Rheabrown Researchpaper Final

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
RHEA BROWN
HIGH TECH HIGH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

San Diego, California
25 MAY 2016
Introduction
Restorative Practices
Social and Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices
Neuroscience and Restorative practices
Trauma-Informed Practices and Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices at HTMCV
Implementing Restorative Practices
Setting
Methods
Findings (part 1: PDSA cycles)
Findings (part 2: Case study)
Discussion
References
Introduction
They all ignore the substantive issue and instead view the issue as one of finding ways of
controlling children. The substantive issue is the question: What are we doing in this
school that alienates many of our children so that they create problems and are
disruptive? For example, it is not uncommon in urban profile elementary schools to find
that minority males may represent 60 percent or more of the discipline problems, failing
grades and poor attendance. These young men may represent only 30 percent or less of a
school population. How do we account for this disproportionate outcome? Yet, in the vast
majority of cases introspection or reflection about underlying problems in the school are
not considered as relevant to this as a "school effect." The problem will universally be
identified as in the students and/or their families. (Eubanks et al., 1997, p. 3)
Throughout the US, disparities in school discipline persist. Black pupils are two to five
times more likely to be suspended than their white classmates, a trend that many educators are
familiar with (Irvine 1990; Monroe 2005). Black students tend to receive harsher punishments
than their peers, often for subjectively defined offenses like disrespect or loitering (Skiba et
al., 2000), and inequities in school discipline are most pronounced among boys (Monroe, 2005).
Of concern is the suggestion posed by Skiba et al. (2002) that there is no evidence that racial
disparities in school punishment could be explained by higher rates of African American
misbehavior (p. 344). Black boys arent the only group overrepresented in school discipline
data; Latino students, especially boys, are more likely to be suspended or expelled than white
peers (Skiba et al., 2002).
These disparities are particularly concerning because students experience with school
discipline is correlated with several long-term outcomes, including lower academic achievement,
grade retention, delinquency, dropping out, and drug use (Mendez, 2003; Monroe, 2005).
Students who are suspended are less likely to graduate (Christle et al., 2005), which is a concern
given that 82 percent of people in prison do not have a high school diploma (Christle et al.,
2005). This disturbing correlation is referred to as the school-to-prison pipeline. School
discipline is a main contributor to this pipeline; as Monroe (2005) suggests, The present
overrepresentation of African American males in the U.S. justice system, combined with racial
disproportionality on measures of school discipline, provide compelling reasons for continued
scrutiny of connections between the two areas (p. 45).
The disparities present in school discipline trends speak to the inequities present in school
environments. As with the achievement gap, addressing the causes and looking for solutions to
the discipline gap is a complex task. As we become increasingly aware of the ramifications of
suspensions, districts throughout the country are finding themselves searching for solutions for
this problem. The problem is deeply rooted in historical marginalization, systemic bias and
discrimination, and a long-standing culture of punishment and exclusion. With such significant
factors contributing to discipline disparities, quick fixes designed to reduce or eliminate
suspensions may work on paper, but dont address the true causes of the problem. True
solutions require a culture change, a shift in philosophy, and a deeper understanding of how
educational institutions perpetuate cycles of inequity.
Restorative practices have recently become advertised as one way of reducing
suspensions and offering a more supportive approach to student issues. We agree wholeheartedly
that restorative practices have tremendous potential for changing the gamebut only if
implemented in a way that addresses and impacts the root causes of the factors that contribute to
issues of student discipline. Implementing new practices in schools is challenging, and changing
an entire school culture is even more difficult. This project assesses one schools adoption of
restorative practices, and offers lessons to inform others implementation of restorative practices.
Two research questions guided this study: How has HTMCV implemented restorative practices,
and what have been the outcomes? How can HTMCV improve and increase teachers use of
restorative practices?
Contributing Factors to the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Issues of inequality in discipline are inherently tied to power-laden structures (Darder,
2014; Monroe, 2005; Royce, 2009). Often in schools, control trumps student voice in an attempt
to place power in the hands of school staff, and misbehavior is quickly cracked down on (Darder,
2014). School discipline policies are set by those in poweroften white and middle-class
educators (Monroe, 2005). Policies that reflect the norms and views of one group, rather than the
student population, demand that students assimilate to those expectations; for students who dont
behave according to the norms - many of which are never explicitly stated - of the dominant
culture, consequences are often swift and harsh as educators strive to maintain a sense of power
(Monroe, 2005). Authoritarian discipline policies, Darder claims, reinscribe racialized and
class-based relations of power (para. 23).
Given that schools reflect the values, norms, and beliefs of the dominant culture
(Eubanks et al., 1997; Weinstein et al., 2004; and Monroe, 2005), it comes as little surprise that
often, students are disciplined based on teachers assumptions, values, and beliefs (Weinstein et
al., 2004 and Monroe, 2005). Teacher bias is likely to be a source of discipline disparities.
Monroe (2005) suggests a connection between teachers perceptions and subsequent treatment,
whether conscious or not, of black male students. Teachers regularly interpret black male
students behaviors as inappropriate when such behaviors are considered culturally appropriate
(Monroe, 2005; Skiba et al., 2002). Often, students of color are perceived by teachers as being
more likely to be violent than academically successful, and therefore those students tend to
receive more surveillance and discipline (Darder, 2014; Skiba et al., 2002). Black male students
tend to be punished for subjective infractions, like disrespect or excessive noise, whereas
white students are more likely to be disciplined for objective offenses like smoking or vandalism
(Skiba et al., 2002).
Zero-tolerance policies may contribute to disparities, with unintended consequences of
exacerbating racial discrepancies (Monroe, 2005). Educators, many of whom are white and
middle-class, often fail to distinguish between minor and severe disciplinary infractions; zerotolerance policies dont help matters, as students are often punished severely for a wide range of
offenses (Monroe, 2005). Further, zero tolerance policies are reminiscent of authoritarian
displays of power that reinforce racism and classism (Darder, 2014). Too often, stereotypes
prevail, leading many educators to perceive low-income and minority students as less
academically capable and more prone to violence and misbehavior; as a result, these students are
often watched closely and punished swiftly.
Student perceptions in response to school structures and policies related to issues of

discipline may also factor into discipline disparities. Student perceptions of fairness have been
shown to predict disciplinary incidents (Way, 2011).Whereas school staff often perceive
disruptive behaviors as a student choice, students, particularly those who are at-risk, often cite
confrontational classroom management and discipline policies as reasons for escalation of
behaviors; Skiba and Knesting (2001) explain that students who are already at risk for
disruption may see confrontational discipline as a challenge to escalate their behavior (p. 33).
Students who perceive their teachers as being unfair and punitive are more likely to feel
alienated and prone to disruption and potential violence (Hyman & Perone, 1998). Unfortunately
and perhaps unsurprisingly, Black students often report lower perceptions of fairness (Ybarra,
2012).
Students feelings of school belonging or community may also contribute to discipline
incidents. Weinstein et al. (2004) suggests that students who experience feelings of oppression in
school may respond by withdrawing from school or acting out in an attempt to reject a system
that denigrates their language, culture, and/or community. Conversely, students who feel a strong
sense of school belonging (also referred to as school connection) are less likely to use illegal
substances and engage in violence, which are two activities that often lead to more severe
discipline referrals on school campuses (McNeely et al., 2002). Losen and Gillespie (2012)
explain that students who are barely maintaining a connection with their school often are
pushed out, as if suspension were a treatment (p. 4). Suspensions and expulsions also have a
negative impact on student perceptions of school climate (Skiba & Knesting, 2001). Programs
that increase students sense of school belonging have been effective in reducing rates of
fighting, assault, and acting out in class (McNeely et al., 2002).
Teacher preparation and experience may be an additional contributor to discipline
disparities. Schools with the highest percentages of Black and Latino students also tend to have
higher percentages of less-experienced and/or less-effective teachers (Lankford et al., 2002).
Many teachers receive inadequate preparation and training in successful classroom management
practices (Brown, 2004). In addition to behavior management practices, Alfie Kohn (2006)
suggests that a huge proportion of unwelcome behaviors can be traced to a problem with what
students are being asked to learn (p. 18). Often, curriculum that leads to deeper learning and
increased student engagement has been reserved for elite and higher-income schools, while
schools with higher percentages of low-income students often implement curriculum that does
not lead to student engagement (Hudley, 2013).
Without adequate preparation and training, teachers tend to rely on reactive classroom
management strategies rather than implementing preventative measures that are more culturallyresponsive (Clunies-Ross et al., 2008; Brown, 2004). Teachers who rely upon reactive classroom
management strategies also report higher levels of stress (Clunies-Ross et al., 2008), and teacher
attrition is considerably higher in schools where teachers note discipline problems (Ingersoll,
2001). Educators overwhelmingly join the profession in order to make a positive difference in
the lives of young people (Manuel & Hughes, 2006; Watt & Richardson, 2008), but emotional
burnout, along with challenges with classroom management and discipline cause many teachers
to grow frustrated (Hong, 2010).
Osher et al. (2012) suggest that failure to provide students with social and emotional
skills is a significant factor contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. Often, students who are
the most frequently punished are those with the greatest social and emotional needs, often as a
result of schools failure to effectively serve these students needs (Noguera, 2003). Nearly half
of students in the US have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (National
Survey of Childrens Health, 2012); the effects of trauma can be mitigated by having healthy and
caring social connections, as well as being taught social and emotional skills (Stevens, 2013).
Students who build their ability to manage emotions, increase self-regulation, establish positive
relationships, and increase self-awareness are less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors and
more likely to be academically successful (Osher et al., 2012; Noguera, 2003). Social
experiences within the classroom are a major predictor of academic outcomes (Barbarin, 2010),
and poor academic achievement is highly correlated with the school-to-prison pipeline (Mendez,
2003; Monroe, 2005).
Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Restorative Practices
To reduce the negative impact of harsh school disciplinary measures, zero-tolerance
policies can be replaced by practices designed to improve school climate and increase student
belonging (Skiba & Knesting (2001). Recommendations include the use of preventative
measures, including conflict resolution and emotional regulation strategies as methods for
reducing disciplinary incidents.
The fields of social/emotional learning, neuroscience, and trauma-informed practices all
offer potential solutions for disparities in discipline and the school-to-prison pipeline. Restorative
practices, broadly defined, refer to a mindset, philosophy, and set of practices that emphasize
relationships and community, and overlap with social/emotional learning and trauma-informed
practices. Watchel (2013) defines restorative practice as a social science that studies how to
build social capital and achieve social discipline through participatory learning and decisionmaking... includes the use of informal and formal processes that precede wrongdoing, those that
proactively build relationships and a sense of community to prevent conflict and wrongdoing (p.
1). The International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) defines restorative practices as a
field of study, and emphasizes the act of doing things with others, rather than to them, or for
them. Restorative practices encompass a variety of approaches, and can vary from informal
conversations to formal conferences, depending on the context.
There is an important distinction between restorative practices and restorative justice.
Though sometimes used interchangeably, we define restorative justice specifically as a subset of
restorative practices that refers to a reactive response to wrongdoing or harm. Restorative
practices, in contrast, is a much broader concept that includes preventative measures as well as
an accompanying philosophy or mindset. Although restorative practices have recently become
increasingly popular in the US, these practices stem from native and indigenous practices from
Native American, Canadian, African, Asian, Celtic, Hebrew, and Arab populations (Watchel,
2013).
Figure 1: Addressing factors that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline

