might be the telltale sign that a student is a threat . I have to believe that there is a better way of preventing violence without dehumanizing our students and viewing them as warning indicators and statistics .
I am not naive enough to believe that there is a quick fix or a magical solution for eradicating violence in our schools ; however there are several approaches that I am committed to because they not only make schools safer places to be , they also make schools better places for students to grow and thrive .
The first approach is ensuring that schools are communities of caring : a school should be a place where every child feels connected to at least one adult who they know will care for their basic needs and advocate for them . In order to make this a priority at our school in the days after the major shootings we designated a professional development session where we posted every student from our school ’ s name on the wall . Teachers silently walked around marking up the pages with two different color pens . One color ink indicated consistent positive interactions with the student . A second color indicated negative interactions with the student . When all of the teachers and staff had circulated around the room and identified their relationships with the students , we highlighted any student who had no positive markings or no markings at all by their names . We then had a teacher step up to volunteer to become an advocate for the neglected student . We , as a team , are committed to the idea that every student should have a positive interaction with an adult at school every day . I know some students are challenging , and take a little bit more patience , but I have seen time and time again how this demonstration of care changes students ’ perspectives and motivations .
Our school champions another approach to making our community safe for all members through the faithful implementation of restorative justice circles . These convenings are based on the ideology that through safe and honest communication our staff can foster conversations among students , teachers , and community members to repair harm done and to build understanding among the participants . In a circle , there is no hierarchy , and the facilitator supports participants in speaking about how they feel as well as their motivations , and how they can repair broken trust or relationships . Some construe circles as “ touchy-feely ,” ineffective , or not “ true justice .” I ’ ve heard the critiques before , but believe that they come from a lack of understanding of the process . Students still receive consequences for breaking the rules ; the circles merely supplement the disciplinary process by going to the root causes of altercations and allowing students to rebuild trust through healthy communication patterns . Having students and adults meet in places of understanding to strengthen their relationships is imperative to making a school a functional place of learning , since as educational theorist Maria Montessori stated , “ learning is a social act .”
Our amazing counselor , Alyssa Campos , is committed to training our staff in running these circles , and the results that she has collected speak for themselves . She reports that over a third of the circles that are held are requested by our students . Additionally , in the follow-up survey she gives students who participated in a circle , 96.6 percent report that they feel that the circle made the situation better . She says that , “ One of the greatest benefits of circles is helping students learn how to communicate effectively and manage their emotional responses . I always tell students they are entitled to their feelings , but they must communicate those emotions in a way that is respectful and helps the other participants understand why they are feeling that way . I will guide them in the way they speak to one another so that conversations can occur in a manner that helps everyone to feel safe and valued . This helps students who may otherwise act out to express their emotions in a way that is constructive and moves
them toward solving the problem . I also feel that circles have helped to foster empathy .”
In addition to fostering empathy , circles have a larger impact on our school ’ s culture and level of safety . Ms . Campos agrees stating , “ Restorative practices and circles make ours a safer community by helping staff and students connect and build relationships with one another . Students who feel connected at school are less likely to act out negatively or violently . Further , circles give students an outlet to express their feelings in a way that is effective and positive .”
I am proud that restorative justice circles and intentional planning of professional development focusing on supporting students ’ socio-emotional needs are two parts of my school ’ s core values . By consciously thinking about how to value every community member , we create a climate of caring that is intrinsic to shaping whole and functioning young humans . I encourage you to think about the practices in place at your school and to uncover how you might increase your own community of caring . The life of your students depends on it .
Reference
Warnick , Bryan , and Benjamin Rocha . “ Why Security Measures Won ’ t Stop School Shootings .” The Conversation . N . p ., 14 Feb . 2018 . Web .
Miriam Singer is the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction at The School of Arts and Enterprise September | October 2018 27