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Dignity in schools: an unexcused absence
from Orissa Arend's article in the San Francisco Bay View:
“A school should not feel like a prison. A school should feel positive, safe and welcoming. A school should feel like a second home. As I walk through the doors of my school, I want to be treated with dignity.” These are the words of Vernard Carter, a rising 10th grade Rethinker at a well-attended press conference held July 23, 2009.
The Rethinkers – or Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools – know how to zero in on the basics. First (in 2007 and 2008) they tackled bathrooms and lunches, with marked success, and now they are addressing safety and dignity. What could be more basic?
A handful of school resources, addressing harm in schools, restoratively
Excellence in Education Award given for restorative practices
from the Milwaukee Public Schools Board Minutes:
Each month, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors recognizes an outstanding school, student, staff member, or parent or community member for a display of excellence, achievement, and innovation that may serve as an example to our school district and the entire Milwaukee community. This month, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors is pleased to present the “Excellence in Education Award” to John Chisholm, Paul Dedinsky, Lovell Johnson, David Lerman and Gary Mahkorn of the Restorative Pracices Program and Milwaukee District Attorney's Office (Safe School/Healthy Students Partner).
Educating pupils on peace
from Stefania Seccia's article in the Vancouver Sun:
University of British Columbia Faculty of Education professors are trying to take the "lame" out of educating young students on peace by teaching pre-service teachers a thing or two about bringing it into the classroom.
According to Kim Schonert-Reichly, UBC professor, it's the first in North America to incorporate "Educating the Heart," into the elementary education 12-month program. Basically, the 36 soon-to-be teachers who started last week are learning how to integrate emotional and social development into every type of subject.
"We're showing them how to make it a part of every subject," she said in a phone interview. "For instance in math a teacher could make statistics mean more than just numbers but actually factor in social justice and responsibility."
A “proactive” restorative conference
from Matthew Kuehlhorm's blog Life Skoolz:
As the meeting progressed, tempers cooled and people began to listen. Ultimately, the kids agreed to the boundaries set by security and the college administrators. Campus security also had a chance to meet the kids and now knows who they are when they do come onto campus. Campus is open to them after all.
Video Review: The Transformation of West Philadelphia High School: A Story of Hope
by Kate Strong
A troubled high school in Philadelphia undergoes a radical turn-around after restorative practices transform the whole climate of the school.
The DVD is the visual equivalent of a newspaper article: there is little ornamentation and even littler excess. The story presented is simple: West Philadelphia High School had been on the "persistently dangerous" list for six years because of the violence and crime that had plagued the school.
Then, as an attempt to thoroughly transform the school from its bones to its behavior, they introduced restorative practices, including conferencing training and circles for dispute resolution. Within the first year, the crime rate was down by 52%. The next year, the crime rate had dropped another 45%.
Sep 01, 2009 Story, Video Review, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA
