MALDEN — Local educators think they have a new and better way to get teachers and students talking more.
The process is dubbed “restorative practices” and Malden School Superintendent John Oteri is one of its fans. Aimed at stimulating and improving interaction between students and educators, the practice also stresses conflict resolution techniques.
It was introduced over the summer in the public schools at all grade levels in age-appropriate form and put “on line” when school opened in August.
“I am very impressed at how teachers and other staff members have worked to implement the initial phases of restorative practices and their support so far,” Oteri said, stressing that the program’s implementation is a work in progress. “We are flexible, restorative practices is not a canned program. We are flexible because our people know our kids. It’s a more sensitive approach to what has been done in the past.”
School administrators and teachers are introducing parents to restorative practices and their perceived benefits. A 90-minute presentation at the Forestdale School drew 150 people who peppered presenters with questions.
Candace Julyan, a restorative justice practitioner, helped introduce the initiative on a limited basis at Malden High School in the 2015 school year. She answered questions for Forestdale parents, telling them the results in other school systems in the nation where restorative practice have been implemented have been “inspiring.”
“The results are documented,” Julyan said. “When social skills are improved it reduces aggression and aggressive behavior in schools. They are usually followed with reduced suspensions and reduced office referrals.
Calling restorative practices “a way of thinking,” Julyan explained the communication technique as a three-level process that begins with so-called community building. As students and teachers become acquainted with restorative practices, the process moves on to “restorative chats” and, later, restorative conferences.
“What happens is that the climate of the school changes,” Julyan said. “It’s about relationships. It’s about addressing obligations people on different levels have in working to foster relationships through listening, thinking and communication.”
Oteri said each teacher during the school year will form and carry out six community circles before classes conclude in June.
The circles consist of small groups of 6-10 students, led by a teacher or administrator designed to build social-emotional skills, Julyan said. Teachers told Forestdale parents that restorative practice discussions already launched in the schools have been positive experiences with students who previously had difficulties speaking within a group and expressing their points of view opening up.
Julyan said that restorative chats (Tier 2) could be introduced on a limited basis in January 2018 and that conferences (Tier 3) could be in place at some grade levels by September 2018.
“We are just really focusing this school year of building a really strong foundation with the community circles, then we can move on to help make other tiers strong as well,” Julyan said.
