Educative and restorative discipline implemented through restorative deans, circles, peer mediation, and youth court¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report describes Bronxdale's approach to behavior as educative and restorative rather than punitive: staffing decisions such as "hiring two restorative deans, a counselor, and two social workers" brought "restorative practices to every facet of school life, emphasizing learning and self- and community repair over punishment." Mechanisms including advisory, Peer Group Connections, restorative circles, peer mediation, and youth court give students roles in resolving conflict and sustaining a safe community, positioning students as "an active and critical part of the solution." The NYC DOE designated Bronxdale a model site for restorative practices.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Dedicated restorative staffing (deans, counselors, social workers) and schoolwide mechanisms that amplify student voice and shared responsibility for norms.

Constraints¶

• The report notes some students are assigned to the school without having chosen it, which poses a challenge in orienting those students to the school culture.

Target Learners¶

• High school students, including those experiencing adversity and conflict in and out of school

Target Learning Goals¶

• Constructive emotion and conflict management, collaboration, conflict resolution, community contribution, peer leadership

Affordances¶

• Four Principles Science Learning Development Framework

Related Strategies¶

• Three-part instructional strategy: build community, scaffold inquiry-based instruction while reducing cognitive load, and explicitly develop skills, habits, and mindsets

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Ancess, J., Rogers, B., Duncan Grand, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2019). Teaching the way students learn best: Lessons from Bronxdale High School. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/social-and-emotional-learning-case-study-bronxdale