RESTORATIVE PRACTICE (RP)
Schools that understand and value the importance of healthy, mutually respectful relationships in classrooms, faculties, staff rooms, teams, playgrounds and the wider school community are seeing the benefits of adopting a restorative approaches to problem-solving. The gift in this approach is a new language to define how we think about and manage our relationships with each other, moving away from notions of command and control and retribution. We move towards a deepening of our relationships, and an understanding, that in a school setting, we are in the business of relationship and behaviour development – of our own, as adults, and only then, of the young people we work with.
This work of culture change is deep, long and always challenging. We are in the business of changing minds and hearts about the best way to solve the typical issues that arise in our school communities, and this means we must move away from current ideas around behaviour management or behaviour modification. This work is NOT a program or a package. It is designed to shift the thinking, and eventually the practice (and systems) of the adults in the school community so they become competent and confident in this restorative approach.
Listed below are a series of typical training workshops* that can be offered both face to face where possible, and online:
Listed below are a series of typical training workshops* that can be offered both face to face where possible, and online:
- Introduction to RP: a general introduction to restorative theory, philosophy and practice for schools beginning the implementation process. This is typically the equivalent of a 1 day workshop (twilight sessions available)
- Restorative Practice Facilitation training: designed for senior and middle managers and key pastoral care/welfare staff who have responsibilities for responding to more serious and/or complex matters of serious harm or patterns of behaviour by students who are struggling. This course is 3 days** (or a 2+1 model) and explores the continuum of RP responses for serious to minor incidents (link to the information about Community (Restorative) Conferencing
**If your school, district, cluster or region is interested in hosting this training, please do contact us by email to discuss details and possibilities
- In-house training for schools: best for schools who have begun/about to begin implementation. It is designed to align practice with systems that support this approach to problem-solving, and increase competence and confidence of the adults in the school community, best done over 2 days (although the days can be separate).
- Implementation: designed to support implementation teams in their planning for and roll out of the approach across the school community, and to take into account how RP aligns with other initiatives, best done ½ day – 1 day (again spread over time) to reflect progress. If your school is contemplating this journey, please do consider your readiness for this serious change in culture
- RP and Special Needs: a workshop for Inclusion Units and Special Schools to explore best practice around adapting typical restorative approaches so that students can access and participate in this approach to problem solving – 1 day
- Classroom conferencing: designed to harness the power of students in classrooms to help respond to typical classroom issues which are affecting learning and relationships ½ – 1 day), this workshop is suitable for pastoral care and curriculum leaders
- Relationships@Work: designed for those with added responsibilities of line management in the school community such as senior and middle managers, seeking to resolve the inevitable conflicts and performance issues in their teams quickly, – keeping the small things small. This is a 2 day workshop (back to back days or separated by a couple of weeks)
- Leading in a Restorative School: an advanced workshop for those who are leading the school, leading their teams/faculties or are members of the RP implementation team – 1 day (if the basic course work has been completed). This may involve team members completing a leadership profile if desired (at an additional cost)
- Practice Clinics: designed to address practice and implementation issues (what’s working and what isn’t), this ½ -1 day workshop is best done after a period of time that has allowed an opportunity for experimentation and practice experiences ( 6-12 months after training, or earlier where required).
* Many of these process outlined above are conducted in a circle. The use of circles to do this work assumes that schools have some understanding of the benefits of and skills in circle processes and their protocols, used widely as a preventative measure in classrooms and teams for building social capital. In these circles (best done regularly) students learn more about each other, develop relationships built around trust and mutual respect, democratically develop classroom agreements, and do their learning for particular aspects of the curriculum.
Restorative problem-solving processes will be more effective if students are familiar with the circle process and its ground rules.
Resources to support this range of workshops are available here.
Please get in touch via this link or calling/texting us directly on +61 412 135 015 to discuss your needs. We’d love to support your efforts to bring about sustainable cultural change in your school.
FEEDBACK
“A truly wonderful experience. I approached this training with dread, but am truly a changed person. Great use of full group, small groups & demonstrations.” … Deputy Principal, Catholic Primary School
“Great stuff — I came along not knowing anything much about the process, but leave feeling confident enough to make a real attempt — along with others — to achieve some restorative justice.”
… Deputy Principal, State Primary School
“Bloody excellent!”
… Guidance Officer, State High School
“There was a good mix & pacing of theory, demonstration & practice.”
… Principal, Catholic Primary School
“Very interesting 3 days. I enjoyed the `hands-on´ participatory nature of the training.”
… Behaviour Management Teacher, High School
“A wonderful program which just makes such sense. You can’t really argue against the philosophy.”
… Teacher, High School
“Transformative/Restorative Justice, with its emphasis on repair, makes sense in very practical terms. This is a commonsense approach that fits well with some key government initiatives.”
… Advisor, Alcohol & Drug Education, Ed Dept
