R ES TO R AT I V E P R AC T I C E S I N E L E M E N TA RY S C HO O L
the repair step, students are more likely to
repeat the behavior because they are not
returning to the community by connecting
with peers and are not acknowledging the
space that they harmed.
cial emotional learning. Restorative practices
teach us that children will learn if they have a
sense of community, safety, belonging, and
voice. It is essential to recognize that chil-
dren will learn if they are regulated and if the
adults around them are regulated. Regula-
tion is a vital component to connection and
without connection there is no community,
safety, belonging, or voice. l
By implementing restorative circles and brain
science into elementary classrooms, schools
can better support all students in their so-
References
Evans, K., & Vaandering, D. (2016). The
Little Book of Restorative Justice in Edu-
cation: Fostering Responsibility, Healing,
and Hope in Schools. Good Books. Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps
the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the
Healing of Trauma. New York (New York):
Penguin Books.
Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The
Whole-Brain Child. London: Constable &
Robinson. White, S. (2012, January 9). Time to Think:
Using Restorative Questions. Retrieved
November 12, 2019, from https://www.
iirp.edu/news/time-to-think-using-re-
storative-questions.
Souers, K., & Hall, P. (2016). FOSTERING
RESILIENT LEARNERS: Strategies for creat-
ing a trauma-sensitive classroom. Place
of publication not identified: HAWKER
BROWNLOW EDUCATION.
Lainie Oshlag is a fourth grade teacher in Highgate, Vermont. She is working with a team
to bring restorative practices to her elementary school and combines the ideas of trauma-
informed care with restorative justice in education to heal the brains of students who
have experienced developmental trauma. You can connect with Lainie at lainie.oshlag@
mvsdschools.org.
CSEE Connections
Winter 2019
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