Week 12- Youth in The System

Questions about Restorative Practices

1. What should our first step be to ensure that Restorative Practices are implemented not only in classrooms but in the schools as well? Who should be the first person/people we approach? (principal, parents, youth, school district, etc)

2. What should be our vision/mission when trying to implement restorative practices in schools? We as youth workers should not go in with the "save them mentality". 

Reflections on Restorative Practices

3. Watching the assigned material for this week on restorative practice, gives me hope for Providence schools. If the administration at Roger Williams implements this tool in their school, I believe their be a lot less disrespect from students. What I found to be critically important, is the role of the adults. They are not there to discipline the youth. There not there to chastise them or even lead the circle. They are participants. We could even go as far as to call them facilitators. But there are not meeting with their students to hand out punishments.

4. Our youth have way too many people in their lives that yell at them. Or make them feel inferior. We need to stray away from the "control factor" in our educational system. Holding onto the notion of control will not earn the respect of our youth. In the videos, the facilitators did not come into the circle with a superior attitude. They didn't tell the participants, "I'm in charge and you have to do what I say". They didn't stand in the front of the room and raise their voice. They treated their youth as their equals. Every body's voice mattered. 

5. The level of vulnerability from the facilitators is whats missing from our educators today. If you want to reach our youth, you have to be willing to share who you are?  You can't expect your students to share who they are, where they come from, if you're not willing to do the same. It's apart of the meet them where they are model. You get out what you put in.