Restorative Justice Chapter 3 Summary

SUMMARY CHAPTER 3

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINE
Value statements are being developed in schools which are used in their policies and their code of ethics. Many of these values reflect a broader value of restorative justice, which includes respect, truthfulness, dependability, self-control, self-discipline, acceptance, responsibility and accountability.
Zerh explains the basic principles of restorative justice; which
1. Focuses on harms and consequent needs (the victims’, as well as the communities’ and the offenders’).
2. Addresses obligations resulting from those harms (the offenders’, but also the communities’ and the societies).
3. Uses inclusive, collaborative processes.
4. Involves those with a legitimate stake in the situation (victims,

offenders, community members, society).
5. Seeks to put right the wrongs.
Restorative discipline;
1. Acknowledges that relationships are central to building community – Students should be involved in a process of naming the values and principles to live by within their school community.
2. Builds systems that address misbehavior and harm in a way that strengthens relationships – Schools should establish policies to provide a safe place for learning. Policies should reflect the values and principles agreed to by the school community.
3. Focuses on the harm done rather than only on rule breaking – Misbehavior arises out of attempts to address a perceived injustice. Those who are victimized also feel they have been treated unjustly. Misbehavior is an offense against people and relationships, not just rule-breaking.
4. Gives voice to the person harmed – Those harmed must be given an opportunity to have a voice in the resolution of the harm, the immediate safety concerns of the person harmed are primary.
5. Engages in collaborative problem-solving – Misbehavior creates both danger and opportunities for those involved. Family, students, and communities are encouraged to help identify problems and solutions that meet needs.
6. Empowers change and growth – In order for students to change and grow, we must help them identify their needs and assist them in finding alternative, life giving ways of meeting those needs. Conflict prevents opportunity for change if the process includes careful listening, reflecting, shared problem-solving, trust, and accountability structures that support commitments to work at relationship-building.
7. Enhances responsibility – Consequences should be evaluated based on whether they are reasonable, related to the offense, restorative and respectful. At times, persisting in “walking behind” (to let the student know someone is there if needed) rather than “walking alongside” (to monitor or cue the student regarding appropriate behavior) is necessary before a student is ready to acknowledge the harm of a behavior.
Restorative discipline yardstick;
1. Focus primarily on relationships and secondarily on rules – Does the proposed response go beyond focusing solely on policy violations? Is equal concern also being given to harm experienced by individuals and the community? What steps are being implemented to ensure the safety of the individuals involved while information is being gathered? How will information be shared more broadly if necessary?
2. Give voice to the person(s) harmed – Does the response address the needs of the person harmed, both immediate victim as well as others who may be affected? Does it allow an opportunity for those harmed to be part of the resolution? Has the person harmed been asked what he or she needs? Has the person been asked what a just process would look like?
3. Give voice to person(s) who caused the harm – Does the response address the needs of the person who did the harm?
4. Engage in collaborative problem-solving – Are the solutions being arrived at collaboratively, meaning that all those affected (or representatives of those affected (or representatives of those affected) by the harm/incident are fully involved? Are all participants represented at the decision-making table? Are all decisions reached collaboratively, with assurance that all voices are heard?
5. Enhances responsibility.
6. Empower change and growth.
7. Plan for restoration.

SUMMARY CHAPTER FOUR

TOWARDS A RESTORATIVE ENVIRONMENT
The peaceable school movement, popularized by educators Bodine, Crawford, and Schrumpf, developed programs for schools that teach conflict resolution education through individual applications (such as anger-management instruction), through classrooms (such as negotiation instruction integrated into curriculum designs), through school-side programs or policies (such as a checklist of restorative policies), and through community programs (such as Big Brothers/Sisters).
Restorative discipline embraces the peaceable schools approach, yet focuses more intentionally on restorative practices that can be used when harm is done. Johnson and Johnson report that learning usually, if not always, requires conflict. And, Piaget and others also said, conflict provides the dissonance that energizes the assimilation and accommodation process of learning.
When a child is disciplined, a withdrawal is made on the relationship account. This account is compared to a checking account. If you take money out and make no deposits, you become bankrupt. The relationship account is based on respect, mutual accountability, and even friendship established within a caring community.
Nelsen, Lott, and Glenn say, and I quote “Research has shown that the greatest predictor of academic success is the students’ perception of ‘Does the teacher like me?’” If children do not feel safe around you, they may not feel safe enough to risk performing academically or care enough to resist draining life from the community. Furthermore, if meaningful relationships are already established before things go wrong, people are likely to be motivated to work out their differences through conversations. Judy H. Mullet research shows that this is also true among children with learning disabilities.
Moreover, even though relationship-building may work to create academic success, it is not the only reason we try to cultivate good relationships in schools. It is simply the right thing to do as caring human beings. Brennan Manning notes that there are no neutral actions: in every moment we either drain life or give it. Therefore the choices children make are either life-draining or life-enhancing actions.
Restorative discipline provides a framework to support learning communities by modeling and encouraging responsible behavior and discouraging harmful behavior. The process begins with examining the models used not just for children but also for adults: the teachers, administrators, and staff persons. All this is needful so as to make the students also see what they are asked to do been portrayed by the adults as well.

Characteristics of peaceable schools
1. Educators as models of restorative practices: What are you modeling in your school?
2. A physical ethos of care in the classroom: What does the environment look like, sound like, and feel like?
3. An emotional ethos of care in the classroom: What are the routines, procedures, and practices in the classrooms?
4. Restorative school structures: What are the mission, policies, and practices of the school community?
5. Conflict Resolution Education (CRE): How is conflict resolution taught in schools?
6. Kindness curriculum: How are habits of kindness directly taught in schools?
7.

From differentiated instruction to differentiated discipline: How is discipline differentiated in various school contexts?
FLEXIBLE POLICIES
Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz states how schools that claim they are following restorative approaches through their policies in discipline are not necessarily restorative, but have enough flexibility to allow a restorative response.
The peaceable schools movement seeks to create and nurture relationships. The restorative arm seeks to mend relationships when they are damaged or broken.

References
Bodine, J. Richard, K. Donna, and Crawford. The Handbook of Conflict Resolution Education: A Guide to Building Quality Programs in Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-bass, 1998. Print.

Brennan, M. (2002). Abba child. Colorado springs: NavPress.
Lorraine, A., & Judy, M. (2015). The Little Book of Restorative Discipline (p. 7). NewYork: Good Books.
Nelsen, J., Lott, L., & Glenn, S. (2000). Positive discipline in the classroom developing mutual respect, cooperation, and responsibility in your classrooms, 3rd ed. (p. 120). Roseville, Califonia: Prima Publishing.
Zehr, H. (2002). The Little Book of Restorative Justice. NewYork: Good

Books.