Table 1.
11 Essential Restorative Practices and Sample Indicators of Proficiency in Each Practice
| Essential practices | Sample indicators of proficiency in practice |
|---|---|
| 1. Affective statements | Use “I” statements; make students aware of the positive or negative impact of their behavior; focus on behavior; encourage students to express their feelings |
| 2. Restorative questions | Reflect standard restorative questions (What harm has been done? How has it impacted you? What needs to happen to make things right?); require a response, written or verbal |
| 3. Small impromptu conferences | Use to resolve low-level incidents between 2 people; take place as soon as possible after the incident has occurred; use the standard set of restorative questions; use affective statements; ask students to conduct a specific activity to repair harm from the incident |
| 4. Proactive circles (comprise at least 80% of circles conducted at a school) | Use to set behavioral expectations (e.g., for academic goal setting or planning, to establish ground rules for student projects, to monitor or build understanding of academic content); use standard set of restorative questions; use affective statements; run by students, after being facilitated 5 times |
| 5. Responsive circles (comprise no more than 20% of circles conducted at a school) | Use in response to behavior or tensions affecting a group of students or entire class; Require all people involved to play a role; Use standard set of restorative questions; Use affective statements |
| 6. Restorative conferences | Use in response to serious incidents or a cumulative pattern of repeated less serious incidents; use scripted approach and trained facilitator; use standard set of restorative questions and affective statements |
| 7. Fair process | Allow students to provide input into decisions affecting them; explain the reasoning behind decisions to the students affected; clarify expectations so students understand implications of the decision, specific expectations for carrying out the decision, and consequences for not meeting expectations |
| 8. Reintegrative management of shame | Avoid labels that stigmatize wrong-doers; discourage dwelling on shame; acknowledge person’s worth while rejecting unacceptable behavior (i.e., separate the deed from the doer) |
| 9. Restorative staff community | Use restorative practices to resolve staff conflicts and proactive circles to build sense of community among staff |
| 10. Restorative approach with families | Use restorative practices during interactions with family members, including proactive circles that focus on intentional communication of positive student behavior and academic achievement |
| 11. Fundamental hypothesis | Maintain high expectations for behavior; do not ignore inappropriate behavior; use the appropriate mix of control/pressure and support; minimize the role of staff facilitators |