Restorative Justice Talking Circles, the simplest of questions can connect us.

I teach Intro to Restorative Justice at UWRF, and I our class format is the Circle process.  I LOVE it!  The students love it.  In three semesters of teaching it, I have only gotten one student that didn’t like the process.  Anyway . . .
I came up with the “getting acquainted” question off the top [...]

Using Talking Circles to promote social justice.

 
At UWRF Restorative Justice is being used to address Social Justice issues.  Specifically talking circles, to promote discussion and inspire action.  The four phases of the Circle will work well for this.
Our final phase of Circle is ‘Taking Action’ and action promotes social justice.
This began back when I connected with campus activities and student services staff [...]

Restorative Justice in school settings – promotes learning by engagement.

Do you pay much attention to issues you feel are not relevant?  Some people find world politics relevant.  For some people cancer research is relevant.  It all has to do with your unique views of yourself and where you belong.
Using restorative justice in schools, helps every student find the classroom community relevant. 
Let me clarify I [...]

FICA, more than a a federal employement tax. This FICA is restorative justice Circle process.

I found the FICA a spiritual history tool today.  Link to FICA here.  The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health was a good find name . . . on the internet at www.gwish.org.
I stumbled across this after finding AWARE medicine.  It makes me happy to see health care recognize human beings beyond biology.  I [...]

How related are belonging and structure? Restoratively, maybe one in the same?

I was speaking with Linda Baker, author and Restorative Justice/College Campus advocate.  I was sharing about Restorative Justice Circle process and she mentioned that sounded appropriate for young people with Asperger’s.  I talked about the talking piece going around, the four stages, collectively established guidelines.  She mentioned that anxiety would go do and performance would [...]

Restorative Justice offers victims and offenders an avenue for recovery and rediscovery.

I love teaching and training restorative justice.  It is true that when you teach something you have to know and understand it differently.  This week started out wtih a training for teachers.  It was an advanced session for those already using Circles in the classroom.  It was designed as a follow-up to a two-day Circle [...]

A Restorative Conference, a Conference Circle and Circle-circle

You may be new to Restorative Justice, if so, the differences between a Circle and a Conference can be somewhat confusing. 
You don’t know, what you don’t know. 
If you have been doing, what you think is a Circle – they you call it Circle.  Maybe that is the best word to describe it.  If a ‘Conference’ [...]

Helping with letters of apology, thoughts and tips.

When was the last time you opened a handwritten note?  Just a letter from someone. 
A few years ago in a waiting area, I was paging thru a magazine, Goodhousekeeping or Woman’s Day.  I ran across an article on writing a letter of apology.  It struck me that we expect our young people to do these [...]

Values are crucial to Restorative Circle process.

In this photo I am placing the ‘values’ plates in the Center.  ‘Safe Teen Driving Circle’ we are usually held in classrooms.  Getting students in a Circle and the desks have little room for students to slip out and place their paperplates in the Center.
You won’t find me doing a Restorative Justice Circle without paperplates [...]

Circle Training Announcement – April 30, 2009

Join me in River Falls WI for a Circle Training!
SCVRJP is hosting the training on April 30 & May 1st.  Credit will be available from St. Mary’s University.
We will start at 8:30 am and end at 4:30.  We need 16 contact hours for 1 semester credit.  The training will cover all aspects of leading a [...]