Restorative Practices are a set of proactive tools that cultivate community and help build relationships on school campuses. All students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members connected to a school can work in a restorative way by getting to know each other, actively listening to and respecting each other, and by creating a foundation of trust, empathy, and safety in the school environment. When people are engaging in a restorative way, it affects overall campus climate, touches the lives of every community member, and becomes a way of being that makes harm less likely to occur in the first place. We also recognize that sometimes harms do occur in our school communities and restorative justice is a specific responsive process under the umbrella of restorative practices that supports students responsible for harm and community members impacted by harm.Â
What are the benefits of Restorative Practices?
Restorative practices are all about building stronger communities and fostering better relationships. In schools, these practices have been incredibly successful in helping both students and adults communicate more effectively. They've also been effective in reducing truancy, minimizing conflicts, and lowering suspension and expulsion rates.