Restorative Practices is a whole school approach that focuses on encouraging healthy relationships, repairing harm, and reducing discipline issues.
Restorative Practices help staff members build stronger connections to students and each other, help students create social norms based on empathy and understanding, and help all stakeholders to build trust, repair harm and restore community.
The Restorative Practices training services listed below have been developed to support staff, administrators, and parents/caregivers in understanding and implementing Restorative Practices in their schools and communities.
Consultation services are offered based on specific needs of a site or district, including: implementation, staff development, and student empowerment.
Contact us to learn more about our Restorative Practices programs, or to schedule your training.
For Staff and Administrators
Overview of Restorative Practices
This workshop provides an overview for all school staff to broaden their understanding of restorative practices and its effectiveness in achieving positive behavioral outcomes. It is experiential and provides skills practice with affective statements, impromptu dialogue, and circles.
-3 hour training for up to 35 participants, up to 2 sessions per day (70 total)
-In-person and virtual options available
Restorative Practices – Administrators Training
For administrative-level staff with responsibility for school safety, climate, and discipline. This training equips administrators with the understanding, strategies and tools for implementing restorative practices within their school, building a positive learning environment and addressing discipline and conflict constructively. Participants will learn how to effectively gain buy-in of staff, address effective policies and procedures and develop targeted training for key staff and personnel. The training will also provide a roadmap for assessing readiness and developing a school-wide plan for successful implementation and sustainability.
-In-person: One-day training for up to 35 participants
–Virtual option: Four 2-hour modules for up to 35 participants
Restorative Practices – Skills & Circles Training
This training is designed for all staff and administrators. It provides a foundation for individuals interested in using restorative practices with their students and deepening their understanding of its roots in restorative justice and effectiveness in achieving positive behavioral outcomes. The training is experiential and provides skills practice with affective statements, impromptu dialogue, and the use of circles, which are essential elements in the Restorative Practice continuum. The two day in-person training is recommended, as it provides more time for interaction and participants can practice skills under the guidance of a trained facilitator.
-In-person: One-day or two-day training options, for up to 35 participants
Strengthening and Sustaining a Restorative School Culture
For district administrators, teachers and all staff members who have been trained and involved in Restorative Practices for schools. Supporting and sustaining a restorative school culture requires ongoing efforts and teamwork. Keeping the momentum towards attaining a restorative school-wide culture while not allowing obstacles to block the progress is key. This interactive training will explore ways to keep restorative efforts strong and sustainable while also expanding the impact. Guidance will be provided for school teams to identify connections between current initiatives and Restorative Practice plans.
-One-day virtual or in-person training, for up to 35 participants
Formal Restorative Conferencing
Community Matters partners with the International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP) to provide this Formal Restorative Conferencing Training. This 2-day training is designed for individuals experienced in Restorative Practices who are interested in facilitating restorative conferences. Participants will:
- Learn how to plan and coordinate pre-conference activities, which are essential to the success of Restorative Conferences
- Gain skills needed for effectively facilitating conferences
- Understand how to develop and monitor high quality follow-up plans
- Recognize the benefits of Restorative Conferencing and their positive impacts on school discipline, suspensions and overall climate
* Pre-requisite: Participants must have prior experience with RP, either completing Community Matters’ Restorative Practices Skills Development 2-day training or related experience.
-In-person: Two-day training, for up to 20 participants
–Virtual option: Condensed training consisting of two 3-hour modules, for up to 20 participants
For Families
Restorative Practices for Families
This workshop is designed for parents, caregivers and school staff. Participants will gain skills, tools and strategies to collaborate with schools to bring restorative practices (RP) to life in order to create optimal learning environments. It will also deepen staff skills in RP and provide opportunities to strengthen relationships and improve communication with families to support a positive school climate at home and at school.
1.5 hour virtual or in-person workshop, for up to 75 participants. Learn More
Contact us to learn more about our Restorative Practices programs, or to schedule your training.
“The cycle of reprisal and counter reprisal that had characterized their national history had to be broken and the only way to do this was to go beyond retributive justice to restorative justice, to move on to forgiveness, because without it there was no future.” – Desmond Tutu