A Restorative Justice Approach to Discipline at Sacred Heart College
Schools and Teachers Sizer and Sizer in The Students are Watching: Schools and the Moral Contract (1998) pg.58, point out that teachers have a good understanding of what is meant by good behaviour and effective teachers ‘will model and communicate this understanding to their pupils. They are working within a specific context which is both personal and social and which affects their underlying belief of how best to bring about order in the school, by managing the behaviour of their pupils.’ To achieve success in managing behaviour schools design codes of conduct/school rules.
Codes of Conduct and Discipline Strategies Schools have a Code of Conduct which outlines expectations and consequences for any deviation from those expectations. The Introduction to the SHC Code of Conduct also outlines the purposes of the school rules: 1.1. To protect the dignity of all who are part of the College community and therefore to encourage learners to have respect for themselves and others. 1.2. To protect the integrity of the College so that the College can effectively discharge its duty of ensuring that the learning environment is an effective and happy one.
The SHC Code of Conduct 1.3. To protect the rights of all and to this end to ensure that learners understand their responsibilities regarding their behaviour at the College. All have the right to be protected from any negative behaviour from learners. All learners must accept that there are certain consequences in not taking these responsibilities seriously. 1.4. To ensure that learners know what is expected of them and to encourage behaviour that is socially acceptable. 1.5. To help young people to develop a sense of selfdiscipline, responsibility towards others, and values and attitudes in line with the Mission Statement of the
Our core mission and philosophy in the Primary School is: to love and nurture children to learn and develop into people of hope and personal integrity with a keen sense of justice and compassion for others and the world.
This done in a secure, safe and happy environment.
3 core beliefs underpin our philosophy: Each person is unique and each person is created in the image and likeness of God. 2. Human beings exist in relationship with God and with one another. The perfection of this relationship is expressed in unconditional love. 3. We are accountable to God and to one another.
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The Role of Teachers According to Colin Northmore in his paper, Stepping in Blood-Leaders using Authority in Schools, ‘… as teachers we derive a lot of our authority from the legal concept, “In Loco Parentis.” In practice, this means that we have to exercise the same care and authority that a parent would if placed in a similar situation.’ He goes on to explain that all children have a ‘predisposition for testing boundaries and experimentation.’ It is therefore incumbent upon teachers to manage potentially dangerous situations in such a way as not to escalate, but rather to de-escalate the situation.
Managing Discipline: The Traditional Approach The traditional approach to school discipline asks three questions in response to wrongdoing: 1. What happened? 2. Who is to blame? 3. What do they deserve? This traditional approach, borrowed largely from the criminal justice system, leaves those who have been accused of wrongful behaviour without a voice, and without their needs being addressed as part of the ‘solution.’ It also doesn’t effectively challenge the wrongdoer to be accountable to those he/she has harmed. This approach also neglects to listen to the voice of the aggrieved person/victim.
The Restorative Approach (adapted from CIE’s Peaceful Schools)
The restorative approach starts from a different set of questions: 1. What happened and who was involved, including bystanders? 2. Who has been harmed and how? 3. What needs to happen to repair some of the harm caused and restore the relationships? In this approach, the focus is on the harm that has been done to everyone involved and the obligation this brings on the part of those responsible to ‘right the wrong’ as much as possible.
Restorative justice seeks to develop in the wrongdoer an understanding of the harm their behaviour has caused others so that they can best try to make amends to those most affected. Those most affected by the wrongdoing have the opportunity to be involved in working out what has to happen in order to move forward. Restorative justice is a way of viewing relationshipbuilding and behaviour management in schools that works to strengthen a sense of community among learners and between learners, teachers and parents, through educative processes.
Conflict or wrongdoing is seen as causing harm to people and relationships. People need to repair this harm in order for those involved to move forward. It is a way of educating learners towards selfdetermined right behaviour that is respectful of all concerned. The onus is on the wrongdoer to be accountable for their behaviour and to repair any harm caused to others. It involves teaching children how to manage their relationships in a fair, just and peaceful manner. It also teaches all involved about empathy and compassion.
The Basis of Restorative Justice: Love and Compassion • Compassion is not pity. • Pity suggests patronage and condescension. • Compassion is weeping with, and seeking justice in relationships by setting broken relationships right. • Compassion has a communal dimension because it is concerned with harmony in creation. The bible describes God as “the compassionate one”. Jesus reminds us that we come face to face with God when we respond to the cries of the outsiders.
