Repairing Harm

“... short-term [punitive discipline] fix is based on fear. It focuses only on the rule that was broken and the punishment deserved. Instead of trying to make things right, it responds to the original harm with an additional harm. It doesn't get at root causes, doesn't try to repair the damage to relationships, and fails to prevent recurrence. ...In fact, it makes our schools neither safer nor smarter, and has a disproportionately negative impact on students of color.” Fania Davis (Oakland RJ)

Reflect:

How are we explicitly understanding identities, lived experiences and using critical consciousness when we approach how harm is repaired?
How are we recognizing when our understanding of 'consequence' means punish and when it means repair?
How can we shift from a culture of shame and punishment to a culture of teaching and development?
How might we understand consequence to mean restoring what was broken or healing when harm has been done?
What does 'accountability in community' look like?
How can we shift from removing privileges to providing support to engage in positive interactions?
How might we consider root causes of behaviour?
How are we using identity specific frameworks to assist in approaches to harm?

Learn:

Something to Read:

Confronting Inequity / The Trauma We Don't SeeToo often, the trauma of high-achieving Black students goes unnoticed.

Reintegrative Shame: The Dynamic of Harm and RepairA critical piece of restorative justice, reintegrative shame looks at the behavioral issues of crime and punishment through a lens of harm and repair.

Repairing Harm: A Better Alternative to PunishmentExclusionary punishments don't really change behavior. Having students work to repair the harm done by their actions can be much more effective.

Restorative discipline sees opportunity instead of punishmentConflicts are opportunities for students to understand the impact of their behavior, take responsibility for their actions, and make things right.

Using Restorative Justice to Transform School CultureWhen restorative justice is implemented on a schoolwide level, it has the potential to transform relationships between teachers and students.

Something to watch:

Something to engage with:

Something to Listen to:

Why In-School Suspension is Not the Answer

Kicking kids out of class is a self reinforcing behaviour
When we send kids out of the classroom, we lose our power. You have no power over what the solution is after you send them out.
Let's try to keep the students in the classroom and bring in support. How might we support the student in the classroom? How might Admin or the BTA support the relationship between the classroom teacher and the student?
Vulnerable decision point: This is where you react from your biases
Reframe behaviour, validate perspectives, and respond with support and compassion
Make students part of the process of restoring relationships

LE 181: Why In-school Suspension is Not the Answer to School Discipline with Dr. Tracy Piper

Listen to this podcast!

A Framework to Engage With:

When Harm Has Happened

When Harm Has Happened:

Race/Identity Matters

History Matters

Language Matters

Justice Matters

Futures Matters

Act:

Understand Your Definition of Consequence

Offer an Affinity Space

Making SpaceAffinity groups offer a platform for voices often relegated to the margins.

Toolkit for Making SpaceThis toolkit describes how affinity groups help marginalized students to be seen and heard, and provides step-by-step recommendations on how to launch an affinity group—or revamp one that already exists—at your school.

Address the Elephant in the Room: What are the causes of the harm and what are the root causes of the behaviour?

Let's Talk!This resource is for educators working to build their own competency facilitating classroom conversations about critical topics like identity, discrimination and inequality.

Functions of behaviour/Root causes

Use Affective "I" statements

Affective Statements:

I am concerned about....

I am feeling irritated by.....

I am sad because I heard.....

I am feeling.....

I am upset that....

I am uncomfortale when I see.....

I am angry about....

I am having a hard time understanding....

Create Space for Resolution

How the Peace Table Transformed Conflict Resolution in the Classroom - Fairy Dust TeachingOne of the best gifts from Montessori education has to be the concept of the Peace Table. The Peace Table is a conflict resolution tool for the classroom. Traditionally, there is a peace rose that the children can present to a child they have a conflict with and “go” to the table to work it out. One way to adapt that process to the classroom is to use a little heart stone.

Students use the peace table to resolve conflict with each other.

Create Opportunities for Peer Mediation

Peer Mediation Toolkit: https://www.irex.org/sites/default/files/node/resource/conflict-resolution-and-peer-mediation-toolkit.pdf

Peer mediation is one of the restorative practice strategies available to schools.

The peer mediation program invites students to take responsibility for their actions by working together to find solutions to conflict. Two trained students (mediators) lead the students in conflict through a structured process. It aims to:

increase awareness of how conflict can affect peoples' lives
improve communication between students and between teachers and students
teach students skills such as listening, critical thinking and problem solving
empower students by having them take greater responsibility for resolving their own disputes.

Resources

These resources are designed to support the implementation of peer mediation in primary and secondary schools

Peer Mediation

Create a Support Plan

Step 1: Identify the Problem or Problems Posed by the Case

Step 2: Take Stock of Varying Perspectives

Step 3: Consider Possible Challenges and Opportunities

Step 4: Imagine Equitable Outcomes

Step 5: Brainstorm Immediate-term Responses

Step 6: Brainstorm Longer-term Policy and Practice Adjustments

Step 7: Craft a Plan of Action

*From "Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice" by Paul Gorski

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2014/excerpt-case-studies-on-diversity-social-justice-education

Creating a Restorative Support Plan

Plan for the Conversation

Think about the circle process and plan with Restorative Questions in mind

Think About Transformation of Community

63. Racial and Restorative Healing w/ Jodie Geddes - This Restorative Justice Life

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