As part of my master's program in school leadership, I examined HTMCV's approach to restorative practices with a focus on evaluating the school's implementation and assessing student outcomes. Restorative practices emphasize the role of individuals as valued community members, support students' social and emotional learning, and help students build the skills necessary for them to become effective communicators, problem solvers, ethical decision makers, and global citizens.
My work was initially motivated by my interest in disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. This stemmed from my experiences in classrooms in high-needs schools throughout the Boston area. Too often, I saw the inequity in school discipline negatively impact students of color, especially our Black students. I knew there had to be a better way to support student needs without punishing students, shaming them, or pushing them away from the school community. Throughout my research, I examined the ways restorative practices align with research-based recommendations for reducing disparities in school discipline. It is my hope that my work informs efforts to disrupt the pipeline and helps educators better support the needs of their students. Learn more about my work at www.restorativeschooling.org |
|