Sacred Heart College’s Approach to Building Quality Relationships Foundational beliefs • The key to building a safe, secure, happy school is to have a peaceful environment in which every child, parent and teacher understands the ethos and therefore the expectation of how we treat one another i.e. respectfully and in a spirit of Ubuntu. • Restorative justice recognises that hurtful behaviour, such as bullying, impacts on the wrongdoer, recipient/aggrieved person/victim and whole school community.
Foundational Beliefs
• RJ gives the victim a voice and empowers him/her. • It affords the wrongdoer the opportunity to right the wrong /redeem him/herself. • RJ creates an expectation to make things right. • The foundation of restorative justice is genuine, active accountability.
Principles of Restorative Justice The philosophy emphasises the aim of repairing the harm caused by hurtful behaviour through collaborative processes which can lead to the transformation of people, relationships and communities. • The encounter between the wrongdoer and aggrieved is facilitated by a trained facilitator/teacher. • The focus is to repair harm not create more harm – many people believe that wrongdoers need to be punished/harmed for harming others, but Restorative Justice is about transformation and repairing the harm caused. Children have to be able to make mistakes while they are still at school.
The Programme and Process of Restorative Justice at Sacred Heart College The articulation of expectation of behaviour of all in the community. (school rules, ethos programmes e.g. Caring Caterpillar, Peer Education, Orientation) 2. The rewarding of caring, respectful behaviour (stickers on caterpillar, caterpillar segments, butterfly badges, care awards and leadership badge awards at Gr 6)
The Process of Restorative Justice at Sacred Heart College 3. Reporting hurtful behaviour and/or seeking help: • going to a teacher, • seeking the help of a Grade 6 leader, • filling in a bully form, • getting parents to contact the school 4. An investigation is undertaken involving a meeting with the wrongdoer and the aggrieved as well as any bystanders.
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The Process cont. 5. Meeting Process: • Articulation and understanding of the hurtful behaviour • Discerning the damage caused to a child’s feelings etc • Transformation in behaviour and relationship takes place. Peace means more than the absence of conflict-it promotes healthy, respectful relationships in a school. • Exploring the greater implications – impact on other children, teachers, family etc. • Negotiating consequences for the transgression i.e. the type of community service to be done by
How Parents and Teachers can Assist By teaching your children values: • Courage • Friendship • Wisdom • Justice • Honesty • Tolerance • Equality • Fairness • Giving • Self-discipline
How Parents and Teachers can Assist • • • • • • • • • • •
Integrity Responsibility Caring Respect Cooperation Honour Empathy Loyalty Compassion Kindness Forgiveness
How Parents and Teachers can Assist
By teaching your children social skills: •Encouraging others •Waiting patiently •Communicating clearly •Accepting difference
How Parents and Teachers can Assist By teaching social skills: • Taking turns • Praising (no put downs) • Sharing materials • Asking for help • Using quiet voices • Participating equally • Staying on task • Saying kind things • Using names
By Making use of the Caring Caterpillar, Care Buddy and Care Award System The caring caterpillar programme is there to highlight our expectations for appropriate learner behaviour. The Care Buddy system encourages children to take responsibility for themselves and each other. The Care Award System rewards morally acceptable behaviour.
By meeting the needs of the children we teach: Wernham West Centre for Learning (Canada) Ensure safe learning spaces: Mary Gauthier Director • Have a standard for adults ‘modelling’ respectful behaviour. • Have clear guidelines and expectations for learners. • Provide opportunities to develop relationships. 2. Learning to learn: • Creating a clear path for learning for all learners. • Helping learners develop good work habits and skills (meeting the needs of children with focussing and organizational difficulties) • Giving all learners an equal chance to understand
By meeting the needs of the children we teach: Wernham West Centre for Learning (Canada) 5. Giving learners equal opportunity to demonstrate what they know (and meeting the needs of children who do not perform well in timed situations.)
We Believe that‌ The Catholic School is called in this age to be: A sacrament - a sign pointing to the spiritual. A sign to those within the community and those outside that justice, peace, forgiveness, holiness and grace abound and are available to those who come simply to rest beneath its branches‌ for a time, or those who are merely passing by and catch its fragrance. May its fragrance be pure and sweet and its branches strong to lean upon with confidence and to swing from with joy.