Three years into using a restorative practices model for addressing student misbehavior, officials in Indian Prairie School District 204 say they’re liking the results.
Restorative practices is a framework for responding to disciplinary issues not only with punishments, but also with proactive supports to create strong relationships and reparative learning to help students grow after their mistakes, said Nader Najjar, assistant superintendent for equity and innovation.
“It’s a way of doing school that emphasizes relationships, accountability, and high expectations,” Najjar said about a restorative practices model. “It’s a deeper sense of accountability.”
Strengths in giving students voice, accountability
Administrators shared an analysis of four core elements of restorative practices — belonging, voice, accountability, and expectations — with school board members during Monday’s meeting…