The Restorative Playbook

By Sue Jamback and Sue Jamback M. Ed.

Restorative Justice school practitioners have nearly exclusively relied on circles as the go-to restorative tool -until now. Newly released, The Restorative Playbook, is a supplemental guide for both veteran educators as well as those at the start of their careers. Whether you are refining an already implemented restorative approach or just launching, the15-strategies presented in this guide will support you as you tackle the two central challenges of implementing a restorative approach: mindset and technique. The Restorative Playbook provides resources, direction, steps, and examples of practice for educators committed to transforming American public education through social justice reform where all members of the restorative community collaborate and reframe how schools meet the social/behavioral needs of all students. Each of the 15 activities described in the guide include helpful tips on who to include in the activity (intended audience), intended outcome, and suggested follow-up activities. The Restorative Playbook will help practitioners address disproportionality, high suspension and expulsion rates, and will serve to increase social emotional support for all students. It will build a common understanding of the intent and power of a restorative approach and will open hearts and minds to the importance of changing our practices when traditional strategies of punishment and extrinsic motivation have failed to transform behaviors and attitudes. The Restorative Playbook can also help educators grapple with the unintended consequences of ineffective exclusionary practices that suspend learning and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline crisis gripping America's urban communities. Written by a veteran public school educator with over 40 years of practice serving in under-resourced communities across the country, The Restorative Playbook, is grounded in core beliefs that we need to work with students rather than do things to them, that every child has strengths and the ability to grow and develop, and when trusted and supported to do the right thing nearly every child will eventually rise to the occasion. What do our students need from us? The need our high expectations, unwavering commitment to teaching the whole child, and the grace and dignity that we all want afforded to ourselves when we make a mistake, offend, break a rule, or act out. The Restorative Playbook: Dedicated to the thousands of students who went through America's public schools in another time; when all students, regardless of personal, familial or community strength, were expected to know how to respond to all types of societal challenges and were excluded and under-served when they did not. May their children be better served.Let's support each other as we fast forward to better times, when every student gets the support they need to succeed emotionally, socially, and academically regardless of their starting places. After all, if not us, then who?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1723468606
• ISBN13: 9781723468605
• Release Date: September 2018
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 47 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.1" x 8.5"