Social and Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) describes
social and emotional competencies (see Figure 2) that promote academic achievement, positive
social behaviors and relationships, and decrease behavioral challenges (CASEL, 2016).
Restorative practices build these social and emotional competencies (see Table 1), thereby giving
students the skills they need to succeed in school while preventing issues of discipline.
Figure 2: Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies (SEL Competencies, n.d.)
Social/Emotional Core Competencies:
Restorative Practices
Self-awareness: The ability to accurately

recognize ones emotions and thoughts and
their influence on behavior. This includes
accurately assessing ones strengths and
limitations and possessing a well-grounded
sense of confidence and optimism
Students self-reflect and self-assess during

practices such as community circles. When
responding to incidents, restorative practices
encourage students to reflect on how their
actions were influenced by their emotions.
Self-management: The ability to regulate
Preventative restorative practices emphasize
ones emotions, thoughts, and behaviors

effectively in different situations. This
includes managing stress, controlling
impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and
working toward achieving personal and
academic goals.
stress reduction, and can include practices

designed for goal setting.
Restorative practices used in response to
student incidents provide students with tools
for self-regulation and controlling impulses to
support students in preventing future
incidents.
Social awareness: The ability to take the

perspective of and empathize with others from
diverse backgrounds and cultures, to
understand social and ethical norms for
behavior, and to recognize family, school, and
community resources and supports.
Preventative, community-building restorative

practices emphasize getting to know others,
building positive peer relationships, and
developing understanding.
Restorative practices in response to incidents
emphasize how students actions impact
others and support students development of
empathy.
Relationship skills: The ability to establish

and maintain healthy and rewarding
relationships with diverse individuals and
groups. This includes communicating clearly,
listening actively, cooperating, resisting
inappropriate social pressure, negotiating
conflict constructively, and seeking and
offering help when needed.
Restorative practices place relationships at the

forefront. Preventative practices emphasize
relationship building. In response to incidents,
restorative practices place a significant
emphasis on restoring relationships when
things happen and making things right
through productive, collaborative conflict
resolution.
Responsible decision making: The ability to

make constructive and respectful choices
about personal behavior and social
interactions based on consideration of ethical
standards, safety concerns, social norms, the
realistic evaluation of consequences of
various actions, and the well-being of self and
others.
When incidents arise, restorative practices

involve a collaborative process that helps
students think through decisions and give
them skills for future decision making and
conflict resolution. The emphasis of impact on
others, consequences of actions, and being
able to make things right when something
happens helps students to make positive
decisions.
Table 1: SEL Competencies and restorative practices (SEL Competencies, n.d.)

Neuroscience and Restorative Practices
Neuroscience research offers many implications and suggestions for educators to better
support the development of students. The adolescent brain is characterized by complex neural
and biological changes. Rising hormones, unstable frontal lobes, and dysregulated neural
systems account for adolescent challenges with judgement and perspective. During adolescence
continuing through adulthood, there are increases in white matter in the frontal lobes of the brain,
which support increased judgement, impulse control, and emotional regulation. With these
complex changes in the brain, however, comes the emotional turmoil, impulsivity, and
susceptibility to peer pressure that is characteristic of adolescence (Cozolino, 2013).
Social and emotional interactions influence the development of the brain. Positive social
and emotional supports during adolescent schooling can actually reshape the brain. Supportive,
encouraging, and caring classroom relationships trigger brain growth, stimulate neural circuitry
for learning, and increase emotional regulation that enhances learning. Tapping into students
primal social instincts stimulates the parts of the brain that allow for learning. A healthy social
classroom culture can reverse the neurological effects of early trauma, which has tremendous
implications for many of our students who have less-than-ideal backgrounds, home lives, and
early childhood experiences (Cozolino, 2013). Restorative practices emphasize relationships, and
offer tools for developing students social skills and potential for reducing the impacts of trauma.
Neuroscience research suggests that classrooms that support tribal membership can
increase students neurological capacities to learn. The brain cannot learn under the sympathetic
arousal of stress and fear, so secure classrooms that help decrease stress and regulate fear
supports students through the stress of new learning and fear of failure. Secure, tribal
classrooms foster bonding, attachment, and group cohesion. They rely on democratic leadership,
cooperation, equality, fairness, trust, and strong relationships (Cozolino, 2013). Restorative
practices aim to increase trust, fairness, and cooperation while building strong relationships
within classrooms. Through restorative practices, students social and emotional needs are met,
which increases students capacities to learn, reason, and exhibit impulse control. Cozolino
(2013) states,Interesting and relevant content presented in a safe and caring interpersonal
context optimizes the brains ability to learn and grow (p. 45). By increasing the safety and
security of classroom environments, students develop increased capacities for learning while
neural development is increased.
Acts of disobedience often stem from feelings of fear and anxiety; safe, secure
classrooms can reduce such incidents by meeting students social and emotional needs (Cozolino,
2013). Restorative practices support safety and security in the classroom, and thus support
students biological needs for safety. Further, conscious preparation for a potentially stressful
situation reduces fear and anxiety; reduced levels of fear leads to enhanced problem solving and
critical thinking skills (Cozolino, 2013). Restorative practices aim to give students the tools they
need for social situations, in hopes that by preparing students and reducing anxiety, they are
better able to peacefully resolve conflict.
Many restorative practices align with recommendations by neuroscience research for
supporting learning and reducing fear, anxiety, and the likelihood of undesired behaviors.
Structures that reduce bias and stereotyping also overlap with restorative practices. Given that
disparities in discipline may have a basis in teacher bias and prejudice, adopting practices that
support students in preventing misbehavior, increase students ability to learn, and support the
reduction of teacher bias has much potential for changing the picture around school discipline.
First, positive, cooperative intergroup contact (engaging in social contact with members of a
different group) can reduce prejudice by increasing empathy and perspective taking and reducing
anxiety (Gaertner et al., 1993; Dovidio et al., 2003; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008). Further, taking
others perspectives and empathizing with them (two significant tenets of restorative practices)
can reduce racial bias (Drwecki, 2011). Restorative practices increase empathy and perspective
taking, which may reduce teacher bias and discrimination and thus decrease the odds of racial
discipline disparities. Finally, restorative practices help to increase students sense of community
membership and school belonging while giving students the social and emotional support and
structures necessary to prevent students from acting out.
Trauma-Informed Practices and Restorative Practices

Trauma negatively influences childrens brain development, their ability to learn, and
their behavior (McIreney & McKlindon, 2014). An estimated half of school-age children have
experienced at least one traumatic event, and approximately one-quarter of children have
experienced more than one traumatic event (National Survey of Childrens Health, 2012). The
CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study conducted from 19951997 found that closer to two-thirds of people have experienced at least one traumatic event, and
found a correlation between trauma and negative life outcomes (About the CDC-Kaiser ACE
Study, 2016). With so many students being impacted by trauma, it is crucial that educators are
aware of not only the ways in which trauma can manifest in students behavior and learning, but
also what educators can do to reduce the negative effects of trauma for students.
The Education Law Center recommends several educational practices for breaking the
cycle of trauma. In addition to increasing awareness of trauma, its impact, and the way it can
manifest in childrens behavior, they recommend practices that support social and emotional
development, positive peer and student-adult relationships, and conflict resolution. They
encourage schools to work toward providing a safe environment for students in which staff
possess ample knowledge of trauma and avoid triggers including stigmatizing and punishing
students (McIreney & McKlindon, 2014). These recommendations overlap with the philosophy
and practices associated with restorative practices by encouraging social and emotional skill
development, promoting conflict resolution skills, and replacing punishment with a safe,
understanding, collaborative process for responding to incidents.
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Figure 3: Cycle of Trauma (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014)

Neuroscience research, social research, and restorative practices overlap to agree that
social interactions with positive experiences that support the formation of personal relationships
and engagement in open and truthful discussions can reduce bias and prejudice (Johnson &
Johnson, 2000), increase the brains development and capacity to learn (Cozolino 2013), and
increase students ability to peacefully resolve conflict. Because the main principles of
restorative practices overlap with recommended practices for reducing bias, reducing student
behavioral issues, and increasing healthy neurological growth and social/emotional development,
I argue that restorative practice has the potential to reduce issues of discipline and increase
students belongingness by serving the social, emotional, and neurological needs of students.
Emerging research has identified restorative practices as a promising framework for increasing
student belonging, improving school climate, and supporting the social and emotional needs of
students as well as preventing and responding to issues of student discipline. Recent studies
suggest the potential for restorative practices to reduce the discipline gap. This two-part study
aims to better understand one schools transition to restorative practices and the outcomes of that
transition, as well as increase and improve teachers use of restorative practices in order to better
support the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students.
In the first week of school in August of 2015, my third week as a graduate resident at
High Tech Middle Chula Vista, two of our students were involved in a physical incident after
school on the playground. When I heard about the incident, I made assumptions about how it
would be dealt with based on my prior experience. As Id anticipated, the students and their
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parents met with the school director and our social-emotional learning coordinator to discuss the
incident, but to my surprise, the families came together for this conversation, and our schools
social-emotional learning coordinator facilitated a restorative justice circle in which everyone
involved in and impacted by the incident, including students, bystanders, teachers, and family
members, had a chance to share what had happened, what they were thinking, how they had been
impacted, and what they felt should happen to make things right.
I immediately realized that discipline at HTMCV looks and feels different than the
traditional model in which a student gets in trouble, is sent to the office, and is given a
punishment determined by an adult in a position of authority with no opportunity for student
voice in the process. Instead, HTMCV incorporates community circles and other culture and
community-building practices for all students as preventative measures, and practices
restorative justice to work through incidents in which students engage in actions that harm the
community. In response to issues of discipline, restorative justice emphasizes the healing of
victims and communities harmed by crime as a primary objective (OHear, 2009, p. 488).
HTMCV adopts a holistic view of restorative practices rather than using the term to refer only to
the philosophy and actions taken when an incident occurs (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: HTMCVs approach to restorative practices
When used in schools, restorative justice focuses on helping students understand the
impact their actions have on their community. At HTMCV, we approach restorative practices
with the goal of first supporting the social and emotional needs of students with preventative
measures. In response to incidents, restorative circles involve impacted parties by voluntary
invitation- students, witnesses, teachers, family membersand focus on what happened, how
people were feeling as a result of the situation, who was affected, and what we can do to restore
our community. Restorative conferences in response to incidents takes place in a circle format,
with a protocol focused on giving all affected members of the community (often students,
parents, and teachers) an opportunity to describe how theyre feeling and how they were
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impacted without commentary, feedback, or responses from other participants. The outcome of
the circle is determined through reflection and discussion by participants in which they
determine which actions should be taken to make things right and repair harm done. This
practice is a stark contrast to the discipline procedures followed at my previous school, in which
students were given the punishment handed to them by our vice principal and had little to no say
in the process. Students were rarely, if ever, asked to reflect on their actions, choices, and impact.
Consequences did not give students an opportunity to feel like they had a chance to make things
right, as is a focus with restorative practices at HTMCV.
OHear (2009) also makes a strong case for the benefits of restorative practices:
An abundant body of research indicates that RJ processes tend to produce higher levels
of satisfaction than conventional criminal processes among both victims and offenders.
Less formal and intimidating than court proceedings, and more explicitly oriented to
showing respect for all parties, RJ programs give participants a greater sense that they are
able to tell their stories and are treated fairly. RJ processes are also seen by victims and
offenders as doing a better job of holding offenders accountable. Finally, RJ processes
result in more frequent apologies by offenders, reduced levels of victim anger, and
reduced levels of victim fear (p. 490).
Though there is less research describing the effects of restorative practices in school settings as
criminal justice settings, I expect that similar effects exists for students and school communities
when restorative practices are implemented.
Setting
High Tech High
High Tech High (HTH) is a network of 13 charter schools and a graduate school of education in
the San Diego area. The organization began in 2000 as a single high school, and now serves over
5000 students annually, 60% of whom are students of color. The schools are designed as
innovative, project-based learning environments with an emphasis on personalization, adultworld connection, common intellectual mission, and teacher as designer.
High Tech Middle Chula Vista
This study took place at High Tech Middle Chula Vista (HTMCV), a public charter
school located in Chula Vista, CA, less than five miles from the border of Mexico. HTMCV is
HTHs newest middle school, and serves students in grades 6-8. The school opened in 2011
alongside High Tech Elementary Chula Vista; the schools share a building, offering a K-8 feel
and opportunities for K-8 collaboration. HTMCV, like the other HTH schools, emphasizes
common intellectual mission, adult-world connection, and personalization of learning. All
classrooms are fully inclusive.
HTMCV has a racially and economically diverse population of 305 students, with over
50% of students receiving free or reduced lunch. 8.5% are identified as English learners, and
9.2% are identified as students with disabilities.
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Figure 5: HTMCV student demographics by race/ethnicity

