Using Restorative Practices​ in the Classroom

The idea of using restorative practices in the classroom is straightforward. Educators build, and as needed, repair relationships with students, all in an effort to prevent or respond to conflicts a student may be going through. For example, if you two students get into a fight a school. A school not using restorative practices would suspend the students for a few days and then send them back to the classroom. However, a school using restorative practices would have conferences with the students and sometimes parents both before and after a suspension. During that conference, educators would ask the students a lot of empathy driving questions. This is done so each party involved will have a better understanding about how everyone feels. "If you do something wrong. You have to repair the harm for what you did wrong, says Nathan Maynard. Maynard studied Behavioral Neuroscience at Purdue and has been facilitating restorative practices for over ten years. Before becoming an educator he worked in the field of juvenile justice. Today he serves as the Dean of Culture at Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indianapolis. Earlier this year, Maynard and his colleague Brad Weinstein released "Hacking School Discipline" a book that offers educators ways to create a culture of empathy and responsibility in schools. In episode 109 of Class Dimissed, Maynard gives a digestible look at the benefits of restorative practices and how we can start implementing them in our classroom. To hear our full interview with Maynard, listen to the Class Dismissed Podcast on your favorite podcast app or on iTunes. All Rights Reserved. Class Dismissed Podcast 2017-2019