Restorative Practices

Carmody Middle School will be using Restorative Practices and Proactive Circles throughout the school year.

OVERVIEW OF RESTORATIVE PRACTICE

What is Restorative Practice?

Restorative Practice is a term used to describe a relationship-oriented approach (rather than a punishment-oriented one) to resolving issues that arise in school. The five Rs of Restorative Practice are relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, and reintegration.

Proactive Circles

Occur weekly in the classroom for the purpose of connection and belonging. These circles include a set of norms to ensure every voice is heard and students are asked a few questions around social and emotional learning or academic learning.

Responsive Circles

Take place 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

Utilized to talk to an individual or small group about an issue (student/teacher conflict, habitual tardies, etc.) using four 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 four questions with each individual in conflict prior to determining whether to put them together in a formal RP Conference

RP Conferences

Conference with two people in conflict or reintegration of a student who was suspended that results in a signed, mutually agreeable and student-generated solution

How can you support your student at home?

• Use the 4 questions when helping your student to problem solve through a conflict they have at home.

• Take turns answering relationship-building questions around the dinner table. You can get some ideas here