Video Review: Building Our Community: A Film about Restorative Practices.
Building Our Community is a 15-minute video highlighting the use of restorative practices in Collingwood Primary school located in Hull, UK. Teachers, students, administrators and parents discuss the impact on the school environment and individual students of using circles and conferences.
Collingwood School, located in an area affected by acute economic
and social changes, was once considered a school in crisis. High crime
rates and overt racism are common experiences for students attending
the school. The school struggled with issues concerning student
discipline and other methods of creating a safe school environment.
Restorative practices provided the mechanism for doing just that.
In this short documentary, teachers and students describe the use of
circles each morning and afternoon as a way for students to check in
and talk about how they are feeling that day. One staff member
describes the process as helping the children to develop a vocabulary
to express their emotions and learn more about taking responsibility
for their behaviour.
A teacher describes how the simple change of asking “What happened?”
instead of “Why?” created significant improvements in her interaction
with the children. “What happened?” allows the child to speak without
automatically fearing punishment, whereas “Why?” causes a defensive
reaction.
Students describe circles using words such as "respect" and "safe
place".
One parent described how his son had expressed a lot of anger and
was getting in fights. In response to one fight, the school held a
circle that involved the participants in the fight, parents and
teachers. The father describes how this process allowed everyone to
have a say, find a solution, and walk away with a good feeling. He also
describes changes he has seen in his son’s behaviour after the
circle.
Another student describes how participating in circles has helped
him. and how his family now uses the process in responding to
issues.
At Collingwood, restorative practices are used at every level of the
school, including among staff members. Each morning they meet in a
circle as well. While described as lighthearted, the circle also
provides teachers an opportunity to seek input from colleagues about
issues they face. One teacher explains that her fear of making mistakes
has reduced as her feeling of support from her co-workers and
supervisors has grown through these practices.
Another teacher describes how she feels more in control of her own
emotions as she responds to students and their conflicts (with each
other and with her). She feels that the students actually listen to
her, and the students feel the same about her. This mutual respect has
had an effect on the education environment and has resulted in
increased work output and improved quality by the students.
Building Our Community is available on DVD from the International
Institute of Restorative Practices for $25.
In the UK and Europe, the video is available for £14.99 from the
UK office of the International Institute of Restorative
Practices.
August 2008
