute a new or previously under-used restorative strategy in their classroom. |
Read about 6 practical restorative strategies that can be used in classrooms
Identify the restorative strategies they are already using in their classrooms by listing them and providing example |
Attempt to use a new RP strategy in the classroom
|
| 3 | Encourage students to be active participants in a restorative community by teaching a lesson that models restorative conflict resolution and peer community building strategies. | Engage in content by reading or listening to a passage about how to get students involved in Restorative practices
Survey student interest in restorative practices Teach a mini-lesson to interested students |
Reflection on Lesson, what went well and what can be improved in the future |
| 4 | Analyze their current classroom practices and identify the ways they are and are not restorative.
Create a foundational plan that can be built upon and carried out consistently to foster long-term restorative classroom communities. |
Read a formal explanation of the benefits of creating a Restorative Community and long-term practices that create a culture of care | Conduct an in-depth analysis of their own practice and the ways it is and is not restorative.
Write a reflection focusing on setting goals for the long-term changes they can enact to build toward restorative practices |
References and Resources
Adukia, A., Feigenberg, B., & Momeni, F. (2023). From Retributive to Restorative: An Alternative Approach to Justice. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4567681
Anjali Adukia, Feigenberg, B., & Momeni, F. (2023). From Retributive to Restorative: An Alternative Approach to Justice. Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4566132
Brion-Meisels, G. (n.d.). Step 1: Prioritizing Unheard Voices and Perspectives. Instructionalmoves.gse.harvard.edu. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://instructionalmoves.gse.harvard.edu/including-more-voices/step-1-prioritizing-unheard-voices-and-perspectives
Creating Rules with Students - Best Teaching Practices. (2020, August 25). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aLSSXFLbWw
Davenport, M. (2018, August 16). Using Circle Practice in the Classroom. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-circle-practice-classroom/
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Establishing Community Agreements and Classroom Norms | Center for Teaching Innovation. (n.d.). Teaching.cornell.edu. https://teaching.cornell.edu/resource/establishing-community-agreements-and-classroom-norms
Everyday Speech. (2023, August 22). A Guide to Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills in High School. Everyday Speech. https://everydayspeech.com/sel-implementation/a-guide-to-teaching-conflict-resolution-skills-in-high-school/
Friedman, C. (2012). Restorative Justice in Oakland Schools: Tier One. Community Building Circle. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKhcQrLD1w
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Hepler, V. (n.d.). Teaching Conflict Resolution to Young Children Audio Player 00:00 (No. 57) [Podcast]. Conscious Discipline .
How to Foster a Growth Mindset in the Classroom | American University. (2020, December 10). Soeonline.american.edu; American School of Education. https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/growth-mindset-in-the-classroom/
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MindsetWorks | Growth Mindset | Growth Mindset Programs. (n.d.). Www.mindsetworks.com. https://www.mindsetworks.com/default
Mooiman, L. (2020, May 10). Restorative Chat Teachers Practice using the restorstive questions. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PNWfSQT3o4
Murray, N., & Nordquist , J. (2020, December 13). Inspiring Radical Empathy Podcast (No. 4) [Podcast]. Inspiring Radical Empathy.
O’Connor, K. (2023, July 26). Why Prioritizing Student Voice Matters in Public Education. NGLC. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/listening-to-learners-prioritizing-student-voice?fbclid=IwAR2meijrRPK-6GEpBcmDtKwfI_H0IdGTWR7KRHQh1Lxam6MsmjbmHXl-Acg
Rimm-Kaufman, S., & Sandilos, L. (2015). Improving students’ relationships with teachers to provide essential supports for learning. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/relationships
Smith, D., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Better Than Carrots Or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management. In Google Books. ASCD. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Better_Than_Carrots_Or_Sticks/aYzgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PP1&printsec=frontcover
Taylor, T. (2020, June 1). Temperature Check: A Simple Wellbeing Check for Real or Remote Classroom. Tailoredpractice; TailoredPractice. https://www.tailoredpractice.com/single-post/temperature-check-a-simple-wellbeing-check-for-students-and-teachers
TEDx Talks. (2020). Restorative Practices in Schools Have Power to Transform Communities | Liz Knapp | TEDxMcMinnville [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quKa7C-wxZk
Valenzuela, J. (2023, October 5). A blueprint for restorative conversations. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-restorative-conversations-mend-relationships-schools/
Vardell, E. (2019). Student-constructed classroom guidelines: How to involve students in the creation of a tailored classroom environment. Education Programs/Schools. https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/112454
Woolf, N. (n.d.). 2x10 Relationship Building: How to Do It (and Why It Works!). Www.panoramaed.com; Panorama Education. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://www.panoramaed.com/blog/2x10-relationship-building-strategy#:~:text=The%202x10%20strategy%20is%20designed