Category Archives: Restorative Justice in Schools

Attention schools: 3 reasons for “primary” Circles, before “secondary” or “tertiary”.

The PBIS or public health models work perfectly with Restorative Justice Circles. I am not sure of another process that can be used at each of the Tiers.  Restorative Justice Circles work on each and every level with only slight modifications to the

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Elementary Classroom Circles, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice in Schools

Guest blogger on “Circles Matter”

Amy Vante Bintliff, author of Re-engaging Disconnected Youth: Transformative Learning Through Restorative and Social Justice Education provided me this guest blog post.  Click here and check out the website for Transformational Education.  Her guest post: After training a group of

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Filed under Blogging, Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice in Schools

Trained teachers offer what Restorative Justice Circles “bridge”.

  I appreciate Sharon Bowman, she has a resource-filled website, great articles and books.  If you follow her on LinkedIn, great powerpoints shared.  Friend and mentor, pictured here, helped me learn how to work and train teachers.  In turn I

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Elementary Classroom Circles, Full Circle Experiences, Kris Miner, Practitioner Skills, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Teaching RJ

Restorative (Measures, Practices,Justice ) Circles meet and beat bully behavior with it’s own definition.

This blog title includes the words “measures”, “practices” and “justice” in parenthesis – because Restorative Circles, are a similar but different approach to the Restorative Justice Circles I am blogging about.  Restorative Justice started in criminal justice and moved to

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Research, Restorative Justice in Schools, Teaching RJ

School-based Restorative Justice Circles – handouts and example demonstration.

  In a school gym, we placed the Circle Center items in the basketball center court.  Four student volunteers each had a direction, and at each direction 3 months of the year were designated and students divided themselves based on

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice in Schools, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

5 Steps to Use Restorative Justice Circles for Bully Behavior.

The stories of bully incidents continue to be of concern.  I have talked with frustrated parents, confused professionals and educators dedicated to prevent and put right the wrong of behavior that is negative, unwanted, repeated, and involves a power imbalance. 

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Filed under Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

Different types of Restorative Justice Circles and a practitioner perspective.

Just as there are 12 major markings on the face of a clock, I could list 12 different kinds of Circles.  In four basic categories those Circles would be community building – peace building – repair building – and celebration.  This

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Filed under Belonging, Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Community, Full Circle Experiences, Peace, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Tip of the Week

Fear, nervous energy, anxiety all acceptable before Circle-keeping.

I have a reverance for the Circle process.  Specifically, the Restorative Justice Circle process as I learned it, from Kay Pranis, Linda Wolf, Jamie Williams, Oscar Reed, and many, many, many people who have joined me in Circles over the

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Filed under Circle Keeping, Circle Process, College Circles, Kris Miner, offenders, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Talking Piece, Teaching RJ, Tip of the Week

Lesson plan for drivers, Restorative Justice and texting while driving.

A quick teaching tool that has two lessons, the importance of not texting while driving, and the philosophies of Restorative Justice. I showed this video to a group of students, and below the video is a discussion outline you can

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Filed under Community, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, Safe Teen Driving Circles, SCVRJP, storytelling, Teaching RJ

Restorative Justice Circles powered by the strength of vulerability.

The title of this blog post seems like an oxymoron – vulnerability is not usually associated with strength, at least in the first associations of what is typically considered strong.  The first image that appeared in the Google Image search

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Filed under Belonging, Circle Keeping, Circle Process, Circle Stages, Full Circle Experiences, offenders, personal growth, Practitioner Skills, Relationships, Responses from participants, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice in Schools, SCVRJP, Teaching RJ