Restorative Practices are a framework for building community and responding to challenging behavior by:
- Building healthy relationships between educators and students
- Reducing, preventing, and improving harmful behavior
- Repairing harm and restoring positive relationships
- Resolving conflict, holding individuals and groups accountable
- Addressing and discussing the needs of the school community
WHAT IS RESTORATIVE PRACTICES?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_obyZY4XzaI
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RESTORATIVE APPROACHES AT OFES
Within our continuum of practices at OFES, we integrate restorative approaches that allow us to build positive relationships and respond to harmful behaviors in a healthy and productive manner.
AFFECTIVE LANGUAGE/STATEMENTS
AFFECTIVE/RESTORATIVE QUESTIONS
Affective Language & Restorative Questions
PROACTIVE AND RESPONSIVE CIRCLES
Students come to school with various emotions and issues that can carrot over into the classroom. Daily proactive circles allow teachers to gauge students’ emotional well-bring at the time and readiness to participate in academic instruction. While at the same time students and teachers are building relationships by getting to know their each other. Every morning at OFES, we take time out of our schedule called Pride Time to hold a morning meeting. Morning meetings develop valuable social-emotional skills, create a culture of respect and trust, and prepare students to learn.
Responsive circles allow students to voice their thoughts and feeling when harmful situations occur. Using the restorative questions as a guide allow students process what has happened, what they were thinking at the time, who they affected with the harmful behavior, and what they need to do to make things right. For the person who was harmed, it allows them to determine what they need in order to move on from the situation in a positive way. Responsive circles are facilitated by classroom teachers, school counselors, and administration as needed.