I often get questions from elementary educators about how RJ works with very young students. When the language and techniques are adapted to the age and abilities of the children, it works beautifully. This YouTube video of a restorative circle in Ms. Healy’s first grade classroom, illustrates that point. These wonderful little people make me smile every time I watch them in circle!
Ms. Healy has invested time in creating a strong sense of community and normalizing both the restorative philosophy (looking for ways to heal the harm) and the circles process (giving everyone affected a voice) in her class. In the video, Ms. Healy uses both to resolve a conflict between her students, but this dynamic applies to myriad other situations and conditions.
One such condition is chronic absences for early elementary children. This article first appeared as a blog on January 24, 2018 in Attendance Works. It reports on a Duke University study to curb chronic absenteeism in first and second grades. The complete article about reducing students’ absences offers some great insights into how restorative philosophy and practices helped 40 schools keep very young students coming to class.
Contact us for more information and resources on how you can use restorative justice with your students at every grade level!