Digging Deeper into the Restorative Approach

There are many underlying factors to create a disciplinary approach that is equitable and fair. In this podcast, the saying "fair is not equal and equal is not fair" is challenged. All children should be treated fairly. They should have an equal opportunity to be treated well and to have a safety net when they fall. The premise of treating people fairly is brought to light when reflecting on how adults prefer to be treated in the workplace. Who wants a boss who fires you when you make a mistake or docks your paycheck? Everyone wants a chance to be heard, valued and given a say. Everyone does better when they have a chance to understand what they did wrong and to be able to explain it. Yet, the system punishes our most vulnerable. Students of color, students with disabilities and from other marginalized groups have been historically pushed out and punished. The podcast helps us to see that small changes can make a difference. While PBIS is restorative justice are sometimes thought of as unrelated, they both stand for making things way better than they were before. They stand for focusing on the positive, helping students to thrive and be successful and to provide equal opportunities to engage in positive and productive behavior. One is more internalized on group process, making deep changes and making amends for harm, building esteem and engaging in community while the other is based on external changes such as creating routines, collecting data, providing a system of rewards and consequences. They are systems that can help teachers find out what they stand for and help them to achieve it in their classrooms and common spaces.