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RESTORE: Activities to support secondary pupils during COVID-19

9 September 2022

At the beginning of lockdown due to COVID-19, a group of organisations in the UK, passionate about peace and Restorative Practice, came together to think about how they could support schools during this time. The group produced a framework, RESTORE, as their contribution. RESTORE offers questions, methodologies and thinkpieces for school communities as they seek to re-build relationships between staff, pupils and parents and consider the social and emotional impacts this collective experience is having. This 16-page PDF is focused on supporting secondary pupils. Other related materials can be found on the Peacemakers website.

The activities are organised around the RESTORE acronym: Recognition, Empathy, Safety, Trauma, Opportunities, Relationships and Engagement.

  • R – What do we notice is happening in this moment?
  • E – What feelings are emerging?
  • S – Given the climate in the group right now, is it safe to continue?
  • T – Do individuals need time to regulate, and/or time to connect with others before we can talk about what has happened? Can we do this as a group?
  • O – What positives can I draw on?
  • R – How can I build connections between everyone right now?
  • E – How can I gather thoughts, feelings and ideas from everyone? How do I feedback to people?

RESTORE Our Schools

29 October 2020

This 10-page document entitled RESTORE provides a restorative perspective that can inform how we plan for the return to the classrooms, playgrounds and corridors of physical schools.

It highlights seven key areas which, alongside learning, are where we need to stimulate thinking and make decisions in order to collectively move forward into a healthy ‘new normal’. The areas intersect, interconnect and affect each other, as we all do. RESTORE is a lens through which staff, children and parents can look at the strategy and plans that are needed for everyone’s well-being in a fast changing environment and for a safe and healthy return to school.

The seven themes represented by the seven letters of the word RESTORE emerged from discussions on the current pandemic and its impact on us all, but particularly on schools: the students, parents and care-givers and the school staff.
The letters of the word RESTORE, could be seen as falling into two areas of need, one the recent past and our experiences of it, and the other looking ahead to how we want to be as a result of this experience:
The first four letters of the acronym, relating to Recognise, Empathise, Safety and Trauma, are connected to what has happened and its effects on us.
The last three letters, relating to Opportunity, Relationships and Engagement, are key to how we are going forward into a new normal.

RESTORE is the fruit of an ongoing collaboration among a group of Head Teachers, consultants, researchers and charities working in and with schools to implement and embed a restorative approach. See more information at restoreourschools.com

Restorative Practices: Fostering Healthy Relationships and Promoting Positive Discipline in Schools

5 June 2016

As educators partner with districts to move away from zero tolerance discipline policies and ramp up e orts to strengthen safe and supportive schools, address con ict, improve school climate, and build a positive school culture that students are connected to, many campuses are looking to implement alternative, restorative approaches.

This toolkit was developed to illustrate how restorative strategies can be seamlessly integrated into the classroom, curriculum, and culture of schools. It de nes what restorative practices are, explains why they are a transformational tool for fostering healthy relationships in schools and shows how they can be useful processes for students, educators, and learning communities.

This toolkit is intended for all educators who support the growth and health of students in schools. It is an introduction for those new to the concepts and will help support and enhance the work of teachers already implementing these practices in their classrooms. e toolkit includes digestible models, frameworks, and action steps for school-wide implementation, accompanied by guiding questions to support re ection for practitioners looking to make restorative methods part of the fabric of daily life in schools. It also recognizes the signi cant role all education professionals play in maintaining a school community that models respectful, trusting, and caring relationships.

The Dignity in Schools Campaign Model Code on Education and Dignity

5 June 2016

The Dignity in Schools Campaign Model Code on Education and Dignity presents a set of recommended policies to schools, districts and legislators to help end school pushout and protect the human rights to education, dignity, participation and freedom from discrimination. The Code is the culmination of several years of research and dialogue with students, parents, educators, advocates and researchers who came together to envision a school system that supports all children and young people in reaching their full potential. Five chapters organize the 104 page document. They cover Education, Participation, Dignity, Freedom from Discrimination, and Monitoring and Accountability.

In October 2013, DSC released a new revised version of the Model Code, which includes new sections on: social and emotional learning, prevention and response to bullying behavior, reducing tickets and summonses issued in school, reducing racial disparities in discipline through culturally responsive classroom management, creating safe schools for LGBTQ students and other topics. A community toolkit was also created to help groups make good use of the Model Code. It is available separately.

Restorative Approaches in Schools A Guide for School Managers and Governors

28 January 2014

Restorative approaches provide schools with a range of practices which promote mutually respectful relationships and manage behaviour and conflict, address bullying and absences and build community cohesion. Restorative approaches are not new, but offer a framework upon which to build on existing good practice. There is a wealth of evidence that shows how the use of restorative approaches alongside Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL), helps to develop more resilient and self regulating learners, thus creating positive learning environments.

This 25-page guide describes the underpinning philosophy of restorative approaches and their links to current developments in education, gives advice on implementation and through case studies, shows the impact on individuals, classes and whole school policy and practice. It sets out how restorative approaches can create a positive ethos, change perspectives of pupils, staff and parents and offer viable and successful alternatives to traditional conflict resolution approaches. The purpose is to connect and re-engage everyone on the learning journey.

