Transforming a School Community Through Restorative Practices

Restorative practices in schools emphasize a focus on non-punitive strategies to handle student disciplinary issues within schools and can include practices such as peer mediation conflict resolution restorative circles enabling a respectful dialogue reparation of harmful and/or wrongful actions and a primary emphasis on building relationships between all members of a school community. With a movement away from harsh disciplinary policies including suspensions expulsions and zero tolerance policies restorative practices encourage school community members to work together in a productive and meaningful way without the use of exclusionary discipline practices which often result in the removal of a student from a school community. Restorative practices emphasize inclusive strategies that aim to restore a school community and provide schools with strategies to improve their school climate overall. Transforming a School Community Through Restorative Practices: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a critical scholarly resource that can provide schools with the tools needed to successfully implement a restorative approach to effect change within a school. Featuring a wide range of topics such as conflict resolution school safety and school community this book is ideal for teachers counselors school administrators principals academicians education professionals researchers policymakers and students.