CRJ448
Restorative Justice in Educational Settings
Safe, nurturing and engaging educational settings are the foundation of healthy communities. This course emphasizes the importance of building community and trusting relationships, creating just and equitable communities, and repairing harm in an educational setting.
This course will focus on implementing restorative justice in educational settings. We will highlight the distinctive features and challenges of this complex issue, particularly in the context of biased and racist education policies, where opportunities are emerging to interrupt the negative impact of these practices on diverse learners. While the course content emphasizes K-12 schools, assignments can be modified to meet the needs of educators working in other educational settings.
Topics include: the history and state of education in North America; restorative justice theory and social justice; privilege, bias and racialized educational policies; social and emotional learning; trauma-informed practices; whole-school restorative practices; restorative and relational teaching and learning; interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline; and how to implement and evaluate changes in educational environments as they shift from punitive to restorative.
Suggested prerequisite: Introduction to Restorative Justice: Concepts, Theory and Philosophy | CRJ315
Overview
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced within deadlines set by instructor
Duration: 13 weeks
Tuition: $995
Can be applied to:
Restorative Justice Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
Register for a course at any time, with the option to apply to a program later.
- Wed, Sep 10 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Sep 17 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Sep 24 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 1 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 8 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 15 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 22 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 29 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 5 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 12 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 19 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 26 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Dec 3 (self-paced all week)
What you will learn
After completing this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Describe how racist and racialized education policies adversely affect different groups of students
- Integrate restorative values and principles in teaching and learning processes with existing initiatives and programs
- Assess a school’s readiness for whole-school restorative justice
- Explain how restorative discipline supports positive child development
- Explain the role that trauma plays on student behaviour and how restorative practices are trauma-informed
- Analyze the impacts of implicit bias in teaching, learning and educational settings
- Develop a plan to implement restorative justice principles in your unique educational setting
- Apply a variety of evaluation methods to document change and improve program fidelity
How you will learn and be evaluated
- Prepare to spend about 10 hours per week on coursework
- Expect reading and other assignments on a weekly basis
- Plan to access the course at least once every few days to keep up with your work and group assignments
- Connect with the instructor via email, online posts, and two live Zoom Circle sessions (from five options scheduled by the instructor)
You will be evaluated on:
- Assignments
- Participation in online discussions
This course is assessed on a competency-based scale of Pass or Fail. To graduate with the Restorative Justice Certificate, successfully complete all required courses.
Learning Materials
Course fees do not include textbooks. We recommend you purchase your textbook as soon as you’ve registered. We will provide additional course materials online.
Required textbooks:
Amstutz, L. S. and Mullet, J. H. (2005). The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools: Teaching Responsibility; Creating Caring Climates. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
- Available for purchase from publisher, Google Play or Amazon.
Valandra, E.C. & Hokšíla, W.W. (Eds.) (2020). Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities. Living Justice Press.
Evans, K. and Vaandering, D. (2016). The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, Healing, and Hope in Schools. Skyhorse Publishing.
Riestenberg, N. (2011). Circle in the Square: Building Community and Repairing Harm in School. Minnesota: Living Justice Press.
Recommended textbook
Morrison, B. (2007). Restoring Safe School Communities: A Whole School Response to Bullying, Violence and Alienation. Sydney: Federation Press.
- Available for purchase from publisher or Google Play.
Technical Requirements
For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.
Partners/sponsors
The Centre for Restorative Justice
School of Criminology
Simon Fraser University