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00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 Good morning, school leaders, and a very happy Friday to all of you.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 We've had such a profound week exploring restorative practices,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 from vaping to playground altercations and academic honesty.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 Today, we're going to wrap up our series with a scenario that,
00:00:17 --> 00:00:21 while maybe not as dramatic, can be just as frustrating.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 This is a student makes a huge mess in the bathroom, enough to shut it down
00:00:25 --> 00:00:29 for cleaning or maybe even repairs, and a teacher walks in right as it's happening.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 How do we use our restorative approach here? Let's talk about that.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:40 So let's set the scene for our final scenario this week.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:44 A teacher walks into the school bathroom and finds it just trashed.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:49 Paper towels everywhere, water all over the floor, just a general clear mess
00:00:49 --> 00:00:53 just a general clear mess that looks intentional.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 The bathroom is going to need to be closed for cleanup. A student,
00:00:57 --> 00:01:02 let's call him Sam, is still in there looking a bit sheepish because he's been caught.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:06 Now, here's a restorative way to handle this. We're going to start right out
00:01:06 --> 00:01:11 with, we're going to start right away with checking how bad the mess is and
00:01:11 --> 00:01:15 make sure that there are no immediate dangers or maybe even something that could
00:01:15 --> 00:01:16 be considered vandalism.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:21 Then calmly approach Sam and say, Sam, I see quite a mess here.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 Can you tell me what had happened?
00:01:23 --> 00:01:29 Can you tell me what happened? Keep it factual and avoid sounding accusatory.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:33 After Sam gives his side, or if he's holding back a little bit,
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 just gently try to understand why.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 Sometimes things seem senseless. They come from frustration,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 boredom, or maybe even a cry for attention.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 Now, Sam, what led to this mess? What were you feeling when this happened?
00:01:46 --> 00:01:50 This is where the restorative process really kicks in. We're going to try to
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 help Sam understand the widespread impact of his actions.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:58 This impacts the school community because other students now can't use this
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 bathroom. It causes a real headache.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:04 It means extra, often unpleasant work for the custodial staff too.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:08 It also costs the school time and resources for cleanup.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:12 You might ask Sam, when this bathroom is out of commission, who does that affect?
00:02:13 --> 00:02:18 What impact does this have on our custodians? What about the school's budget?
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 The plan to fix things could directly relate to the home.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 Now, when we talk about the plan to fix things here, to restore,
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 it could directly relate to the harm caused.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:35 Most impactful way for Sam to make amends here is for him to help clean the
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 mess himself with supervision, of course. This is direct accountability.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 Hey, Sam, since you were involved in creating this mess, it's important that
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 you're part of making it right. We're going to work together to clean this up.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:50 This provides a tangible consequence and teacher's responsibility.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:55 Also, a genuine apology to the custodial staff can be incredibly powerful.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:59 Just imagine Sam having to look the custodian in the eye and say,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 I'm sorry for the extra work I caused you today.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:08 Reinforce the school's expectations about respecting property and using the bathroom properly.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:12 This might mean reviewing parts of the student handbook with Sam, too.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 At the end, talk with Sam about what he can do differently next time that he's
00:03:16 --> 00:03:20 feeling or that he feels like acting out or is bored or whatever that reason
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 was that Sam decided to trash the bathroom today.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:28 You know, Sam, what could you do instead if you're feeling frustrated or bored
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 in the future? That could be a line we could talk about with Sam.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:35 Now, of course, like all of these, we need to get in touch with Sam's parents
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 to let them know about what happened.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 And importantly, again, the restorative steps we're taking.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:45 Highlight Sam's participation in the cleanup as he talks about taking responsibility and respecting...
00:03:47 --> 00:03:51 Highlight Sam's participation in the cleanup and the talks about taking responsibility
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 and respecting school properly.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:59 Respecting school property. You could say, Sam took responsibility for the mess
00:03:59 --> 00:04:00 and he helped me clean up.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 And we had him help with the cleanup as part of making things right.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 We also discussed the impact of his actions that he had.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:12 We also discussed the impact his actions had on the entire school community.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 This communication ensures that home and school are on the same page when it
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 comes to encouraging responsible behavior.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 And of course, know your students. If you think parents might be upset about
00:04:24 --> 00:04:33 this, maybe getting permission for Sam to be part of the cleanup ahead of time is a wise choice here.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:38 Again, knowing your students, knowing your parents, that's going to help guide you on that journey.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 Okay as we wrap up our restorative practices series
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 this week this last scenario reminds us that even
00:04:47 --> 00:04:52 smaller disruptions can be huge learning opportunities by getting students involved
00:04:52 --> 00:04:57 in understanding how their actions affect others and actively participating
00:04:57 --> 00:05:02 in fixing things we build a culture of responsibility respect and community
00:05:02 --> 00:05:07 this week has truly shown what a restorative approach, while it takes some thoughtful effort,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:13 can lead to a far deeper and more lasting positive change than just traditional punishments alone.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 Thank you for listening. I hope you've had a wonderful week.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 I hope this has been beneficial for you.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 If you're looking for some more information on restorative practices,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 there is a ton of stuff out there.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 Just do a little bit of research, do a little bit of Googling,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:29 and have an open mind as you go into those conversations and go into a little
00:05:29 --> 00:05:34 bit of change. If you're looking for something specific, reach out to us at AWB Education.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 We're happy to get you hooked up with someone that can really help you lead your school.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:42 Other than that, have a wonderful end of your week. Have an even better weekend.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 Thank you for listening. We will talk with you again next week.