# students
Asian
13
Black/African American
17
White
37
Filipino
27
Hispanic/Latino
168
American Indian
14
Multi-Racial
26
Pacific Islander
3
Students with Disabilities
28
English Language Learners
26
Free/Reduced Lunch
160
Table 2: HTMCV student demographics
%
4.3%
5.6%
12.1%
8.9%
55.1%
4.6%
8.5%
1.0%
9.20%
8.50%
51%
HTMCV core staff include a School Director, a Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator,

an inclusion specialist, and fifteen teachersthree exploratory teachers for art, theatre, and
engineering, and two math/science and two humanities teachers per grade level. Within each
grade level, students are divided into two teams of approximately 52 students each. Each class
size is approximately 26. Students spend two periods per day in math/science, two in humanities,
and one in exploratory (art, theatre, or engineering). The school day also includes a 20-minute
recess in the morning, and a 30 minute lunch period.
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Methods
This project sought to answer two questions: How has HTMCV implemented restorative
practices, and what have been the outcomes? How can HTMCV improve and increase teachers
use of restorative practices? To better understand the schools transition to restorative practices, I
used a case study methodology based primarily on interviews with HTMCV community
members as well as student surveys and school discipline data spanning three years. I
interviewed six HTMCV staff members and fifteen students across all grade levels.
Teachers who were conducting community circles and/or had participated in restorative
family circles at the time of this study were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview
about their experiences. Five teachersthree from eighth grade, one seventh, and one sixth
agreed to participate in an interview. The interviews were structured to gain a better
understanding of the teachers experience with, and their beliefs about, restorative practices. I
hoped to understand the schools transition to restorative practices through these interviews;
specifically, I wanted to understand how the transition to restorative practices had impacted
teachers practices and teaching philosophies, and what questions/concerns still lingered.
Interviews were semi-structured and ranged from ten minutes to over an hour.
In addition to staff and student interviews, I also examined survey and student data across
the last three years on discipline and student perceptions. I used student perception survey data
from YouthTruth. HTMCV has been using the YouthTruth survey since 2012 to collect data on
student perceptions of their school experience. I also used our student discipline records from the
last three years in conjunction with YouthTruth survey results to gain a better understanding of
the school and student factors related to the transition to restorative practices, including
suspensions, student reports of belonging, and student reports of relationships with peers and
teachers.
Students who participated in restorative or community circles during the time of this
study were invited to participate in an interview about their experiences with restorative circles
and community circles. Fifteen students across all grade levels agreed to be interviewed.
Through my interviews with students, I sought to understand how students responded to the
introduction of community and restorative circles, what impact restorative practices had on
students from their perspective, and feedback on improving restorative practices at HTMCV.
For the duration of the 2015-2016 school year, I spent approximately four days each
week at HTMCV. I embedded myself within the school and participated in staff meetings,
school-wide events, and the daily ongoings of the school. Throughout the year, I spent
approximately 50 hours in classrooms observing and participating in community circles. I also
observed, participated in, and debriefed dozens of restorative circles throughout the year, and
facilitated restorative conversations nearly ever week. My experiences observing, participating
in, and actively facilitating restorative practices informed my perspective as a researcher
throughout this work.
To answer my second research questionHow can HTMCV improve and increase
teachers use of restorative practices?I used an improvement research framework. Based on
our research aim of increasing and improving restorative practices, and using student, parent, and
teacher feedback to inform our practice, we decided to focus on improving the facilitation of
community circles and increasing teachers use of restorative practices on a daily basis in their
classrooms.
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Improvement science emphasizes learning fast to implement well, (Bryk et al., 2015).
The Carnegie Foundation describes improvement science as a process for rapidly learning by
doing:
Carnegie advocates for the use of improvement science to accelerate how a field learns to
improve. Improvement science deploys rapid tests of change to guide the development,
revision and continued fine-tuning of new tools, processes, work roles and relationships...
The objective here is quite different from the traditional pilot program that seeks to offer
a proof of concept. Improvement research, in contrast, is a focused learning journey. The
overall goal is to develop the necessary know-how for a reform idea ultimately to spread
faster and more effectively. Since improvement research is an iterative process often
extending over considerable periods of time, it is also referred to as continuous
improvement (Our Ideas, n.d.)
Improvement research is guided by a problem that the researcher is trying to solve or
work toward improving. The researcher then breaks down the problem or issue into the various
factors, or drivers, that contribute to the problem. By considering the factors that impact the
problem, the researcher is better positioned to implement interventions, or change ideas, that
address the problem. I developed a driver diagram (see Figure 6) to organize the change ideas
around my research aim. The driver diagram identifies key levers for improving and increasing
restorative practices at HTMCV, and helps identify specific change ideas that might result in
improvement toward my research aim. I decided to focus on two change ideas: Circle exit card
feedback, and the Restorative Tip of the Week.
Community circles are used regularly (at least twice per month) by over half of HTMCV
teachers. We decided to focus on improving community circles as every student participates in
regular circles, making this a high-leverage, high-impact focus. By using student feedback to
improve the facilitation of community circles, we hope that circles are a positive, beneficial part
of the student experience at HTMCV.
In an initial teacher survey from January, 2016, three of 11 teachers noted that they would
like more training in restorative practices when asked about additional supports they would like
from the schools administrative team.We also decided to implement a Restorative Tip of the
Week during our weekly morning staff meetings to encourage more teachers to start
incorporating restorative practices into their daily practice. During staff meetings throughout the
spring semester, we offered teachers restorative tips including student reflection forms to use
when incidents arise, mindfulness exercises to do with students, and information on traumainformed practices.
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Figure 6: Driver Diagram

PDSA Cycles
I worked closely with the schools Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator to complete
PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) cycles (see Fig. 7) over the course of the 2015-2016 school year
that targeted our goals for increasing and improving restorative practices at HTMCV. PDSA
cycles offer a structured way of conducting improvement research and testing change ideas. By
following the PDSA structure, researchers first plan their method for testing the change idea
(plan), carry out the change idea (do), learn from the results of the change idea (study), and use
what they learned to make modifications to the change idea (act). We decided to focus on two
main change ideas: improving facilitation of community circles, and encouraging more teachers
to try restorative practices, and completed PDSA cycles for both change ideas.
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Our goal for our Community Circle PDSA cycle was to improve our facilitation of
community circles to increase students social and emotional skills, their sense of belonging, as
well as their ability to resolve conflicts among themselves. An eighth-grade humanities teacher
and a seventh-grade teaching team agreed to participate in the Community Circle PDSA cycles.
We collected feedback from these teachers and their students to better understand and improve
our practices. We assessed our improvement efforts with student and teacher surveys and
interviews.
During the year, we also realized that to further our schools adoption of restorative
practices, we needed to encourage more teachers to try bringing restorative practices into their
classrooms. Although all teachers participate in restorative circles, several teachers were not
implementing preventative restorative practices. To support this goal, we implemented a
Restorative Tip of the Week during weekly staff meetings over five weeks, and checked in
with teachers to get their feedback about the tip.
Community Circle PDSA Structure
Plan: We aim to ensure that circles are positive, enjoyable experiences for students that build
trust among students and their teachers, and help students build social and emotional skills. We
co-planned community circles with teachers with this in mind, and based on existing practices
and structures.
Do: Record community circle, and check in with student participants via exit card immediately
after to get their feedback on the experience. Students will rate the circle on a scale of 1-10, list
the best part of the circle, and write down one thing they would like to see changed next time.
Study: Examine student feedback and determine which change idea to try next to improve
student outcomes.
Act: After determining a measure we will take to improve circle facilitation, we will implement
this in the next community circle. We will then repeat the PDSA structure with our new focus
area in mind, beginning with planning facilitation of the next community circle.
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Figure 7: PDSA structure

Restorative Tip of the Week PDSA Structure
Plan: Examine restorative practices currently in use by teachers, and identify easy-to-use
restorative practices to introduce to teachers during weekly meetings.
Do: Each week, present the restorative tip during the weekly staff meeting. At the end of the
week, ask teachers whether they tried the tip; if so, what worked and/or what didnt, and if not,
what barriers prevented teachers from trying the tip?
Study: Use feedback from teachers to inform the following weeks tip, and at the end of ten
weeks, assess teachers progress in adopting different restorative tools.
Act: Adjust tips as needed based on teachers feedback, and repeat the cycle each week.
Findings Part 1: Case Study

