Realizing how much we really do. We matter.

Wow what a week . . . from super stressed to feeling super accomplished!
-solid start to a new class, advanced restorative justice dialog.  Including ‘blogging’ for students, a 21st Century life skill.
-Victim Empathy Seminar – impacting 3 offenders, 3 community members.
-Circle with Alternative School Students and Community Member.
-powerful volunteer orientation Circle (of course) & updated [...]

“Getting Organized” is one of my favorite ‘mirages’

Mirage – something that I believe to be true, then up close, it’s not really there.  I grew up in South Dakota, the heat and the highways gave me plenty of experiences, seeing a wavy gray cloud floating on the highway up ahead.  I would play mind games as a little kid.  Pretending that we [...]

A few ideas for building Circle “Synergy”

Synergy (from the Greek syn-ergo, συνεργός meaning working together) is the term used to describe a situation where the final outcome of a system is greater than the sum of its parts.  – Wikipedia
I was recently in a Circle with a few young men, that just couldn’t find the trust to share much.  They liked [...]

A dose of my own medicine, it’s very bitter!

So I post about my case of ‘hives‘.  I make the point it’s like Restorative Justice, not about ‘why’ but what to do now.  You see most harm is generated from a mistake.  Restorative Justice gives you another chance, to do the right thing.  You get an other opportunity to not make another mistake, and [...]

Education is a gift we give our children – photo

Willie and his daughter at UWRF Graduation December 2008.
Willie was a student in my Intro to Restorative Justice Class.  He invited me to his graduation party, via Facebook.  That’s how I found this photo and asked him if I could post it and do a blog post on education.  Education is a gift we give [...]

How dealing with ‘hives’ is restorative and social media it catchy!

Blogging gives readers a really unique opportunity to learn about the “blogger”.  Once you start blogging, you see topics everywhere, or at least I have.  Just like I see “restorative justice” everywhere.
Now I am seeing ‘Social Media’ everywhere . . . last night on the evening news (must have been a slow news night), they [...]

School Implementation requires all levels engaged

“I’m 20 years to late”  School board member statement, made in Circle.  Reflecting on hearing about RJ in Schools.
The school board member went on to say how he never really thought that suspensions and expulsions worked all that well anyway.  He was glad to be able to answer questions now, about School Restorative Justice.  It was [...]

Each person is unique in Circle!

I continue to be amazed by this powerful and transformative process.
So far today, I have facilitated three Circles and a presentation to a student body and staff.  Working with an alternative school I mentioned in this post.
A cross section of students who had not previously been in Circle together attended.  The first two Circle also [...]

Preparing to visit a school, training options.

Tomorrow I leave town and travel across the state.  I am going to visit a school for the second time.  I did a two day Circle/Restorative Justice training there about a year ago.  Some of the staff attended other Circle trainings I did.  I think one staff has been to three different trainings I facilitated.
The [...]

The conversation is the relationship.

I once heard something about our conversations are our relationships.  I think it was regarding differences between women and men.  I put that information in the “ruminate” area of my brain.  I wasn’t sure if I believed that statement and over time, I think it deserves some serious consideration.
I started testing it with my last [...]