Restorative Discipline Makes Sense but has Limitations

Restorative Discipline Makes Sense but has Limitations

Restorative justice is a different way of viewing and responding to misbehavior at school. With restorative justice as a method of student discipline, there is more concern about the restoration of the individual harmed than with the punishment of the offender.

With traditional discipline, the following questions are usually raised:

• What rules have been broken?
• Who did it?
• What should the punishment be?

Those practicing restorative discipline, on the other hand, pose these questions:

• Who has been harmed by this incident?
• What needs to be done to repair the harm?
• Who is responsible for fixing the problem?

Traditional discipline leaves the individuals and the school-community affected by the misbehavior largely out of the picture; restorative discipline focuses on the needs of those harmed and the school-community of which they are a part.

The positive nature of restorative discipline places an emphasis on future behavior. It seeks to restore damaged relationships between people by inappropriate or offending behavior.

Restorative school discipline gives students opportunities for insight and learning when behavior is unacceptable. This is often accomplished in a "restorative conference." This is a meeting for the student-offender, his family, and the victim. Here it is decided how the offender will be held accountable and take responsibility for his or her actions.

After information is shared about the misbehavior, how it injured the victim and the school-community, why the person committed the offense, and what is needed to repair the harm, the offender and his family develop a plan on how to make things right. The plan is presented to the victim and others at the conference. It is often revised, but once agreed upon by all parties, it is put into action and closely monitored. Upon successful completion of the plan, the participants are notified.

Restorative discipline began with SaferSanerSchools in 1977 as a program of the International Institute for Restorative Practices. In working with the toughest delinquents and at-risk kids in southeastern Pennsylvania, they developed restorative strategies. These methods evolved by way of trial and error and out of necessity, not philosophy.

It was found that these practices not only work well with the toughest kids in their own schools, but in other schools as well. Through a SaferSanerSchools pilot program, restorative practices have been introduced to several high schools and a middle school in Pennsylvania. All have posted successful results. You can read about the beginnings of SaferSanerSchools and find out how some of the schools piloting their approach have done in instituting restorative strategies at their website.

A booklet is available on-line that provides practical advice to those interested in exploring the possibility of restorative discipline for their schools. (Note, this link is to a PDF file)

In fact, there are many good restorative justice resources on the internet to follow:

Colorado School Mediation Project

Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking, University of Minnesota School of Social Work

What are the downsides to restorative discipline? The biggest problem that schools face when trying to implement a restorative program is -- TIME. Time to train, time to attend meetings and time that is needed for conferencing. Many restorative conferences take about two to three hours. To organize a conference from beginning to end can take from two to four weeks.

The Advantage Press offers Discipline Learning Packets that help students settle down and think through their mistakes without the necessity for teacher training or attending time consuming conferences.

Discipline packets offer logical consequences for student misbehavior--students work on packets that actually match the school rule they violated. They read professionally prepared materials and answer questions to help them modify their actions. There are even packets to address the attitude behind the misbehavior. Packets are available for students in grades 2-12 along with packets for special education students. Find out more about our Discipline Learning Packets at our website.

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