2013-2014
In the fall of 2013, Derek*, an African-American sixth grade student at HTMCV, was
struggling with anger management. He had been suspended for fighting twice in the first
semester. When he was involved in a third fight that fall, staff decided it was time for a different
approach. Clearly, suspensions werent working to change Dereks behavior. The schools
inclusion specialist, Charley, had already been doing some reading on restorative practices and at
the encouragement of the schools director, decided to try restorative practices with Derek. The
neat thing about restorative work is that its preventative, so that was something I loved because I
think that the basis of our work is about relationships and community, and Ive always believed
that, Charley said. When things have happened in classes primarily what I do is talk to kids
about it, so it was a natural fit. What I really really loved is that its aligned with my beliefs, and
our beliefs as an organization about kids.
HTMCVs first use of restorative justice involved one-on-one conversations between
Charley and Derek, and Charley and Dereks classmates who had been affected by the fight. In
these conversations, Charley asked students about what had happened, how they were affected,
and what they thought would need to happen to make things right. In reflecting on his decision to
do individual conversations rather than a full restorative justice circle, Charley explained that he
hadnt yet felt comfortable with the process, and opted to ease both himself and students into the
process.
In Charleys conversations with students, he was surprised by three things: first, by the
thoughtfulness, regard, and love expressed for Derek; second, that students seemed
uncomfortable talking about how they had been impacted; and third, that students appeared to
have no idea about what Derek could do to make things right. Understanding how they were
affected was something that when I first interviewed the kids, they were uncomfortable with, and
hadnt really thought about. Charley reflected. I was surprised that they didnt have a thought,
like it wasnt in the equation for them about them being part of the solution, so they were really
surprised about how do we make things right.
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As the year progressed, Charley continued to check in regularly with Derek. Dereks third
fight that had prompted school staff to seek a new method for working with Derek was his last
that year. There were no further incidents with Derek that year, nor during the rest of his time in
middle school. Dereks former sixth grade teacher described his growth. Derek had a lot of
troubles in the 6th grade, a lot of very intense reactions in the 6th grade, and now as an 8th
grader I just think he has become so amazing and such a good leader for the younger ones. Hes
the person to stop things happening on the courts now when things start, she explained during
an interview in 2016. In 2014, Derek noticed that a female classmate had been shunned from a
game of soccer on the field. The group of boys shed been playing with had made unkind
comments toward her, and Derek stepped up to let the boys know that their actions werent okay.
In 2015, Derek noticed an argument among a group of sixth grade boys begin to escalate; he
quickly stepped in to stop the fight and bring the boys to an adult to help resolve the incident. It
just makes me emotional to think about how far hes come. I feel like that is really awesome, his
former teacher reflected.
Slowly, Charley continued testing out a restorative approach in response to student
incidents. He continued to try one-on-one restorative conferences during the 2013-2014 school
year as incidents arose. While Charley was experiencing much success with using aspects of
restorative justice when incidents arose, not all experiences with restorative justice that year were
positive. At the end of the 2013-2014 school year, two seventh grade teachers noted that the
students on their team were really struggling, and at the suggestion of an elementary school
colleague who had been using circles, decided to try a whole-class restorative circle to talk about
ways to improve the class. This colleague agreed to help facilitate the circle, but it didnt go
exactly as planned. One of the teachers, Callie, explained that while the idea of the circle was
lovely, it didnt work well. Our kids were so uncomfortable and defensive because they had
never done a circle before, she explained. We never did community building or check-ins. The
tension was palpable. The kids were on the defense. They were like, you hate us, you think were
horrible... It wasnt restorative at all. They didnt want to talk, they were angry at us, they
thought it was weird.
In reflecting on the experience, Callie stated that she believed the circle hadnt gone well
because we had never done community building circles this was such a new environment for
them to be in, and it wasnt one where we were celebrating them or playing games or asking
them how was your weekend? It was like, we notice these really bad things that are happening
and we want to fix them, and they felt totally threatened by it We decided, well just chalk it up
to a loss and move on. Both teachers figured that without building a foundation of trust,
understanding, and community, restorative circles wouldnt be very effective. They vowed to
start over the next year with preventative restorative practices first.
2014-2015
The following school year, 2014-2015, the seventh grade teachers who had tried a wholeclass restorative circle in 2014 started working with Charley to implement check-in circles with
their students. They had realized the year prior that restorative conversations are difficult and
rarely go as planned without a foundation of trust, understanding, and community building. By
doing community circles, one of the teachers reasoned that when an issue did come up, she and
the students would be better prepared to deal with it.
They wanted to make sure circles were fun and left their students with positive feelings
about circles. As fifth graders, the students had done circles, and enjoyed playing the same games
theyd used during elementary school. We started with community building circles from the
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beginning of the year, and playing games, and the kids were so into it. They were like, oh my
gosh, our 5th grade teacher had these great games! And they went and borrowed his index card
collection of games. They all remembered these games that they loved, so they would take turns
hosting games. And it felt good. Callie continued describing the transition, explaining, with
those kids, we never had to do restorative work. We did all of this community building circles so
that when we thought inevitably wed need to have a restorative circle, wed be ready for it. And
then nothing came up with them.
Charley began actively supporting teachers who expressed interest in restorative
practices, offering to share resources and help facilitate circles. He hoped that if some teachers
started using circles and saw success, interest would spread and more teachers would join the
movement. Two sixth grade teachers started working with Charley to implement community
circles with their classes. As fifth graders, their students had done circles and had familiarity with
the process.
As Charley had hoped, the idea of community circles began to spread. Cady, an eighth
grade teacher, was working closely with Callie during the 2014-2015 school year. She was
intrigued by Callies approach to circles, and noticed the impact that circles were having on
Callies students. Cady decided to try circles with her own students. Cady reflected on her first
experiences in facilitating community circles, explaining, trying to learn how to use circles... it
was hard. The growing process was hard. Circles [were] kind of a hot mess. I was kind of like,
its a waste of time; we have so much work to do! It is a lot of time to get [circles] in a place
where they are productive. Cady explained that her students complained about circles, and she
hadnt initially anticipated the time required to set norms for circles and get circles to a place
where students felt safe, respected, and respectful of other students voices.
Charley reflected on the eighth grade students reactions to circles during the 2014-2015
school year, describing the students as being very against it. The kids just didnt want to do it.
And it varied; as the kids got older the less they wanted to do it In 7th and 8th they were like,
this is something we do in elementary school. The older middle school students considered
circles as being something for elementary-aged children. Several students explained that theyd
done circles before, but only in response to incidents; their impression of circles was based solely
on their experience in a restorative circle. Other students simply explained that they thought
circles were lame.
After reflecting on why some students didnt enjoy circles, Charley tried a slightly
different approach: being patient while students and teachers got used to the idea of circles, and
making circles a lot more fun. We took time for kids to own it, to want to do it, and for us
[teachers] too. We incorporated a lot of games at first so they [students] looked forward to it and
really had fun with it. Three more teachers tried out community circles in the spring of 2015.
Charley also continued his use of restorative practices to respond to student issues. He
felt comfortable having one-on-one restorative conversations with students, and started to push
his practice by facilitating small-group restorative circles among students, then students and
teachers. Throughout the year, six teachers were involved in restorative circles, facilitated by
Charley, in response to student incidents. Cady had been reading about the school-to-prison
pipeline, and was concerned about how many students are targeted or stigmatized due to
discipline issues. When she heard about restorative circles from Charley, she explained that she
loved the idea because with restorative justice, youre not creating targets on the back of some
kids, like youre the bad kid, its like, you have to have a lot of conversations, but thats different
than getting punished, because it doesnt make you think, well Ive got nowhere to go. Another
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8th grade teacher explained that he was willing to try restorative circles because they couldnt
be any worse than what I was doing already. He went on, stating that In the past, things would
happen and kids would get suspended and there was no discussion about it at all. That was the
end of it. ...[Restorative justice] just had to be better than what we were doing. He found
overlap between restorative philosophy and his own pedagogical philosophy, explaining,
[Restorative justice] certainly aligns with my idea that teaching is a relational practice. Any tool
that allows you to see where your kids are coming from, have more empathy for them, and have
them experience that you understand where theyre coming from I think is a good one.
Charley facilitated his first family circle midway through the 2014-2015 school year. He
decided to make the leap from individual restorative conversations to a family circle because he
had developed comfort and familiarity with facilitating restorative conversations and felt ready to
bring more people into the conversation. The student involved in Charleys first family circle had
been struggling with behaviors throughout the year, and Charley felt that bringing the students
parents in, as well as the family of the student who was impacted, would be a more powerful and
impactful experience. After the family circle, both students were able to repair their friendship
(and are still friends this year). Charley was pleased with the outcomes and felt confident in
adding family circles to his repertoire of restorative practices.
Current school year: 2015-2016
In 2015, Charley transitioned from inclusion/special education into the role of SocialEmotional Learning Coordinator. In this role, Charley works with teachers to support students,
including assisting with the facilitation of circles, working with students individually and in
small groups, and working with students, parents, and teachers to respond to incidents that have
negatively impacted our community. The current 2015-2016 school year is the first year of
almost full implementation of restorative practices; thirteen out of fifteen classroom teachers
regularly facilitate community circles, and all teachers participate in restorative family
conferences when incidents arise.
Cady, the eighth grade teacher who had tried circles after observing seventh grade
teachers last year, started having much more success with circles. Cady explained When
[students] came to me this year, they were like a well-oiled machine before, I was kind of like,
its a waste of time, we have so much work to do. Now seeing the result of [7th grade teachers]
work, I would go back in time and say no, its not a waste of time; once we get there its going to
be really awesome. But it is a lot of time to get them in a place where they are productive.
Cadys classes circle up almost every Tuesday to check in, share announcements, and play
games. Seventh grade teachers begin and end most weeks with check-in and check-out circles. In
sixth grade, one teacher facilitates circles based on themes based on student feedback and
classroom social challenges.
In many schools, restorative justice has been implemented for the purpose of reducing or
eliminating suspensions and racial disparities in school discipline; at HTMCV, weve adopted a
slightly different rationale for restorative practices, and our aims in implementing restorative
practices have evolved over time. Initially, Charley decided to try restorative justice to support
struggling students when he noticed that traditional discipline methods didnt appear to be
changing students behaviors. As teachers became involved with restorative justice, they
developed their own rationale behind the practice. Two teachers expressed a hope that restorative
justice would reduce the school-to-prison pipeline; another wondered if it would reduce
suspensions. When asked about restorative practices overallboth the preventative,
community-building practices as well as using restorative justice to respond to incidentsall
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teachers interviewed agreed that restorative practices seemed to align with their beliefs about
teaching and learning; they emphasized the way restorative practices support positive
relationships and use mistakes as learning opportunities.
This year, Charleys goals with restorative practices include helping students to build the
social and emotional skills necessary to resolve problems and conflicts, build trust, and support
our most vulnerable and at-risk students by learning how to better support their individual needs.
Charley explained his hope for restorative practices: we dont do it for the explicit purpose of
reducing suspensions, or reducing recidivism, or any of those things. Were trying to be true to
the process. My ultimate goal is that kids have the tools to problem solve early, and that they will
have fewer incidents, and we will have fewer suspensions. Whereas we initially used restorative
practices to prevent Derek from getting into another fight, we now ultimately hope that
restorative practices, including community circles, support our desire to help our students
become effective communicators, problem solvers, ethical decision makers, and global citizens.
Implementation of restorative practices at HTMCV
It is important to note that HTMCV has not formally adopted restorative practices as a
school-wide practice; rather, the school has taken a constructivist approach to restorative
practices in which the majority of teachers are invested in these practices based on their
experiences with community and family circles. There has been no formal adoption of restorative
practices, no whole-staff training, and no requirements for using restorative practices. Charley
encourages teachers to try preventative restorative practices in their classrooms, and invites
teachers to participate in restorative circles when incidents with their students arise, but
participation has always been strictly voluntary.
Teachers at HTMCV believe strongly in equity and the inclusion of student voice and
choice, and realized that when something happened related to behavior, kids didnt have voice
and choice in the process. Teachers began to see the ways in which restorative practices aligned
with their own pedagogical philosophies, as well as the organizations philosophy. An 8th grade
teacher explained that restorative practices felt like a natural connection to the classroom
culture I try to create and the routines I already used with students. A sixth grade teacher shared
her belief that restorative practices are helping to shape students futures, stating Out of all the
work Ive done in these 18 years, Im the most proud of the work weve been doing with
restorative justice here, because I think that some of these kids really will have a much better
future than they mightve had without it. In reflecting on the outcomes of doing community
circles, another teacher explained, as a community, I feel much more connected with how all the
kids are feeling, and I think they do also.
Many teachers also described a strong belief in the effectiveness of taking a restorative
approach to discipline, often citing specific students for whom they feel restorative justice has
been particularly beneficial. One teacher described a restorative family circle that had longlasting impacts, describing how empowering it was for the student, and how the student has gone
on to be involved as a co-facilitator of other circles as a way of helping to pay it forward.
Another explained that restorative circles feel more powerful compared to traditional methods
of discipline; she attributes this to the fact that students see how much their actions can affect
others beyond direct participants. Charley meets with students after their experiences with
restorative circles, and he shared that many students have reflected on the benefits of having a
chance to make things right, explaining Kids talk about when they have a chance to do
community service, they make things right, its like theyre doing something actively to clear the
plate and be back with us. There are just so many pieces of it that are so powerful.
23
One sixth grade teacher mentioned that she has noticed a shift in the school since the
implementation of restorative practices, explaining its been really interesting to see how its
changing school culture. She continued, explaining I feel like our 8th graders whove been
doing it for 3 years now, I feel like they are much more respectful of each other and the school
than the 8th graders I was seeing years before that. I also feel like theyre kinder to the younger
students. In years past weve had problems with older kids being fairly unkind and demeaning to
6th graders, acting as though 6th graders are worthless. I dont see that happening at all this
year.
A seventh grade teacher mentioned another shift, describing the ways in which students
are starting to approach teachers more frequently when they begin to have problems, starting
With the restorative stuff this year I think they know that that structures available so they come
to us a lot more frequently with their problems, and theyre so willing to meet and talk about it.
Weve been talking a lot about how its not like youre in trouble in the circle, were here to
problem solve and make it right so we can move on, and I think they feel really good about that.
Charley explained that slowly, our response to student issues has been shifting schoolwide to a
restorative approach; his hope is that ultimately, our entire community will understand and
default to a restorative approach in which both sides can get together and say were a
community. He explained that in our school, Our response is not to send kids away, or kick
kids out. Our response is to work things out.
Teachers described social and emotional skills that they feel restorative practices are
fostering with students. One teacher felt that restorative practices emphasize empathy, listening,
understanding, teambuilding, and honesty, adding that restorative practices help students find
their own voice and be comfortable with sharing their perspective. From Charleys perspective,
he explained, were building trust and relationships.
It is important to note that these shifts in culture and student behavior are the result of a
three-year implementation of restorative practices. Student and teacher acceptance hasnt
happened overnight; rather, many of our practices have been shaped and revised over three years,
with more teachers adopting and refining these practices each year. This is the first year in which
adults noticed students taking ownership over the circle process and proactively asking for
circles. In looking ahead to next year, Charley cites new things he hopes to trypractices he
picked up from a restorative workshop in the spring of 2016, and informing parents of our
process at the very beginning of the year to get them used to the idea of restorative circles before
an incident happens and emotions are high.
YouthTruth Student Survey Data
HTMCV has used YouthTruth student perception data since 2013 to assess our students
school experience. The survey includes a range of questions about students experience,
including school engagement, academic rigor, relationships with teachers and peers, and school
culture; for each of these topics, students rank their agreement with a variety of statements by
using a 5-point Likert scale (see example in Figure 11). HTMCV students take the YouthTruth
survey once per year, midyear.
1: Strongly
Disagree
2: Disagree
3: Neither
agree nor
disagree
4: Agree
5: Strongly
Agree
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Discipline in this
school is fair.
Figure 11: Sample YouthTruth student perception survey question
All student responses to the YouthTruth survey are anonymous, but YouthTruth does
collect self-reported student demographics. Because the demographics recorded through
YouthTruth rely on self-reported data, there are slight differences between YouthTruth and
school-recorded racial/ethnic group sizes.
2013-2014
Subgroup:
2014-2015
2015-2016
# students
# students
# students
Hispanic/Latino
183
61%
195
65%
95
31%
White
33
11%
27
9%
27
9%
Black/African
American
24
8%
2%
3%
Multi-racial
0%
21
7%
95
31%
Asian
51
17%
21
7%
21
7%
American Indian
3%
1%
0%
Native Hawaiian/
Pacific Islander
1%
1%
0%
Other
race/ethnicity
0%
2%
37
12%
139
46%
139
46%
158
52%
Female
161
54%
150
50%
Table 8: YouthTruth participants (self-reported demographics)
135
44%
Male
Of the 22 YouthTruth questions, three questions assessed aspects of the student

