Journey to Becoming Restorative Practitioners in Our Schools

by Rebecca Lewis Pankratz

As we navigate the journey of constructing resilience-oriented schools, we frequently grapple with the challenge of cultivating strong relationships with both struggling students and struggling staff, while also determining effective disciplinary methods that yield desired outcomes. 

Many schools find themselves on a path leading toward restorative practices and approaches. Our team has been diligently working on a framework that specifically addresses the aforementioned challenges, empowering staff to act as change-makers and undertake the demanding task of serving our most challenging students. Given the prevalent challenging behaviors in our schools, a balance of strong relationships and high accountability becomes imperative. 

The question then arises: How can we build these relationships and hold both students and staff accountable when boundaries are breached?

Our Restorative Practice Coaches Framework provides a solution. Similar to the Equipping Resilience Coaches process, a dedicated team of educators and leaders undergoes training at ESSDACK over the summer. This training equips them with the skills to undertake the journey of becoming restorative practitioners in their respective schools. Additionally, they receive training modules to guide the transformation of relational disciplinary approaches among the staff.

So, what does a Disciplinary circle entail for a student? Let's consider a scenario where a student is failing multiple classes and is frequently absent.

In this case, a circle is organized including the student, their family, an advocate for the student, and all committed staff and leadership. A trained Circle Keeper meets with each member of the circle individually to 1) help support the student, 2) identify the problem, and 3) explore what each participant is willing to do to help repair the harm. Through this process, the Circle Keeper can tell which members are ready to participate in the circle and in which directions the circle needs to move toward healing.

After meeting with each circle member, the Circle Keeper then convenes the circle with each ready member and facilitates the process using a uniquely-designed Circle Script. The circle addresses three things: 1) the action of supporting the student, 2) identifying the problem, and 3) creating agreements for how to support the student’s success inside the classroom/school. As the circle progresses, hearts open, defenses diminish, and the student begins to perceive the school community as supportive rather than adversarial. Parents feel invited into a sense of unity. Ultimately, an Agreements Contract is created by each circle member contributing to the contract and committing to the process of repairing the harm. The process also includes setting dates for commitments and scheduling follow-ups. This not only forms or strengthens relationships but also establishes accountability for all parties involved.

This example illustrates how circles are employed to foster relationships and accountability for actions. Various types of circles, such as harm circles, community building circles, academic circles, healing circles (for instances like loss), and restorative chats for conflicts, are all used regularly to promote strong relationships and, when needed, reconciliation within our school community.

It is crucial to embark on the challenging path of reconciliation when a community member struggles to meet school expectations. By empowering staff to use circles as a means to address conflicts directly—instead of avoiding them or resorting to venting or gossiping—we foster real-life skills that bring us closer together, aligning with our mission.

Restorative practices and approaches epitomize what it means to discipline without resorting to punishment. Our success stories underscore the effectiveness of these practices in instilling valuable life skills and steering us toward our shared mission of student and community success.

For more information about our Restorative Practice Coaches training, please visit: essdack.org/rpc or reach out to Carmen Zeisler.