Restorative Practices: An Outside-the-Box Approach to Building and Sustaining Relationships in Schools

Lott, Rufus, III

ISBN 10: 1938539966 ISBN 13: 9781938539961

Publisher: Natl Professional Resources Inc, 2018

Synopsis

The time for strict zero-tolerance punitive discipline approaches in schools is over. In addition to being ineffective, traditional exclusionary discipline is often inequitable and even counterproductive. Restorative practices offer a comprehensive alternative approach that promotes a positive school climate with strong relationships at the center, where all community members feel a true sense of belonging. When harm is done or conflict occurs, restorative practices provide a differentiated framework for working with students to restore relationships, repair harm, and prevent recurrences. This laminated guide by Rufus Lott III provides an overview of restorative practices and offers a three phase model with concrete strategies for implementing RP in the classroom: The Connect Phase - Strategies include relationship-building circles, using affective language, developing a relationship agreement, teaching emotional awareness skills. The Correct Phase- Strategies include restorative chats, restorative conferences, and restorative circles to collaborate with students to determine a way to right the wrong or repair the relationship, and continue with a plan to prevent future incidents based on acceptance of personal accountability. The Consequence phase - Rather than arbitrary punishment, consequences are determined by first considering the desired outcomes are then selecting a strategy to achieve that outcome. This compact yet comprehensive guide will help educators begin their journey toward transforming school culture through implementing restorative practices.

About this title

About the Author

Rufus Lott III is the founder of LOTT Educational Consultants and lead consultant specializing in the area of Restorative Practices in schools. Most recently Mr. Lott served the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, TX as the assistant principal of Edward H. White Middle School. Mr. Lott played an instrumental role in the development and implementation of restorative practices as an alternative method for managing student behavior. This innovative, whole school approach was the first of its kind in the state of Texas, and has been considered the blueprint that many campuses across the state of Texas are following.Mr. Lott has 10 years of experience in public education in elementary and middle school as a classroom practitioner and administrator. As a former administrator, Mr. Lott s passion is rooted in social justice and working with educators to better serve diverse student populations. His focus is on teaching real-life, applicable strategies that are essential for educators to utilize when working with both students and teachers. Today, he teaches restorative practices to teachers and administrators as an alternative method to exclusion, and as a means to build positive relationships and strong communities through dialogue using the circle process.Mr. Lott received both his Bachelor s and Master s Degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He graduated as a member of the Urban School Leadership Cohort (USLC), which is a nationally recognized cohort that prepares educational leaders for the principalship by using practical, theoretical, and research-based approaches to promote social justice in urban school districts. He is the author of Restorative Practices: An Outside-the-Box Approach to Building and Sustaining Relationships.

Edition details

• Publisher: Natl Professional Resources Inc
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1938539966
• ISBN 13: 9781938539961
• Binding: Cards
• Illustrator: Cerone Andrea
• Number of pages: 6