Restorative approaches are about more than just repairing relationships when things go wrong, they are also about making and maintaining relationships and they inform a style of teaching just as much as they do an approach to problem solving and conflict resolution. By giving everyone a voice, considering everyone's thoughts, feelings and needs and believing in people's ability to find solutions to their own problems by working together, young people will develop the language and skills they need to properly engage with their peers. The Restorative Classroom invites classroom teachers and teaching assistants to reflect on themselves, on their role, their purpose and their intention in the classroom and on their current style of engagement with their students. It combines a focus on the making, maintaining and repairing of relationships in the classroom with the development of social responsibility and a mutually supportive learning community in that classroom.

Many school communities are beginning to use restorative justice methods as a means of reducing suspension, expulsion and police involvement. Amongst other topics, the authors of this volume look at how to analyse the current school practice and how to use the 'community conference' process.

Engaging Practices for Integrating Restorative Justice Principles in Group Settings As restorative practices spread around the world, scholars and practitioners have begun to ask very important questions: How should restorative practices be taught? What educational structures and methods are in alignment with restorative values and principles? This book introduces games as an effective and dynamic tool to teach restorative justice practices. Grounded in an understanding of restorative pedagogy and experiential learning strategies, the games included in this book provide a way for learners to experience and more deeply understand restorative practices while building relationships and improving skills. Chapters cover topics such as: Introduction to restorative pedagogy and experiential learning How a restorative learning community can be built and strengthened through the use of games and activities How to design games and activities for teaching restorative practices How to design, deliver, and debrief an activity-based learning experience In-depth instructions for games and activities for building relationships, understanding the restorative philosophy, and developing skills in practice An ideal handbook for educators, restorative justice program directors and trainers, consultants, community group leaders, and anyone else whose work draws people together to resolve disagreements or address harm, this book will serve as a catalyst for greater creativity and philosophical alignment in the teaching of restorative practices across contexts.

Explore the impact of restorative practices through interactive prompts and exercises designed to examine your role as a teacher or educator and as an agent of school transformation. Restorative practices have been shown to increase classroom time and student engagement while reducing suspensions, bullying, and absences. Fantastic in theory, restorative techniques require practice every day to result in meaningful change. That’s where Restorative Practices at School comes in. This first-ever restorative practices workbook helps teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, and every educator reflect and enhance their restorative journey. Part professional resource and part guided journal, this book includes: Guided prompts to help you reflect on your practice Real-life examples from educators who use restorative techniques Critical analysis of your own values and their influence Strategies for remaining present and mindful at school Exercises for building strong school relationships and communities Inspired by an urban district’s work in whole-school implementation, the activities in this book provide clear pathways for consideration, exploration, and celebration of restorative practices.

Can community-building begin in a classroom? The authors of this book believe that by applying restorative justice at school, we can build a healthier and more just society. With practical applications and models. Can an overworked teacher possibly turn an unruly incident with students into an "opportunity for learning, growth, and community-building"? If restorative justice has been able to salvage lives within the world of criminal behavior, why shouldn't its principles be applied in school classrooms and cafeterias? And if our children learn restorative practices early and daily, won't we be building a healthier, more just society? Two educators answer yes, yes, and yes in this new addition to The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding series. Amstutz and Mullet offer applications and models. "Discipline that restores is a process to make things as right as possible." This Little Book shows how to get there.

Covering both theory and practice, this book will teach educators everything they need to know about developing restorative practices in their education settings, in a way that is also trauma-informed. The first part of the book addresses the theory and philosophy of restorative approaches, and of trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive schools. The second part outlines the five restorative skills (mindfulness, honest expression, empathy, the art of asking questions and the art of requests), what they look like in practice (including using circles, respect agreements and restorative dialogue), and how to implement them. Every strategy is clearly explained and adapted to be appropriate for children and adults who have experienced trauma. Everything the book discusses has been especially designed to be adapted for different school settings and their particular challenges.