Restorative Practices to Build Community in Schools

On March 3, 2016, I attended a training about restorative justice practices. This was an in-class training specifically for the students of SDSU's CSP 662B course. Restorative justice practices have been a popular topic in education lately, especially in San Diego. Some schools have begun implementing restorative practices in response to discipline problems and specifically as an alternative to suspensions. However, there seems to be conflicting opinions about this approach throughout the education field. I had very little prior knowledge about restorative practices and I was looking forward to learn about the topic in a small, intimate setting.

The restorative practices training was presented by Anthony Ceja, the Student Support Services Coordinator at San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). Mr. Ceja has been trained by the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) to train others about restorative practices. He is a lead facilitator in restorative practices and also provides trainings for San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) staff members. We received a shortened 3-hour version of the training, while a typical training is usually two full days.


What is the aim of restorative practices in school communities?

"To develop community and to manage conflict and tensions by repairing harm and restoring relationships" (Ceja, 2016)

The primary goal of restorative practices is to build community within a school setting in order to prevent harm. Many restorative practice techniques are actually community-building techniques, which help students feel connected to each other and to the adults in the school. Mr. Ceja referred to this as "humanizing" - causing students see each other as humans. Students are less likely to cause harm to others when they see each other as humans and feel connected to one another. Thus, restorative practices are primarily a preventive effort to build community within schools before harm is caused. 

Furthermore, restorative practices are being implemented in order to build community within many different settings outside of schools, including workplaces, associations, and prisons.

Research shows that restorative practices are making a difference in schools. Some findings include significant reductions in suspensions and office referrals, improved social skills, improved student-teacher relationships, and a narrowing of the "racial-discipline" gap (International Institute for Restorative Practices, 2014).


Restorative Practices Technique - "Empty the Cup"

During this training, Mr. Ceja shared many different restorative practices techniques. One that resonated strongly with me was the "empty the cup" pair-share activity because it is a quick, yet meaningful activity that could be used with students of all grade levels.

Mr. Ceja led us in the "empty the cup" activity at the beginning of our training. To "empty the cup", we each paired up with another participant. We then shared a concern or a stressor that we were currently experiencing with our partner in order to "empty our cup". In doing so, we were also making space to "fill our cup". After both partners emptied their cup, we both shared something that we were grateful for. At the end of the activity, the facilitator used a chime to regain the attention of the whole group.

When explaining the activity, the facilitator emphasized that while one person is sharing, it is essential that the other partner is listening in a way that shows value for what the person is saying. This allows the person who is sharing to feel heard.

Why?

This activity - both the sharing and listening components - builds compassion, understanding, and empathy among students. These are all foundations of a community, which is the goal of restorative practices. Using "empty the cup" is a great way to build rapport, both between a counselor and a student, and among students. If a teacher or counselor uses this technique with a student, it also gives the educator an opportunity to self-disclose about his or her personal concerns in an appropriate way.

Restorative practices also recognizes that students (and adults) come to school outside concerns and even possibly trauma. The "empty the cup" technique gives students an opportunity to name any concerns or stress that they may be carrying around with them and let them go; they are centering themselves while learning about each other and building community. As a result, this technique is an effective way to begin a counseling session or a lesson because it allows students to "empty their cup" and make space for the content of the session.

Who, When and Where?

The "empty the cup" takes only about 5 minutes, making it easy to add to nearly any lesson, activity, or conversation. Mr. Ceja presented the example of teachers using this technique at the beginning of the school day on a daily or weekly basis. Similarly, school counselors, school psychologists, and other professionals could use this technique at the beginning of an individual or group counseling session, as well as in many different contexts. I believe this technique would be most beneficial if it is used regularly as a part of a routine, because as students are more familiar with the activity (and even come to expect it), they will be able to participate more fully in it.

This technique could be used with students of all grade levels, from Kindergarten to 12th grade, by modifying the prompts to be age-appropriate. For younger students, it may be beneficial to demonstrate a visual representation of emptying a cup in order to help them understand the symbolic meaning of the activity.

Implementation

I plan to incorporate this technique into my counseling practice as an opening activity for individual and group sessions, as well as at the beginning of classroom lessons, when appropriate. Depending on how each student or group of students responds to the activity, it may become a recurring opening activity that can ground and center students before each session or lesson.

Considerations

When using this technique for the first few times, it is important that the facilitator models what this activity would look and sound like - and be patient with the students. Students may not have experience answering questions like these with peers, and it may take time for them to feel comfortable and open up. This is why I would recommend using this activity regularly. It is also important for the facilitator to explain and model active listening, as that is such an important component of this activity.

Conclusion

The "empty the cup" technique is just one of many powerful restorative practices techniques. Restorative practices build community among students and adults, and they can be implemented at any school or in any setting. Using restorative practices is a proactive way to build community and "humanize" students, which will not only improve students' behavior in the classroom, but could also contribute to a more connected society. Thank you to Anthony Ceja for taking the time to provide a wonderful training about restorative practices to our class!

References

Ceja, A. (2016). Restorative justice practices [PowerPoint slides].

International Institute for Restorative Practices. (2014). Improving school climate: Evidence from schools implementing restorative practices. Retrieved from http://www.iirp.edu/pdf/IIRP-Improving-School-Climate.pdf