The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, Healing, and Hope in Schools

by Katherine Evans, Dorothy Vaandering

Overview

A fully revised & updated handbook for teachers and administrators on creating just and equitable learning environments for students; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing harm and transforming conflict.

Much more than a response to harm, restorative justice nurtures relational, interconnected school cultures. The wisdom embedded within its principles and practices is being welcomed at a time when exclusionary discipline and zero tolerance policies are recognized as perpetuating student apathy, disproportionality, and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Relying on the wisdom of early proponents of restorative justice, the daily experiences of educators, and the authors’ extensive experience as classroom teachers and researchers, this Little Book guides the growth of restorative justice in education (RJE) into the future. Incorporating activities, stories, and examples throughout the book, three major interconnected and equally important aspects of restorative justice in education are explained and applied: creating just and equitable learning environments; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing harm and transforming conflict. Chapters include:

• The Way We Do Things
• A Brief History of Restorative Justice in Education
• Beliefs and Values in Restorative Justice in Education
• Creating just and Equitable Learning Environments
• Nurturing Healthy relationships
• Repairing Harm and Transforming Conflict
• A Tale of Two Schools: Thoughts and Sustainability

The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education is a reference that practitioners can turn to repeatedly for clarity and consistency as they implement restorative justice in educational settings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781680991727
Publisher:	Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Series:	Justice and Peacebuilding
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	413,273
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Katherine Evans is an associate professor of education and restorative justice in education at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia. Katherine helped develop EMU’s graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education, which supports educators as they create more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those marginalized based on race, ethnicity, income, ability, language, sexual orientation, and gender. She also serves as an education specialist with the Zehr Institute. She lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Dorothy Vaandering is a professor at the Faculty of Education, Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador. After an extensive career as a primary-elementary educator, she now researches the implementation and sustainability of restorative justice in education through critical theory and a decolonizing perspective. She is the director of the Relationships First: Restorative Justice in NL Research/Resource Centre. She lives in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
 

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xv

Section 1 Preparing for Sustainable Growth 1

Chapter 1 The Way We Do Things 3

The Purpose of This Book 5

What Is RJE? 7

Definitions 7

RJE: The Way We Do Things Around Here 9

How Is RJE Different from Traditional Education? 14

Summary 15

Chapter 2 An Important History of Restorative Justice in Education 16

Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous Roots of Restorative Justice Education 17

Faith-Based Foundations of Restorative Justice 19

The Restorative Justice Foundations of RJE 21

Expanding to the Educational Arena 22

Columbine, Taber, and the Era of Zero Tolerance 25

From Zero Tolerance to Restorative Justice 26

Early (and Ongoing) Conversations in RJE 27

Recent Shifts in RJE 30

A Growing Body of Research Revealing Key Components of Authentic Practice 30

Anti-Racist, Culturally Informed Principles and Practices 31

An Increased Emphasis on Trauma and Resilience 31

Summary 32

Chapter 3 Beliefs and Values in RJE 33

The Glasses That Shape Our View of the World 34

What Glasses Am I Wearing? 37

New Glasses 38

How Do We Put on Our RJE Glasses? 40

Am I Honoring? 41

Am I Measuring? 41

What Message Am I Sending? 42

Living with RJE Glasses 42

Summary 43

Section 2 Examining the Components of Restorative Justice in Education 45

Chapter 4 Creating Just and Equitable Learning Environments 49

Defining Justice and Equity 50

Justice 51

Equity 54

How RJE Addresses Issues of Justice and Equity 57

Promoting Just and Equitable Relationships 58

Addressing Underlying Needs 59

Explicitly Addressing Injustices 62

Concrete Action Steps to Support Just and Equitable Learning Environments 63

Culturally Inclusive Pedagogy 63

Full Participation for All Members of the Community 66

Summary 67

Chapter 5 Nurturing Healthy Relationships 68

The Challenge of the Current Context 70

Identifying Quality Relationships 72

Applying the Relationship Matrix 75

How RJE Understands and Supports Healthy Relationships in Education 77

Concrete Action Steps for Nurturing Healthy Relationships 83

Talking Circles 84

Learning to Listen and Learning to Ask 87

Summary 89

Chapter 6 Repairing Harm and Transforming Conflict 90

Defining Harm and Conflict 91

A Word about School Discipline and Student Behavior 93

Understanding Harm 94

Understanding Conflict 98

How RJE Addresses Harm and Conflict 100

Addressing the Needs of All Involved 101

Making Things Right 102

Building Supportive Accountability 103

Transforming Conflict 104

Addressing Justice and Equity 106

Concrete Action Steps for Repairing Harm and Transforming Conflict 108

Create Systems and Structures for Addressing Harm and Conflict 109

Rethink School Discipline Systems 109

Prepare Facilitators to Address Serious Harm 111

Summary 112

Section 3 Sustainable Growth 113

Chapter 7 A Tale of Two Schools: Sustainable Implementation 115

Summary 123

Resources 125

Endnotes 133

About the Authors 148