As part of our mission to create diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning, Distinctive Schools is designing more equitable schools through an intentional shift away from traditional or punitive disciplinary measures. We are proud to practice Restorative Justice, a method of conflict resolution that values relationships as the cornerstone of each student’s educational journey. When issues arise, we believe in creating a safe space for diverse perspectives to be heard, paving the way for healing and growth.
Relationship building is at the heart of Distinctive Culture. When we say All Means All, we mean educating the whole child, including supporting students when they make mistakes. Mistakes are part of life, and our goal is to help students learn through them.
What is Restorative Justice?
We recognize that when harm occurs in our community, that harm must be repaired. It is important to us that students take accountability for their actions and search for solutions to move forward. Consequences are not personal, but they are personalized. The consequence must make sense to the student based on the action for it to be effective. Restorative practices are used in our schools to decrease disciplinary issues and disruptions and serve as an alternative to harmful, exclusionary practices such as suspension and expulsion.
Restorative Justice values relationships at the center of school and community life. When harm happens, these relationships create space for multiple perspectives to be heard in order to repair harm. We work to establish a strong foundation of trust, respect, and communication with our students.
You may be wondering, what exactly is Restorative Justice and what does it look like at CICS Irving Park?
We sat down with our CICS Irving Park Dean, Mr. Sloan for a few questions about Restorative Justice at our school.
Read more about Restorative Practices here. We are so grateful to the incredible student support team at CICS Irving Park for their commitment to restorative practices. We thank you for the care you bring to our schools, students, and communities every day!
MEET YOUR DEAN: What does a Dean do?
Being a dean is first and foremost about relationships with students and with our community. Working in a school, our job is to teach. Student behavior that is typically seen as "misbehavior" is truly communication of an unmet need or skill and it's our job to teach and fill those gaps so that students can learn and grow to their full potential – and further, be able to learn these skills to use throughout their lives and outside of school. We are also here to support students in any way we can, not only related to misbehavior but any needs that may arise, our goal is to always be available to support and connect with our wonderful students.
WHY WE CHOOSE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: The theory.
Restorative Justice is an ethos that guides all of our work as Deans. In short, it is the practice of taking the time to provide teaching of missing skills and bringing the students together. Rather than issuing punitive punishment which lacks the elements of teaching and repairing the issue, students connect with guidance from the Dean to speak about the harm caused and develop a plan for repair. We invite those in conflict to talk through the issue so they can understand the harm caused, take responsibility and find ways to move forward.
We have seen immense success with this practice in our work, both through data and student experience, because it treats students fundamentally as learners, with the acceptance of making mistakes; it provides the safety of knowing that – if something does happen, they are a direct participant in the process of 'fixing' the issue – they have a voice and they have a say in how it's handled.
PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE: What does Restorative Justice look like in our classrooms day to day?
Teachers are equipped with the right tools for when conflict arises. They have the language to ask, "What happened?; What were you thinking about at the time?; What have you thought about since?; and What are you going to do to make it better.” Our team is also equipped to speak to students about their emotions and give students the tools to understand and speak about their emotions and feelings. Students are given the opportunity to take breaks in each classroom's "cool down corner". The Cool down corner is equipped with tools that have already been taught in class, allowing students to reset independently and return to the learning environment. We also utilize SEL curriculums in all classrooms, each day, to ensure students have tools and skills in their back pocket.
CICS Irving Park is a safe place to learn, to grow, and to have fun. We want our students to know that it's okay to make mistakes and that we all grow together. We are a community of loving and passionate adults who truly believe in the potential of all of our students. Our goal is to sculpt a future of equity and understanding that travels beyond the walls of our school and throughout our city and community. And, of course, to have fun, to feel loved, and to show PRIDE!