experience related to restorative practices: I really feel like a part of my schools community;
how many of your teachers try to be fair; discipline in this school is fair. Student responses to
these three questions were compared from the 2013-2014 school year to the present 2015-2016
school year and compared by racial/ethnic group (see figures 12-14).
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Figure 12: Student responses: I really feel like a part of my schools community
We hoped that implementing restorative practices would increase belonging among our
students, as belonging is correlated with numerous positive student outcomes, including
increased academic achievement and high school graduation rates (Uwah et al., 2008). In
contrast, low school belonging is correlated with lower academic achievement, behavioral
problems, risky behaviors, decreased school attendance, and increased risk of delinquency and
dropping out of school (Cemalcilar, 2009). From 2014-2015 to 2015-2016, students reported an
overall stronger sense of school community and belonging; as 2015-2016 is the first year in
which community circles are happening regularly across all teams, we were glad to see an
increase this year. Students satisfaction with both teacher-student and peer relationships predicts
sense of school belonging (Cemalciar, 2009). One goal of community circles is that students
develop stronger relationships with each other and their teachers.
In 2013-2014, we noticed a clear gap between black students and the rest of students
reporting of belonging; this was troublesome given a strong sense of school belonging may be
particularly important for Black students; Black students who feel less connected to the school
community may be at greater risk of disengagement from school and dropping out (Uwah et al.,
2008). Our data in 2013-2014 mirrors that found by Uwah et al., in which Black students
perceive lower school belonging than other groups. In 2014-2015, Black students perceptions of
school belonging increased to slightly above the schoolwide average sense of belonging, and this
year, Black students belonging is at the schoolwide average.
Although reportings across all racial/ethnic groups increased from 2014-2015 to 20152016, there are still differences among subgroups. White students reported the highest average
score of 4.2, while Hispanic/Latino students reported the lowest subgroup average score at 3.88.
While we cannot determine whether this is a statistically significant difference, we still feel that
it is crucial that all of our students are reporting high levels of belonging. Differences among
groups of students lead us to wonder about the causes of the differences.
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Figure 13: Student responses: How many of your teachers try to be fair?
We also hope that our students perceive teachers and discipline as being fair. Student
perceptions of teacher fairness is correlated with feelings of belongingness and reduced
disciplinary incidents (Hyman & Perone, 1998). In 2013-2014, students reported an overall
rating of 3.6/5 to the question How many of your teachers try to be fair? In 2014-2015, we saw
this number increase to 4.10, and the year following, a slight increase to 4.13. For our black
students, we noticed a steady increase from 3.40 to 3.86 to 4.22.
The most striking difference we noticed was among Asian students year-to-year
reporting of teacher fairness. In 2013-2014, Asian students reported the lowest average sense of
teacher fairness among all groups, but jumped from 3.3 to 4.5, the highest average of all
subgroups, in 2014-2015. In 2015-2016, we saw a decrease in Asian students perceptions of
teacher fairness. The year-to-year trend leads us to wonder why our Asian students are reporting
so much variability in perceptions of fairness.
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Figure 14: Student responses: Discipline in this school is fair

When asked about fairness of school discipline, student responses were not entirely
consistent with their responses to How many of your teachers try to be fair? Our Black
students reported lower levels of agreement with the statement Discipline in this school is fair
consistently when compared to non-Black students. Keiser and Haider-Markel (2015) found a
positive correlation between Black students perceptions of fairness and percentages of minority
teachers; HTMCVs teacher population is predominantly white, leading us to wonder whether
this might be a factor in our non-white students perceptions of fairness of discipline.
In YouthTruth, students can leave written comments in each section. I examined student
comments for the Rules category in the 2015-2015 survey data in hopes of gaining more
specific information on students perceptions of fairness of discipline, and 62% of student
comments, 39 of 62, mentioned dress code as an unfair rule. Of the remaining 23 comments,
ten students talked about school rules and discipline procedures.
One students comment was focused specifically on restorative circles:
In all honesty, I feel like making circles and having discussion things we don't really
need to have a conversation about is kind of dumb. Or answering questions like, "How
did this affect the community" to a problem that probably didn't affect the community AT
ALL. I get that having circle discussions are important but when some things happen I
don't think we always need to have a circle or answer questions that don't need to be
answered.
While this was only one students perspective and the sole comment about restorative practices
left on the YouthTruth survey this year, we wonder about students perceptions of restorative
circles and feel it would be valuable to gain more insight into students feedback on the circle
process.
Interestingly, the remaining comments in the Rules section that did not refer to dress
code ranged in perceptions of fairness. Several students left feedback about fairness and clarity
of rules, leaving us to wonder both what students perceive the rules of our school to be, and what
they feel would be more fair in terms of school rules and discipline. Two students stated a desire
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for school rules to be more clear, and three students stated that school rules should be more fair.
Two students suggested that discipline is not strict enough, and that more severe consequences
should be used, while two other students suggested the opposite.
Student Discipline Data
All suspensions are recorded each year at HTMCV. Suspensions are correlated with
negative outcomes for students, including reduced academic achievement, grade retention,
delinquency, dropping out, drug use, and potential for incarceration (Mendez, 2003; Monroe,
2005; Christle et al., 2005). With this research in mind, HTMCV staff have been increasingly
weighing the benefits of suspension against the potential for risk and harm. Although reducing
suspensions has never been a factor in our adoption of restorative practices, we had anticipated a
reduction in suspensions after implementing restorative justice in response to student incidents.
In addition to understanding the negative impacts that suspension can have on students, we also
believe that sending students home is not in alignment with our goal of increasing school
belonging for all students, and are mindful of the implicit message that suspensions send to
students the school community.
*From 2012-2013, only one race/ethnicity was recorded for students
Figure 15: Student suspensions at HTMCV