Completing the Circle Manual for Conferencing with Children Under 12

28 January 2014

This guide was developed as part of the research project Completing the Circle, Breaking the Cycle: Conferencing for Children at Risk that ran from 2002-2004 as part of the Child and Youth Worker Program at George Brown College in Toronto. The guide provides tips and advice on working with younger children (age 12 and below) using restorative practices. More information on the project is available via Just Us at justusrestorativepractices.weebly.com/writings-and-articles.html

Facilitation Guide for Restorative Justice Community Accountability Panel Members

28 January 2014

This manual is designed to assist a Trainer in conducting sessions for the purpose of teaching facilitation skills to members of Restorative Justice Community Accountability Panels, or other models of Restorative Justice.

It was prepared by using taped transcripts of Training Sessions held for Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Association, presented by Wendy Burton, professor at the University College of the Fraser Valley. Content has been edited. The information contained in this manual covers the basics of communication and facilitation skills.

The manual contains three parts: a participant guide, a trainer’s guide, and a collection of handouts and exercises.

Media Toolkit for Restorative Justice Organisations

28 January 2014

This 100+ page media toolkit presents 10 chapters of practical advice on doing a promotional campaign supporting restorative justice. It was prepared within the framework of the project Building social support for restorative justice, implemented by the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) and the partner organisations, between April 2008 and April 2010, and co-financed by the European Commission. The Building social support for restorative justice project has tried to answer three main questions:
1) How can interaction and cooperation with the media be set up in order to inform and educate the public about restorative justice (RJ)?
2) How can cooperation be developed with civil society organi- sations in order to create broad support for RJ?
3) How can we increase the involvement of individual citizens in the functioning of local RJ programmes?

The resulting media toolkit covers the following topics:
Tool one – Strategic communication planning
Tool two – Understanding the media
Tool three – Building media relationships
Tool four: Developing ethical guideline
Tool five – Press release and media events
Tool six– Giving interviews
Tool seven- Media public campaigns
Tool eight- Exploring new media
Tool nine- Communication for social change
Tool ten- Taking design seriously

A Generation Later: What We’ve Learned about Zero Tolerance in Schools

26 December 2013

Zero tolerance discipline policies that mandate suspension or expulsion of students for misconduct have gained tremendous momentum over the past 25 years while also inviting deep controversy. With A Generation Later: What We’ve Learned about Zero Tolerance in Schools, Vera’s Center on Youth Justice looks at existing research about whether zero tolerance discipline policies make schools more orderly or safe, if out-of-school suspension or expulsion leads to greater involvement in the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems, and what effect these policies can have on a young person’s future. It concludes that, a generation after the rise of these policies and practices, neither schools nor young people have benefited. Fortunately, as described in the report, promising alternatives to zero tolerance can safely keep young people where they belong — in school.

Restorative Interventions Implementation Tool Kit

21 December 2013

Implementation tools and resources for school staff and other adults trained to facilitate conferences and circles to repair harm in educational settings. The tools and resources are designed to assess readiness, implementation and outcomes, as well provide guidance for implementing any school-based restorative model.

Parent-To-Parent Guide on Restorative Justice

21 December 2013

This “Parent-to-Parent Guide to Restorative Justice in the Chicago Public Schools” provides background on POWER-PAC Elementary Justice Campaign and their work to end “zero-tolerance” policies and bring restorative justice to the schools. It also gives suggestions for parents wanting to bring restorative practices to their schools.

How We Can Fix School Discipline Toolkit

20 December 2013

The 77-page ‘How We Can Fix School Discipline Toolkit’ contains step-by-step tools and real-life stories about implementing the alternatives to suspension and expulsion that are proven to keep students in school and learning, improve school climate and student behavior, allow teachers to teach more effectively, help administrators meet benchmarks, and keep communities from seeing many of their children ending up in the juvenile justice system. Alternative approaches featured include School-Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (SWPBIS), Restorative Justice or Restorative Practices, and Social Emotional Learning. The document is structured as follows:

1. Know the problem (pages 4-10)
2. Learn about alternatives from real-life examples (pages 11-48)
3. Advocate for Change (page 63)
4. Monitor progress (pages 68-70)
5. Get the word out (pages 64-67)
6. Contacts (pages 71-78)

A companion website is available at http://www.fixschooldiscipline.org. A video archive of a webinar introducing the toolkit is available at http://youtu.be/6PrCh0MiRZc

Circle Time Poster

15 April 2012

This poster, designed for use with primary age students in the U.K., is an aid to those who use circle time and provides useful reminders for children to ensure the sessions are positive and productive.

A Social Justice Lens: A Teaching Resource Guide

17 January 2012

This 12-page guide provides a lens that applies social justice and critical theory to all aspects of an educators professional life. The tool provides a framework for unions and schools to help guide policy, plan actions, and evaluate resources for social change. Social justice theory focuses on equity for all and critical theory requires action and systemic change. These two concepts form the basis of the British Columbia Teachers Federation social justice lens.

The lens has four distinct interconnecting filters — access, agency, advocacy, and solidarity action. Each represents an aspect of social justice work, and, while we may focus on one filter at a time, the true potential of these filters lies in engaging with all four simultaneously. Participatory democracy, civil society, transformative practice, and systemic change found on the rotating outer ring of the lens are necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of equity found at the centre of the lens.

Restorative Justice: A Working Guide for Our Schools

7 August 2011

The purpose of this publication, available as a 43-page pdf, is to provide support and guidance for teachers, health workers, community leaders, and school personnel who seek to implement Restorative Justice in their schools. The guide introduces Restorative Justice concepts, articulates what is new about the approach, explores benefits, outcomes and impacts and provides guidance on initiating Restorative Justice at the school or district level. Also included are listings of resources for additional information and support.