Tending to Transformation: Restorative Practices in Schools
In the tapestry of our natural world, sunflowers, mustard greens, and willow trees emerge as alchemists, possessing a shared superpower—the ability to transform toxic soil through a process called phytoremediation.
As we embark on the journey of implementing Restorative Practices to transform school-wide cultures and systems, we find parallels in the magic of phytoremediation. On our quest, we face a similar limitation akin to the roots of restorative plant species; the width and depth to which they can penetrate the contaminated soil.
Much like willow trees, whose roots can delve deep enough into the earth to cleanse groundwater, schools yearn for roots that reach to transform beyond structural, personnel, and policy constraints. Restorative Practices serve as a slow acting fertilizer for this.
The deeply compelling and intentional ritual, circle practice, invites participants into a sacred space of presence and connection. Hindered by the scarcity of time in the relentless rhythm of school schedules, WA-BLOC advocates for more width and depth in the nurturing of these Restorative Practices. This means collaborating with administrators to carve out time in the schedule for community building, supporting classroom educators by co-keeping circles, and sowing the seeds of connection through games and play. Trust, the most essential fertile elixir, is fermented through relationships with staff, where the art of consistently seeing, hearing, and loving each other becomes a catalyst for creating caring school communities. Student leadership cohorts blossom emerging peacekeepers, we cultivate capacity for community building and harm repair among the youth—demonstrating the far-reaching potential of deeply rooted practices. Through continued advocacy, we aspire to create and shift policies that encourage and support building leaders in engaging staff, students, and families to confront harm and conflict holistically with Restorative Practices. Co-created intergenerational family nights become the outstretched branches that extend beyond the school gates, reaching into homes, where roots can intertwine with familial bonds.
In the network of unique school communities with which we are partnered, we must address common challenges with diverse approaches to problem-solving. There is no perfect recipe or formula, only practice and thoughtful experimentation. Restorative Practices are the relationships rooted, the caring seeds planted, and the emerging connections diligently watered.
Patience is our call to action. As we reflect upon the willow tree's slow spiral upwards towards maturity; we observe that under the right conditions, growth accelerates, while at other times, it is almost imperceptible. In this ebb and flow, pull and push, WA-BLOC urges all to keep watering and keep growing. In our persistent nourishment, roots will deepen, and the transformative philosophy of Restorative Practices will take hold.
For additional resources on restorative practices, check out Living Justice Press!
