Restorative Justice in RJE & a PodCast Recommendation

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Eastern Mennonite University and what I have studied there and what I am presently studying.   This past summer, I began classes in the "TREE" program.                  TREE = Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments.   As I began working in this program, I found myself falling in love with what I'm learning.    I confess that originally I had decided to "go back to school" for the financial bonus of going from "Masters pay" to "M +15" which I'll reach this August.  I had no idea how deeply I'd be impacted by what I'm learning.   After talking with my academic advisor about what I was feeling, he suggested I work towards a second certificate:  Restorative Justice in Education. 

Once again, I find myself completely BLOWN AWAY and INSPIRED by what I'm learning.   I'm presently enrolled in Foundations of Restorative Justice.   I went into this class really not knowing what RJ was.   The more I learn, the more I read, the more I chat with my professor and colleagues - the more I feel in my bones that this is NOT some sort of "educational fad" but truly is a mindset shift, and in my opinion, the right way to go.

RJE can take us on a whole new path regarding how we handle the trials and tribulations of life in education.  Once you get an understanding of RJE, everything {at least to me} just seems to make sense. I find this especially true in regard to discipline issues.   Discipline goes from being punitive and authoritative to more meaningful (for lack of a better term).

Instead of scolding a student and bashing them and a choice they made, RJ urges more conversation.

1.  What happened?

2.  What were you thinking at the time?

3.  What have you thought about it since?

4.  Who has been affected and in what way?

5.  How could things be done differently?

6.  What do you think needs to happen next?  

You can even go further in this conversation by asking things such as:

-What did you think when you REALIZED what happened?

-What impact has the incident had on you and others?

-What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

What I'm learning in class is that yes, this will take time.  I am also learning that not only is it a mind-shift for many of us, but it is also not a "quick fix" - the reality is it takes a good 3-5 years to properly implement.

With that said, I would LOVE for YOU {Yes, YOU!} to take the time to listen to Episode 82 of Leading Out the Woods Podcast.   Episode 82 is 45 minutes long, you can pause and return back to it if you're pressed for time.   Episode 82 interviews my professor for my current class.   You will find that Dr. Aundrea Smiley keeps it real.   I absolutely adore her on all levels, and I'm so sad that this class is coming to an end soon.