Challenges of Restorative Practices in Schools

Chapter 6 considers the challenges for school community members in a restorative school environment. Student challenges include confronting peers, learning to find a balance between completing individual work and resolving issues that affect the community, and learning to take on leadership roles within restorative circles. Teacher challenges involve learning to share responsibility and control within a classroom, implementing restorative practices and balancing the need to confront issues while still covering the required academic content, and helping students overcome some of the challenges they face. Counselor challenges focus on learning to confront difficult situations and students, learning how to become vulnerable, and assisting others in the implementation of restorative practices. Administrative challenges include dealing with situations in which teachers sometimes blame themselves, learning how to model restorative behaviors, and finding staff members that believe in the philosophy and practice of being and doing things restoratively within a school environment.