During the 2015-2016 school year, our first full year of implementing restorative
practices, we had an increase in suspensions. This was initially surprising and somewhat
confusing to us; we had anticipated having fewer suspensions after implementing preventative
restorative practices. When Charley reflected on discipline data, he remarked that we have not
eliminated our traditional responses to discipline yet. Rather, restorative approaches are used in
29
conjunction with traditional approaches. He also noted that for several incidents, family members
were resistant to trying restorative practices or opted for a traditional response. Restorative
methods are completely voluntary. Thus, staff defaulted to a traditional suspension to respond to
the incident rather than implement restorative measures when family members did not agree to
participate in a restorative process. In two cases, family members requested their child be
suspended when an incident happened, explaining that while they appreciate restorative
practices, they believed that suspension would be more effective for their child.
We noticed that in many cases, the time of year appeared to be correlated with an increase
in suspensions. Of the 16 total suspensions during the 2015-2016 school year, twelve happened
during two key periods: the first month of school (September), and the time right before an allschool exhibition. In September, six students were suspended. In the month leading up to
Exhibition, six students were suspended. We wondered whether our high number of suspension
in September may have been due to students getting used to HTMCVs practices and perhaps a
reduced sense of belonging as students built relationships with new teachers and peers. Prior to
Exhibition, students and teachers alike noted increased levels of stress. We hypothesized that the
increase in suspensions prior to Exhibition was related to increasing stress to produce highquality work for Exhibition. The majority of teachers also discontinued their use of community
circles in the month leading up to Exhibition, leading us to wonder whether that was also a factor
in the increase in student incidents.
Teachers also had questions about the increase in disciplinary incidents in 2015-2016. A
sixth-grade teacher explained that its the biggest upswing in incidents she has felt in her
teaching career. From her perspective, her sixth grade students have a sense of irritation about
circles, and seem to not realize that restorative justice offers students an alternative to traditional
discipline. She wondered whether it would be beneficial to be more transparent about
disciplinary options and make clear the differences between restorative justice and traditional
discipline so that students are better able to appreciate the opportunities that restorative justice
offers.
We also hoped to start reducing disparities in school discipline. In some areas, we made
progress: from 2012-2014, disproportionate percentages of Black students were suspended, and
in 2014-2016, fewer Black students were suspended, and Black students were not suspended at
rates higher than white students this year. Black students traditionally experience the highest
average rates of school discipline in the US (Monroe, 2005), and we were pleased to note that
this was not the case for our school in 2015-2016. Still of concern to us are that 10.7% of
students with disabilities, 11.5% of multi-racial students, and 7.7% of English Learners were
suspended in 2015-2016. 13 students in total were suspended this year, so even one more student
from a given subgroup could lead to huge increases in disparities, but we are still cognizant of
any disparities that exist.
Student Discipline: 2015-2016
Total
# Students
students
suspended
All Students
305
13
English Learners
26
2
Free/Reduced Lunch
160
9
Students with Disabilities
28
3
Female
143
4
% of students
suspended
4.3%
7.7%
5.6%
10.7%
2.8%
Male
162
Grade 6
104
Grade 7
104
Grade 8
112
Black/African American
17
White
37
Hispanic/Latino
168
Multi-Racial
26
Table 9: Student discipline: Demographics
9
5
6
2
1
3
6
3
30
5.6%
4.8%
5.8%
1.8%
5.9%
8.1%
3.6%
11.5%
Questions and Concerns

While all teachers interviewed expressed belief in and support for restorative practices,
many teachers also expressed hesitations, concerns, and questions about our practice. There is a
range of buy-in, understanding of, and use of restorative practices among HTMCV staff. Some
teachers implement community circles every week and incorporate restorative practices into their
daily interactions with kids, while others primary interaction with restorative practices consists
solely of participation in restorative circles facilitated by Charley. An eighth-grade teacher
grappled with restorative practices versus traditional discipline during his interview.
Im definitely on board with it, I definitely support it. Because I dont think that
suspending kids all the time is a good solution, either. There have been things this year,
that I think in the past we wouldve been harder on, like physicality between kids, Ive
heard of a lot more I dont know, I get it. I still have internal struggles over how much
we want to tolerate violence between kids. I get this is a really young age to be expelling
kids, and I dont know, maybe its just my own bias or irrational fears about what
happens if you allow that stuff to happen, and maybe expelling a kid doesnt really act as
a deterrent for other kids. I dont know. Thats the same argument you could make about
the prison system, whether its a deterrent or not a deterrent, I have no idea. But it scares
me, you know?
One seventh-grade teacher described teachers acceptance of restorative practices from
her perspective, validating other teachers need to question restorative practices I also think its
okay to question it, too. Its something thats new and that were learning about. She explained
that by inviting others to share their perspectives, opinions, and questions, we are better
positioned to implement practices that are best for students. If we were all like this is great!
We would never make changes to it and make it better, so I think theres room for everybodys
ideas and hopefully some flexibility with it so everybody feels like its something that works for
them. Another teacher expressed a similar sentiment, explaining I think everybody comes from
a good place and they want the best for the kids, and then we just have to come to an
understanding of whats the best for the kids. Two teachers perspective aligned closely with
Charleys hope for implementationa desire to see restorative practices implemented
schoolwide along with a respect for differences of opinions and openness/acceptance of
restorative practices and a strong desire to do what is best for students.
Another teacher, after describing the unspoken message that suspension sends to
students, wondered what the equivalent was for restorative practices. we know its a terrible
message they get from suspensions, like, that kids bad and they need to be removed from our
community, theyre so bad, watch out for that kid, but what is the unspoken message for RJ...
they got away with something? She added that her hope was that the unspoken message for
31
participants is that they are valued members of our community and that we care about them, but
she wondered how students who havent been involved in restorative circles perceive the
process.
Two teachers raised questions of the cultural responsiveness of restorative practices,
explaining that for many of our families, discipline tends to be more punitive and authoritarian.
One reflected on a conversation shed had with one of her students this year, explaining that the
student was expressing frustration with restorative circles. His dad has really different views
about discipline, so I think at home, its really different than it is here, and I think thats
confusing, she said. His dad thinks he should just be punished and shouldnt have to talk about
it so much, so thats something that can be confusing for kids, if at home theyre just getting
punished, and here theyre being told something different... I think that can be tough for kids to
navigate.
The transition has been tough at times for most teachers, even ones whove been on
board since the beginning and have a strong belief in RP. One teacher described the difficulty of
implementing restorative practices, explaining It impacts everybody in the school. Its not just
an instructional technique that maybe you could try, like thats so easy, like hey, let me watch a
bunch of teachers in the school try this instructional technique. Valuable? Sure. But this is
embedded in every kid and parent and teachers practices, an understanding of how to solve
problems, its big, and its different than what everybody is familiar with, so its hard. She
reflected on her own transition to restorative practices and the difficulties she has experienced.
This is hard, its hard to retrain yourself, even sometimes Ill say something and be like Oh my
gosh that wasnt restorative at all but its a habit that you build, a habit of asking kids what
happened rather than telling them what you saw or what you noticed, and its just something you
have to practice and build because its not natural.
Findings Part 2: PDSA Cycles

Community Circle PDSAs
We implemented PDSA cycles in seventh and eighth grade with three teachers and a total
of 104 students. Initially, the plan was to collect feedback on the circle each week, then use that
feedback to implement a change for the following week; this cycle would be repeated throughout
the data collection period. We had hoped to complete eight PDSA cycles, but due to
unanticipated schedule changes, each teacher was only able to complete one PDSA cycle.
Despite this, teachers found that even one round of data collection offered valuable feedback
from their students, with ample change ideas for future circles.
Cady, an eighth-grade teacher, implements community circles almost every Tuesday
morning with both of her classes. She gave both classes an exit card (see figure 8) after the Week
1 circle to collect student feedback. Students rated the circle an average of 7.2/10, and offered
suggestions for improving the productivity of next weeks circle (see table 3).
32
Figure 8: Community circle exit cards

Best thing:
How to make the next circle more productive:
I got to share, and I felt heard

Everyone was respectful
I liked when everyone shared their stories
How attentive we were when we were
sharing
Everyone was engaged with the circle
Finding out what people need
Everyone was open
We could make sure we do circles on a less stressful

day
Maybe we do the game first so we aren't waiting for it
and pay more attention
we could play a game
We can allow people to not talk if they don't want to
not having to participate in the game if you don't want to
Take away the game because that takes away work
time
Table 3: Exit card feedback: Grade 8

Kyle and Edrick, 7th grade teachers, often begin their week with check-in circles.
Students rated the Week 1 check-in circle a 7.6 out of 10. Eleven students cited openness and
honesty during the circle as the best part of the circle. Student feedback elicited change ideas
including giving advice during the circle, developing ways to pass, and adding a wake-up
activity.
Best thing:
Change idea:
We were all honest/open

Hearing that I'm not alone on the stress
Being able to say how I feel without being judged
Getting to know more about each other
We trusted each other
Everyone was respected
Fun activities to wake us up

Everyone showing that they understand or care
Maybe have advice for the person who was talking
Having different ways to pass
Sharing what we did over the weekend
Table 4: Exit card feedback: Grade 7

While the data collected on circles did not lead to measured changes over time, the
feedback we received from students informed our community circle practices, as well as
validated our goals for circles. We used student feedback about games to encourage teachers to
include a game during community circles, as students reported that the addition of a game led to
more positive feelings about and enthusiasm for circles. We also began encouraging teachers to
use check-in circles during stressful periods, as students reported valuing the circle structure for
providing space to reflect on stress and share feelings. This data informed one of our Restorative
Tips of the Week; we decided to share stress reduction techniques with teachers to use with
students after reading student feedback about stress. Students appreciated the space to share
33
openly and honestly, get to know each other, and feel heard, all of which are outcomes we hoped
for in implementing circles.
Restorative Tip of the Week PDSAs
To increase teachers use of restorative practices, we began implementing a Restorative
Tip of the Week during all weekly staff meetings in 2016. We wanted to provide gentle
reminders for teachers to continue to use restorative practices with their students, as well as
introduce new practices for teachers to integrate into their practice.
Week 1: Restorative questions
During Week 1, we presented teachers with the five restorative questions recommended
by the International Institute of Restorative Practices to use in response to student incidents (see
figure 9). Teachers were given small cards with the restorative questions printed on them for
their reference. We began with this tip as we hoped that ultimately, these questions would
become our standard response to all student incidents, big or small. We acknowledged that for
some teachers, this tip was repetitive, as some teachers regularly use the restorative questions,
but we wanted to try to get some new teachers on board with this practice.
Figure 9: Restorative questions

Eight out of 14 (57%) teachers reported that they tried using the restorative questions the
week following the presentation of the restorative tip. Teachers feedback on the tip was overall
positive, and most teachers reported that the restorative questions were effective, stating that the
restorative questions toned down the student situation, and gets kids talking and keeps me
from dominating the conversation so they will share. Teachers who reported that they did not
use the tip explained that they didnt have an opportunity or forgot to use the questions. We
wondered whether any teachers who hadnt previously used the restorative questions had tried
them out that week. We also discussed ways to continue to encourage more teachers to use the
restorative questions in response to incidents, and decided to return to the questions for Week 2.
Week 2: TPR memory devices to remember the question
To help teachers remember the five restorative questions recommended for responding to
student incidents, we presented teachers with Total Physical Response memory cues for the
second restorative tip (see figure 10). Our rationale behind implementing this tip was that
34
teachers would remember and try the questions. Given feedback from the first week, we didnt
want to move on to a brand new tip without trying to get as many teachers to try out this practice
as possible. Seven of 14 teachers reported trying the tip. Three teachers gave feedback that this
tip was nothing new for them, but nine other teachers mentioned that this tip served as a
reminder or encouragement for them to try out this practice.
Figure 10: Total Physical Response memory cues

