Independent Thinking on Restorative Practice: Building relationships, improving behaviour and creating stronger communities (Independent Thinking On ... series)

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Too often in schools, relationships aren’t the first priority. Restorative practice says that we need to connect with students, their families and colleagues first, and then teach second. Starting his career in adult services with people who have learning and physical disabilities Mike has 26 years’ experience of working with adults and children in statutory and voluntary services. For the past 15 years Mike has worked in statutory children’s services as a Social Worker, Independent Reviewing Officer, Child Protection Conference Chair and Team Manager.

Remember the old joke about the pub on the moon that shut down because there was no atmosphere? How does your classroom compare? If your classroom or office was a coffee shop, would you be a regular? Having people leave your presence feeling better than when they arrived is one thing, but what about helping people feel better just by coming through the door?

Let’s look at the system of retribution many schools have in place and how it can end up causing more harm than the original transgression. Mark's words inspire courage and a belief that small changes will have a huge impact. Restorative approaches are not just for resolving conflict, and this book suggests many ways in which it can be built into day-to-day interactions throughout a school. Restorative practice is not a 'soft' or easy option, and the structures suggested in this book guide the reader through its many functions and possibilities. Make sure you change the language around yourself, if you feel you can’t do something or you are struggling add the word ‘yet’ and you’ll be a lot more hopeful. Here are some examples: He has worked for a number of local authorities, many schools and some research projects around the implementation of all things restorative. This has included the City of Leeds, where he has providing consultancy and modelled practice to develop a city-wide approach to Restorative Practices. Sometimes we default to the ‘FOR’ box. We make excuses and rescue people when things have gone wrong. When students come to us with problems and we sort them out for them. Then, who do they come to next time they have a problem? That’s right, us. And if we keep sorting things out for them, what are we creating? …Dependency. It might make us feel good, but it shouldn’t.

Finnis: While restorative practice and restorative justice have similar values, beliefs, skills and practices, they aren’t the same thing. Josh (fake name), arrived late to school wearing white trainers and was greeted with a scowl, a finger in his chest and an angry question about why he was late and wearing trainers, Josh responded by telling that teacher to “F*** off” and was sent home. Josh’s swearing was unacceptable but so were the teacher’s actions. I would really like you to reflect on which box you spend most of your time in? And, when things aren’t going your way, which box do you default to? Be honest, After all, when we are reactive, our behaviour is often emotional and not thought through. When we take the time to think about our actions and are responsive we can be more effective, behaving in a way that is more purposeful, intentional and professional. Restorative practice describes a way of being, an underpinning ethos, which enables us to build and maintain healthy relationships. It provides a strong framework within which we can promote a whole-school ethos founded on the importance of relationships. This includes a range of approaches to managing conflict and tensions in a way that repairs harm and mends relationships if and when those relationships do break down. It’s about using relationships to prevent behaviour incidents, rather than something you implement once an incident has happened.Low challenge and low support– the NOT box, is the ‘I’m your cover/supply teacher, here are the worksheets, get on with it I won’t help you’, it is the worst place to be and is uncaring, dangerous and neglectful towards children. Carlie has also facilitated a variety of mediation referrals for the Police, Corporate sector, Housing Associations and Charity Sector as well as complaints for the Local Authority and in-house as a HR process. After all, it is said often enough that the quality of a student’s learning cannot exceed the quality of their teachers. But I suggest that neither the quality of the teaching nor of the learning can exceed the quality of the relationship between the teacher and the learner. The impact goes beyond those measures, though. These children know how to manage conflict - and that’s because relationships are at the heart of everything their school does.

In the summer and autumn of 2019 Mark Finnis from L30 worked with leaders from across adult and children services in the Reading area introducing restorative practice. In this short video, Mark takes us through the social discipline window, which is a key aspect of restorative approaches and practice. The social discipline window is a great tool to reflect on and guide your work with children, young people and or families. Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice – What’s the Difference?

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The start of the day as students arrive can often be the busiest and most unsettled part of the school day. Getting involved earlier in the life of any problems can often help you have fewer problems later. Be more proactive and less reactive. In a primarily ‘FOR’ environment, students may find the support they need but without being held to account for their actions. That’s asking for trouble. We must involve people in decisions that affect them, listen actively to one another, be empathic, and deal with conflicts and tensions in a way that seeks to repair harm and sustain relationships. This is the core of restorative practice. Ready to take the ESL classroom by storm? Explore our programs in Vietnam, Thailand, China, Cambodia or Poland or send in an application.

My strengths lie in building lasting relationships with brilliant clients and this is key to my success. I pride myself in asking the right questions to understand your needs and being results oriented.

Tiffany left teaching to work in Children’s Centres to explore working more with whole communities, continuing to explore a sector that she was passionate about, this is where Tiffany first experienced training in Restorative Practice, realising that this approach aligned closely with how Tiffany already worked with families within the community, Tiffany continued to research the Restorative approach and trained as a Family Group Conference Coordinator and Restorative Facilitator. Mike has a particular interest in the development of restorative approaches in early help services, children’s safeguarding social work and services for children who are looked after. Mike has and continues to play a key role in the development of restorative approaches with front line social workers, managers and colleagues from health and education. Tes: Most teachers will have heard of restorative justice, but how is restorative practice different? For those educators who are uncomfortable with the punitive world of zero tolerance, isolation booths and school exclusions, Mark Finnis - one of the UK's leading restorative practice experts - is here to show you that there is another way.