Restorative Practices and Restorative Discipline Training Modules

Introduction to Restorative Practices in Schools

1-3 Hour Introductory Workshop

This Introduction to Restorative Practices and Interventions training is designed for school staff who want to understand the basic principles, values, and processes of restorative practices and interventions in school settings. Participants will come away with a thorough introduction to restorative justice, restorative discipline, and how the language, skills, and processes fit into a school’s overall mission of creating caring climates based on respect, responsibility, and repair of harm. Participants will truly learn the difference between restorative and retributive (or punitive) justice.

We will use a variety of teaching tools to keep you engaged, including short presentations, real-life stories, small group work, dyads, videos, and large group discussions. Our goal is to keep the pace of the day moving and full of variety. This training is ideal for teachers and administrators who want a basic introduction to the principles and language of restorative justice as it is applied in schools so that you can carry these into your classrooms and offices. Each participant will come away with a small packet of materials.

Core Team Restorative Practices & Restorative Discipline Training

1-3 Day Training

This training is designed for the “core team” for a school’s restorative discipline/practices efforts. We will cover the basic principles, values, and processes of restorative practices and interventions in school settings, along with the key elements of implementation, assessment, evaluation, and follow-up. Participants will come away with a thorough introduction to restorative justice, restorative discipline, and how the language, skills, and processes fit into a school’s overall mission of creating caring climates based on respect, responsibility, and repair of harm. In addition, participants will come away with a specific plan of action for their school.

We will use a variety of teaching tools to keep you engaged, including short presentations, real-life stories, small group work, dyads, videos and large group discussions. Our goal is to keep the pace of the day moving and full of variety. This training is ideal for teachers and administrators who want a basic introduction to the principles and language of restorative justice as it is applied in schools so that you can carry these into your classrooms and offices. Each participant will come away with a small packet of materials and a copy of “The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education.”

Restorative Practices in Schools

1-3 Day Training

This training is designed for classroom teachers, aides, and administrative staff who are interested in implementing specific classroom strategies using restorative principles and practices. Following an introductory training in the basic principles, values, and processes of restorative practices and interventions in school settings, we will discuss and practice ways that participants can implement restorative values and practices, such as connection circles, using affective statements, restorative conversations, restorative agreement meetings, and curriculum integration strategies, in their specific classrooms. Participants will come away with a specific plan of action for their classroom and their school.

We will use a variety of teaching tools to keep you engaged, including short presentations, real-life stories, small group work, dyads, videos, and large group discussions. Our goal is to keep the pace of the day moving and full of variety. This training is ideal for teachers who want to learn how to use restorative practices and restorative discipline with their students. Each participant will come away with a small packet of materials.

Restorative Mediation & Conferencing in Schools

Two-Day Training

This training is designed for staff who want to use the basic principles, values, and processes of restorative practices and interventions in school settings with an emphasis on restorative conferencing and mediation. Participants will come away with a thorough understanding of restorative justice and restorative discipline and how these skills and processes fit into a school’s overall mission of creating caring climates based on respect, responsibility, and repair of harm.

While we will use a variety of teaching tools to keep you engaged, including short presentations, real-life stories, small group work, dyads, videos, and large group discussions, much of our focus will be on demonstrating and practicing the process of restorative conferencing and mediation. This training is highly participatory and will involve role-playing as a significant part of the learning process. Again, our goal is to keep the pace of the day moving and full of variety.

This training is ideal for program coordinators, teachers, counselors, deans, assistant principals, and administrators who want to learn and practice the principles of restorative conferencing and mediation to handle everyday disputes, wrongdoing, and serious harm. Each participant will come away with a restorative justice and conflict mediation training manual.

Active Implementation & Evaluation for Teachers and Administrators

1-3 Day Training

This training is designed to meet the needs at both the school building and district level for evidence-based implementation of restorative practices. Topics include implementation science, culture and climate assessment, identification of strengths and roadblocks, stakeholder participation and support, professional development recommendations, staff and administrator rubrics for restorative practices effectiveness evaluation, using restorative practices to address staff and student conflict, and building a sustainable community of practice. Participants will come away with a full understanding of best practices for restorative practices implementation for the unique needs of their school and/or district along with a robust training manual.

Responsive Restorative Practices for the Classroom Teacher Training

Two-Day Training

A two-day training for the classroom teacher dedicated to providing them with skills to respond restoratively to individual and classroom incidents and issues. This training goes beyond relationship-building and proactive, community-building circle practices to enable teachers to hold Restorative Conversations with individual students, Problem-Solving Circles with the whole class, and Harm Repair Circles that address harmful classroom incidents and focus on healing, accountability, and reintegration.

Engaging Students & Families in Restorative Practices Training

One-Day Training

This one-day intensive training is designed for anyone interested in learning how and when to engage students and families in your school’s implementation of Restorative Practices. Deciding when and how to include students and families is a key question for implementation. It is easy to just start with the school staff and then move onto students and families given the time challenges in schools. And while this may be the easiest path to take, it may too easily become an initiative that is done “TO” students and families and not “WITH.” This training will cover the Spectrum of Engagement, Strategies for Rolling It out to Students and Families, Evaluating other Roll-Outs, and Action Planning time. Participants will receive a training manual filled with practical strategies and handouts.

To schedule a training, contact Randy Compton at rcompton@restorativesolutions.us.

Training Modules