Week 3: Do things with students, not to or for them
For our third tip, we provided teachers with the social discipline window from the
International Institute for Restorative Practices (see figure 11), which illustrates the goal of
restorative practices as something that helps us work with students, rather than do things to them
or for them. We also provided examples of ways of responding to student incidents to kids,
for kids, and with kids, and asked teachers to try using a with approach next time an
incident occurred. Eighty percent of teachers (eight out of ten) reported trying this tip. We
believe that this tip had a higher percentage of use than the previous weeks tips because it aligns
closely with our organizations pedagogical philosophy, and is more open-ended rather than a
specific practice. This tip was also an attempt to bridge pedagogical approaches with approaches
to discipline.
35
Figure 11: Social Discipline Window (International Institute for Restorative Practices, n.d.)
In written feedback, teachers reflected on their use of this weeks tip. One teachers
feedback suggested that he/she had used this tip not just in response to issues of behavior or
discipline, but also in planning instruction, explaining, It [the tip] has been on my mind for
everything I've been planning for kids and then I remember, plan with kids. Two teachers said
they tried doing things with students rather than to or for them with success. One explained that
they felt like there was less negative reaction to the redirecting.
Teachers exit card feedback also gave us suggestions for future tips. One teacher wrote,
How can I remember to do this in every moment when sometimes I have the habit of just saying
"hey, stop..." More practice? leading us to consider additional tips to help teachers use
restorative practices as a first response, or to help restorative responses become more
automatic for teachers.
Week 4: Restorative continuum
For our Week 4 tip, we decided to return to the restorative questions for use when
incidents arise. Originally, we had planned to give teachers a different tip to help them
incorporate more restorative language into their daily interactions with students, as previously,
the majority of teachers (13 of 16) expressed that they had either tried or were planning to try
using the restorative questions in response to student incidents. However, we decided to return to
the restorative questions in Week 4 as many incidents had popping up throughout the school the
week before and the week of our Week 4 tip. During this time period, students and teachers were
preparing project work for an exhibition of student work. Exhibition preparation is often highstress for both students and teachers as they work to finish class projects to be put on public
display. Exhibition is an important event for the school; hundreds of visitors, including families
and community members, attend the event to see the work that students have produced during
the year.
36
We presented the restorative questions to teachers again because we were hoping to

remind teachers about using the questions as a tool to help manage the before-exhibition
conflicts. Charley and I had noticed that many teachers seemed stressed, and from our
perspective, were reverting back to the norm of doing things to or for kids instead of taking
time to do things with students in response to incidents. We gave teachers copies of the questions
to be used as a reflection form for students to complete when incidents arise.
Thirty five percent, or six out of 17 of teachers tried the tip. Based on teacher feedback,
we wondered whether more teachers were trying the questions, or whether the teachers who were
using the questions already anyway were the only ones using the questions.
I tried this in the past (before you gave us the tip) and I really liked it. I thought it was helpful
for students and gave me time to find time and space to respond to what happened.
I feel like I've embedded this practice and am pushing myself to try it before contacting
Charley. It allows me to be informed and assess how to handle and move forward w/ a
student/situation.
Didn't have the chance to do so. Sorry. I found myself yelling a lot these past two weeks and I
don't feel so good about it.
It went really well! It made me feel more comfortable because it really guided the conversation
and then the student took action on his own based on what he needed to make it right.
Was able to talk with students having issues so didn't need to have them write. I watched my
students use the breathing exercise w/ each other to calm each other down.
Table 7: Exit card feedback: Restorative Tip of the Week, Week 4
Week 5: Practice mindfulness
Our Week 5 tip fell on the week of exhibition. Due to the stressful nature of preparing for
exhibition, we decided to try a tip that would help teachers reduce their stress. We did a threeminute guided meditation with teachers, and encouraged them to try it with their kids; several
teachers spoke up in our staff meeting to explain that theyve tried guided meditations with
students with much success. All teachers present in the staff meeting tried the meditation; we did
not collect exit cards.
Discussion
While we cannot deny the role of schools in creating and perpetuating disparities in
discipline, blaming schools for this issue is not necessarily a fair judgement. Losen and Skiba
(2010) explain that while there is ample evidence against suspensions, strict discipline policies
likely continue to exist due to lack of knowledge and resources.
Putting students who face serious challenges on a path that leads them to detach from
school or cut the already weak ties that prevent them from dropping out is a misguided
practice. It is not enough, of course, to simply blame the schools. These patterns often
reflect a lack of knowledge about how to work effectively with these groups of students
and a lack of systems for solving real problems within schools. It is clear that exclusion is
not a cure, but nor is overlooking unacceptable behavior (p. 4, Losen & Gillespie, 2012).
Implementing measures to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline first requires an understanding of
the factors that contribute to the pipeline, followed by knowledge of practices designed to impact
37
those factors, and finally, requires an understanding of how to implement those practices to
effectively impact change.
Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline
In the US, a recent push to examine and reevaluate zero-tolerance discipline policies has
been motivated by research citing the ways in which suspensions and expulsions can lead to
increased risk of incarceration. Restorative justice has recently been touted as a means of
addressing this issue, as well as the troubling pattern of racial disparities in school discipline
data. In order to effectively develop potential solutions for disrupting the school-to-prison
pipeline and eliminating disparities in discipline, we must examine the factors that contribute to
these issues.
Previous research has identified several crucial factors that contribute to disparities in
school discipline and the school-to-prison pipeline: zero-tolerance discipline policies, teacher
bias, student perceptions of fairness, school belonging, and failure to adequately address student
social and emotional needs. While an examination of all of the above factorswhich are by no
means an exhaustive list of all contributing factors to the pipelinewas beyond the scope of this
project, we noted that several of these factors were impacted during our implementation of
restorative practices at HTMCV.
Promising results
At HTMCV, we noticed an increase in students reporting of school belonging after
implementing restorative practicesspecifically, after all students began participating in routine
community circles. Community circles, in which students and teachers check in, get to know
each other, and build trust and community, are a crucial component of our implementation of
restorative practices. We noticed that community circles strengthened relationships between
students and teachers, as well as among students, and increased students sense of classroom
community. School belonging is correlated with positive social, behavioral, and academic
outcomes, and programs that increase students sense of school belonging have been shown to be
effective in reducing rates of fighting, assault, and acting out in class (McNeely et al., 2002).
We also found that students sense of fairness of their teachers increased as our
implementation of restorative practices increased. Students who perceive their teachers as being
fair are less likely to be disruptive, and report higher levels of belonging (Hyman & Perone,
1998). Our students reported an increased sense of fairness of teachers across the last three years,
with all subgroups reporting fairly similar scores. Restorative practices are intended to be done
with students, not to or for them. By inviting students into the conversation as collaborators in
responding to and moving on from incidents, we hope that restorative practices offer a more fair
process for dealing with incidents.
Student perceptions of fairness of discipline showed a slightly different trend when
compared to perceptions of fairness of teachers, with subgroups reporting fairly different
perceptions. Often, Black students report lower perceptions of fairness compared to other groups
of students (Ybarra, 2012), and our data reflected this. We are encouraged by overall increases in
student perceptions of fairness, as well as the reduction of racial gaps in perceptions of teacher
fairness, and still have questions about these gaps and how to reduce those.
Questions and Concerns
We acknowledge that our implementation of restorative practices hasnt been perfect. Our
implementation hasnt led to the changes in suspension data that we had hoped forand that
38
many districts considering restorative practices are hoping to see. One potential drawback of our
constructivist approach is that our discipline policies have technically not changed. We have
added restorative justice to our discipline practices, but have not formally replaced our traditional
approaches as of yet. Our rationale behind this approach is to create a shift toward restorative
justice without forcing it upon our community members. Restorative practices are seen as a tool
available for our usenot as the only tool available, and not as a replacement for practices that
many teachers still support. To create change, we are presenting restorative justice as an option
for students, teachers, and parents in our community. To date, the vast majority of our students
and parents have opted to use restorative justice when presented with it as an option, and we
anticipate moving toward restorative justice as our default approach to discipline, but only once
our entire community is in support of this move. We feel that community support, buy-in, and
investment are crucial for creating the true institutional change that will lead to positive
outcomes for our students, and we know that this takes time.
From my perspective, especially in examining our suspension data, I wondered whether
the effectiveness and benefits of restorative discipline still exist when combined with suspension
in responding to student incidents. Losen and Gillespie (2012) explain that students who are
barely maintaining a connection with their school often are pushed out, as if suspension were a
treatment (p. 4). Suspensions and expulsions also have a negative impact on student perceptions
of school climate (Skiba & Knesting, 2001), and previous research suggests that zero-tolerance
policies may contribute to racial disparities in discipline data (Monroe, 2005). Does this remain
true if students are supported before and after a suspension with restorative practices? This study
did not gather adequate information to respond to this question, but I believe this is an important
consideration for HTMCV to further examine, especially if we continue to use suspensions
alongside restorative practices.
I, along with two teachers I interviewed, also wondered whether restorative practices
might be culturally biased. Restorative justice has historical roots in indigenous cultures
(Watchel, 2013), but this does not necessarily mean that restorative practices are culturallyresponsive. Gathering to talk about an incident and collaboratively decide how to make things
right is simply not the way many families deal with misbehavior, nor do restorative practices
represent the way incidents are handled in the real world. Our racial disparities in student
perceptions of fairness of discipline contribute to this wondering. School discipline policies are
set by those in poweroften white and middle-class educators (Monroe, 2005); policies that
reflect the norms and views of one group, rather than the student population, can lead to
miscommunication and misinterpretation of behaviors, and are often authoritarian (Monroe,
2005). Restorative practices, ideally, replace strict, authoritarian policies with a collaborative,
student-focused processbut a collaborative, child-centered approach to discipline is often at
odds with the practices of families.
Heading TBD (future research?)
There were several contributing factors to the school-to-prison pipeline that were beyond
the scope of this research, but nonetheless seemed to be impacted by restorative practices.
Teacher bias, social and emotional learning and development, and trauma are all important
contributing factors. While not measured in this study, I believe that restorative practices offer
promising solutions to these three factors, and believe future research is needed in these areas.
Often, students are disciplined based on teachers assumptions, values, and beliefs
(Weinstein et al., 2004 and Monroe, 2005). Despite teachers best intentions, implicit bias leads
many teachers to perceive low-income and minority students as less academically capable and
39
more prone to violence and misbehavior; as a result, these students are often watched closely and
punished swiftly (Darder, 2014; Skiba et al., 2002). However, when teachers get to know their
students and develop deeper relationships with studentsone of the pillars of restorative
practicestrust is strengthened and teachers implicit bias is reduced (Gregory et al., 2014).
Restorative practices, particularly practices that help teachers strengthen relationships with
students, may have potential for reducing teachers implicit bias.
Osher et al. (2012) suggest that failure to provide students with social and emotional
skills is a significant factor contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. Often, students who are
the most frequently punished are those with the greatest social and emotional needs, often as a
result of schools failure to effectively serve these students needs (Noguera, 2003). Restorative
practices are based on relationships and community, and at the core, a desire to help students
develop the social and emotional skills they need to be successful. By getting to know students
and their needs through restorative practices, school staff may better able to preventatively work
with students to address those needs and prevent issues. Restorative practices can also explicitly
teach social and emotional skills to students. Future research might examine the link between
restorative practices and social-emotional development.
Many restorative practices align with trauma-informed tools for better serving the needs
of students who have experienced trauma. With nearly half of students in the US having
experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (National Survey of Childrens Health,
2012), there is a high need for trauma-informed practice in schools.The effects of trauma can be
mitigated by having healthy and caring social connections, as well as teaching of social and
emotional skills (Stevens, 2013). Students who build their ability to manage emotions, increase
self-regulation, establish positive relationships, and increase self-awareness are less likely to
engage in disruptive behaviors and more likely to be academically successful (Osher et al., 2012;
Noguera, 2003). By supporting positive relationships with teachers and peers through restorative
practices, we are better supporting the needs of all students, including those with trauma.
Implementing Restorative Practices
While restorative practices offer strong potential for addressing many of the root causes
of discipline disparities and the school-to-prison pipeline, implementation of restorative practices
is no small feat. Restorative practices are more a culture and mindset than a set of practices.
While restorative practices support the restorative culture, I believe that more than anything, it is
the restorative mindsetand the impact of such a mindset on educators daily interactions with
studentsthat has the most significant impact on student outcomes. Viewing students as valued
community members and interpreting their actions as reflections of their needs has implications
for how we respond to our students.
Culture change doesnt happen overnight. HTMCV began trying out restorative practices
on a small scale in the fall of 2013 with one staff member; two and a half years later, we are still
working on a more robust implementation. The school has not formally adopted restorative
practices, and there has not been a school-wide training or professional development. Rather, we
have been working with individual teachers who are interested in restorative practices, and
presenting these practices as options for teachers without requiring teachers to use them. The
spring of 2016 marked the first time staff were presented with school-wide training on restorative
practicesand even then, practices offered to staff were suggestions, not mandates. As a result,
there is no uniform adoption of restorative practices. The majority of HTMCV teachers
implement community circles, and all teachers participate in restorative circles when the
occasion arises. From teacher to teacher, there are differences in understanding and
40
implementation of restorative practices. Some teachers implement community circles each week;
others rarely, if ever, facilitate community circles. Some teachers advocate for restorative justice
to replace suspensions; others support an approach that combines traditional disciplinary actions
with restorative measures.
Despite the range of adoption of and investment in restorative practices, all teachers
interviewed for this project expressed support for and commitment to restorative practices. They
articulated the ways in which they have adopted a restorative philosophy in their daily practice as
well as described the benefits and positive outcomes they have observed with their students.
Every teacher interviewed described at least one story of a student who had been positively
impacted by restorative practices, and nearly all teachers described how they themselves had
been impacted by a restorative circle. It was clear that all teachers believed that restorative
practices were, on the whole, beneficial for the school community.
As an outside observer and, later in the study, a participant and facilitator of restorative
practices at HTMCV, many of my observations and experiences were powerful and emotional. I
cried alongside students, parents, and teachers in family restorative circles in which parents of
victims expressed compassion, concern, and support for the well-being of the offending
student. I watched students begin the year in restorative circles for incidents they had been
involved in, and end the first semester facilitating restorative conversations among peers and
assisting friends with conflict resolution. While sitting in community circles, I watched a
withdrawn student slowly build trust and rapport with her classmates, and, over the course of
several weeks, move from silence to feeling safe sharing personal reflections with her
classmates. I built relationships with students who were struggling to manage conflict through
restorative conversations, and gained an appreciation for their resiliency through stress and
traumaand a significantly deeper understanding of their personal contexts and what we as a
school could do to support these students social and emotional needs. Time and time again, I
thought about my former students who had struggled, and wondered how their narratives could
have been different had they been in a school that truly believed in restorative practices.
My goal, along with that of educators across the country, is to find ways to best support
the needs of our students and give them the skills they need to succeed in life. The question then
becomes whether restorative practices provide a framework in which students needs are better
being met, and whether these practices support students development of skills that are crucial for
life. Throughout my time at HTMCV, I continuously returned to these questionsas did many of
the teachers at our school. We all agreed that while we had questions about and ideas for
improving our practices, we ultimately believe that our preventative restorative practices support
our students belonging, strengthen our relationships with students, and help students develop the
skills necessary for resolving conflict. We also believe that reactive restorative practices used in
response to student incidents are a better alternative than our traditional discipline response.
Restorative discipline practices help students see themselves as valued community members,
hold students accountable for repairing harm and restoring relationships, and bring students
closer to our community rather than pushing them out, isolating them, or punishing them.
Teachers agreed that while this response may not be perfect, it feels better and has been more
effective than suspensions in the majority of cases.
Constructivist Implementation
HTMCV adopted a constructivist approach to implementing restorative practices, in
which restorative practices were never mandated, but rather dependent on teacher interest
combined with support and encouragement from Charley, the schools Social-Emotional
41
Learning Coordinator. There was no school-wide training in restorative practices. Some teachers
opted to attend workshops in restorative practices, but the majority of staff had not attend any
formal training in restorative practices as of the time of this study.
We observed benefits and drawbacks of a constructivist approach. At HTMCV, there is a
clear culture of autonomy for teachers, and top-down mandates or initiatives are rare. Asking
all teachers to implement community circles likely would have led to resistance. Instead, the
practice of community circles spread slowly, starting with several teachers who had seen the
practice and were interested in trying it, and spreading to other teachers who noticed the success
the early adopters were having with circles. Over the last three years, Charley has actively
supported teachers who expressed interest in implementing restorative practices, and has gently
asked other teachers if they would like support in trying restorative practices. I noticed that
Charley developed strong relationships with teachers that supported his work, and teachers in
turn often reported an appreciation for Charleys work and support. Charleys foundation of
strong relationships with teachers facilitated his work and teachers openness to trying new
practices at Charleys suggestion. Much as relationships between students and teachers are a
cornerstone of restorative practices, positive adult relationships are equally important in the
implementation of restorative practices (Morrison et al., 2005).
Having a person in Charleys role actively supporting and facilitating restorative practices
felt necessary to me at many points throughout my time spent at the school, especially in
supporting the schools restorative reactions to student incidents. It was not unusual for Charley
to spend entire school days meeting with students to work through an incident. I noticed that
Charley also spent several hours per week in classrooms co-facilitating community circles with
teachers. I am left with questions about whether this work is possible or realistic without staff
members in roles of supporting restorative practices.
Initially, I also had questions about the duration of the process of implementation.
HTMCV began using restorative practices two and a half years ago, and still has not formally
adopted restorative practices. At many points throughout the year, I was reminded that true
culture change is a slow process. In fact, the recommended implementation timeline for full
adoption of restorative practices is four to five years (Blood & Thorsborne, 2005). This has
serious implications for other schools intending to implement restorative practices in hopes of
seeing immediate results. Significant, sustainable change that impacts the root causes of student
challenges may not happen within the span of one school year.
Recommendations and Hesitations
The recent push for restorative justice as a recommended practice in schools for reducing
suspensions, while well-intentioned, leaves me with questions about the potential unintended
consequences of promoting this practice. From our perspective, restorative justice and our
response to student incidents is built on a foundation of trust, understanding, and belonging that
we actively foster through preventative restorative practices like community circles. Shifting a
culture to one that actively supports students through restorative practices appears necessary for
impacting student outcomes (Morrison et al., 2005; Blood & Thorsborne, 2005; Drewery &
Winslade, 2003). We wonder whether implementing restorative justice alone can lead to true
culture changes in which students are developing the social and emotional skills necessary for
resolving conflict. Recommendations from others who have worked toward a robust
implementation of restorative practices align with our observations. Blood & Thorsborne (2005)
explain their concern with relying solely on restorative justice practices:
42
It is not simply a case of overlaying a justice model of conferencing and expecting it to

