we are a restorative school
What is restorative practice?
Restorative practice is a philosophy and set of skills focused on building and maintaining positive relationships by addressing conflict and wrongdoing through repairing harm.
Restorative Practice (RP) is a brilliant whole-centre model for wellbeing as its evidence based and honours everyone's wellbeing. It meets the criteria in the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice as a whole-school model for wellbeing promotion, with interventions at universal and targeted levels. Its core aim is to build strong relationships and there is substantial evidence for RP reducing disciplinary issues in school. RP not only reduces conflict but improves staff morale.
RP helps to build positive relationships and friendships throughout a community and beyond. It also helps to respond to conflict and arguments, if they do occur, in a healthy way that moves us away from blame and attack, and towards connection and healing. It supports us to see conflict as an opportunity for growth. Research suggests that using this approach contributes to stress reduction and improves wellbeing and mental health for all. These skills are important for a healthy school and a happy life.
It's an emerging social science that enables people to build and restore community in an increasingly disconnected world. Belinda Hopkins says that “good relationships need to be at the heart of everything if effective teaching and learning are to take place.”
Michelle Stowe of ConnectRP defines Restorative Practice as:
“a values-based philosophy that aims to consciously build relationships and respond to harm and conflict in a way that honours relationships, which connects us to our best selves and to one another.”
CDI defines RP as a philosophy and a set of skills that help us develop and sustain strong and happy school communities by:
Actively developing good relationships
Preventing the escalation of conflict
Handling conflict in a creative and healthy manner and
Repairing harm when wrongdoing has occurred.
Here in Marino College, student voice is very important. We strive to build leadership capacity, and create a community where all students have a deep sense of belonging.
Hurt may be an inevitable part of life, but working through challenges facilitates us to mature psychologically and can be transformative. An RP approach aims to get well versus get even and can be found throughout the Action Plan on Bullying and Bí Cineálta procedures. It offers a win/win opportunity when conflict happens. RP restores trust, hope, calm and ultimately relationships. RP gives everyone a voice and facilitates us to hear each other. It is a fair process, where everyone is heard and involved in working out a solution together.
RP Values include:
Respect
Empathy
Safety
Personal accountability
Equity
Community
Trust
These values are compatible with the ETB Ethos and core values:
Excellence in Education
Care
Equality
Community
Respect
For even more information please check out the connect RP website:
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