Restorative Practices focus on the inter-relatedness of the human experience and offers an alternative framework for resolving conflict and the resulting harm. It seeks to address the question of how to “make things right.” The five Rs of Restorative Practice are relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, and reintegration.
Proactive Circles-- happen weekly in the classroom for the purpose of connection and belonging (usually a question with a brief answer where everyone participates)
Responsive Circles--happen as needed in classrooms to address incidents that may cause harm (bullying, playground conflict, or unsafe behavior) or denote a change in the community (new student or a student’s last day)
Informal Conferences--used to talk to an individual or small group about an issue (student/teacher conflict, habitual tardies, etc.) using 4 questions (What happened? Who did it affect? What might you have done differently? What is a solution so it doesn’t happen again?) to reflect on effects of the behavior
Preconferences--fact-finding review of the 4 questions with each individual in conflict prior to determine whether to put them together in a formal RP Conference
RP Conferences--conference with two people in conflict or a reintegration of a student who has been suspended that results in a signed, mutually agreeable and student-generated solution