work in a school setting. Restorative practice in schools is much more than conferencing
serious misconduct. We are working in a community that has long term and deep
relationships between all its members who need to co-exist in a healthy way for learning
outcomes to be met. This requires a range of proactive and responsive processes which
strengthen relationships and take a relational approach to problem solving. The
implementation of restorative practice risks the fate of many other well intentioned
programs unless we understand what it takes to change the hearts and minds of our
school communities and are prepared to learn from our past (p. 17).
While we had the unusual ability to adopt a constructivist approach to implementation
that resulted in a culture shift, we acknowledge that for many districts considering restorative
practices, implementation might be rolled out much differently. Many schools do not have the
luxury of waiting years to see results. Time constraints due to curriculum pacing requirements
and school scheduling can make it difficult for teachers to take 30 minutes a week for a
community circle. Hiring an additional staff member to support restorative practices may not be
within the budget for schools. The benefit of restorative practices, then, lies in the flexibility of
implementation.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to restorative practices. HTMCVs approach to and
implementation of restorative practices may not be replicable, but our experiences offer several
important recommendations for implementation. What originally began as an experiment to
better support one student with recurring challenges in managing anger turned into a school-wide
culture shift of learning how to better support the needs of all students. We emphasized the
importance of genuine buy-in and supporteven at the risk of slowing implementationas well
as the adoption of a restorative mindset, and the building of trust, community, and relationships
through preventative practices.
To better support our increasingly diverse student populations, it is clear that we need to
change our practice. No longer can we ignore the impacts of disparate discipline, nor the deeply
concerning correlation between suspensions and increased risk of incarceration. To effectively
address the root causes of issues of discipline, we must be willing to look inward and honestly
examine the ways in which we, as educators, contribute to inequities in disciplineand also,
what we can do about it. Restorative practices represent a significant shift in school mindset and
culture away from compliance, power, and authority. To impact students perceptions of
belonging and fairness, to reduce bias, to support students social and emotional needs, we have
to look at students as valued members of our community who deserve to have their voices heard.
We need to put relationships first, and commit to working with our students, while refraining
from doing things to them or for them. Restorative practices offer new avenues for supporting
our students in developing the social and emotional skills necessary for success in life.
43
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A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

HIGH TECH HIGH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Student perceptions in response to school structures and policies related to issues of

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 1: Addressing factors that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline

Social/Emotional Core Competencies:

Self-awareness: The ability to accurately

Students self-reflect and self-assess during

Self-management: The ability to regulate

Preventative restorative practices emphasize

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

ones emotions, thoughts, and behaviors

stress reduction, and can include practices

Social awareness: The ability to take the

Preventative, community-building restorative

Relationship skills: The ability to establish

Restorative practices place relationships at the

Responsible decision making: The ability to

When incidents arise, restorative practices

Table 1: SEL Competencies and restorative practices (SEL Competencies, n.d.)

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Trauma-Informed Practices and Restorative Practices

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 3: Cycle of Trauma (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014)

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 4: HTMCVs approach to restorative practices

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 5: HTMCV student demographics by race/ethnicity

HTMCV core staff include a School Director, a Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator,

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 6: Driver Diagram

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 7: PDSA structure

Findings Part 1: Case Study

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Of the 22 YouthTruth questions, three questions assessed aspects of the student

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Figure 14: Student responses: Discipline in this school is fair

A CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES