Restorative Practices:
Definition: Restorative Practices are based on principles and processes that emphasize the importance of positive relationships as central to building community and repairing relationships when harm has occurred.
Restorative Practices: RP is a movement grounded in principles designed to create powerful relationships, which are central to building thriving communities and represents a paradigm shift that focuses on the harm done, rather than on the rule broken, in the restoration of relationships. RP is a reflective practice that encourages personal responsibility, giving a voice both to the person harmed as well as the person who caused the harm and aids in the acceptance of cultural differences by offering an equitable process where all members of a community feel valued and heard, and in turn, are more likely to bring their best self to the community.
Restorative Practices in SFUSD
Restorative Practices, when broadly and consistently implemented, will promote and strengthen positive school culture and enhance pro-social relationships within the school community.
Restorative practices allow for a shift in practice that results in a culture which is inclusive, builds fair process into decision-making practices, and facilitates students learning to address the impact of their actions through an approach that allows for true accountability, skill building, cooperation, and mutual understanding.
Through restorative practices, members of the school community will:
1. have an opportunity to be heard
2. understand the greater impact of one's actions
3. learn to take responsibility
4. repair the harm one's actions may have caused
5. recognize one's role in maintaining a safe school environment
6. build upon and expand on personal relationships in the school community
7. recognize one's role as a positive contributing member of the school community.
Ultimately, people will learn to make positive, productive, and effective choices in response to situations they may encounter in the future after engaging in a restorative practice.
The underlying premise of restorative practices is that people are happier, more cooperative, more productive and more likely to make positive changes when those in positions of authority do things with them rather than to them or for them.
The underlying premise of restorative practices is that people are happier, more cooperative, more productive and more likely to make positive changes when those in positions of authority do things with them rather than to them or for them.
A Response to, and Prevention of Harm In schools, Restorative Practice/Approaches are multifaceted in nature. Restorative practices include interventions when harm has happened, as well as practices that help to prevent harm and conflict by helping to build a sense of belonging, safety, and social responsibility in the school community.
Benefits of Restorative Approaches in the School Setting
- A safer, more caring environment.
- A more effective teaching and learning environment.
- A greater commitment by everyone to taking the time to listen to one another.
- A reduction in bullying and other interpersonal conflicts.
- A greater awareness of the importance of connectedness to young people. The need to belong and feel valued by peers and significant adults.
- Greater emphasis on responses to inappropriate behavior that seek to reconnect, and not further disconnect young people.
- Reductions in fixed term and permanent suspensions and expulsions.
- A greater confidence in the staff team to deal with challenging situations.