Cultivating peace. Retrieved May 10, 2008 from

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1 1 Resources for Restorative Action in Schools Compiled by Bruce Guenther Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association Langley, BC July 28, 2004 Mark Carter Simon Fraser University Centre for Restorative Justice Burnaby, BC May 9, 2008 Curricula Cultivating peace. Retrieved May 10, 2008 from The goal of the Cultivating Peace initiative ( is to create classroom-ready resources for schools across Canada that will assist teachers and community leaders to educate for change. The programs created through this initiative will encourage youth to respect diversity, think globally, value human rights, recognize injustice and respond to conflict with methods other than violence. Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives & Langley School District #35 (2004). Conversation peace: Restorative action in secondary schools. British Columbia: Queen s Printer. Conversation Peace is a carefully designed Restorative Justice based training curriculum that focuses on restorative principles, mediation and conflict resolution skills for students, staff and parents. It works to address the underlying causes of conflict while bringing about accountability, healing and closure in situations such as name-calling, threats, exclusion, interpersonal conflicts, property violation, physical assault and vandalism. It was developed and has been implemented in British Columbia, Canada, by Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association (CJI) and the Langley School District #35. Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives & Langley School District #35 (2006). Talking peace: Restorative action in elementary schools. British Columbia: Queen s Printer. Talking Peace is a practical classroom resource that conveys the values and principles of Restorative Justice through fun activities and exercises. This simple, accessible booklet is perfect for engaging elementary students in ways that will encourage them to build a safer, more respectful community in the classroom. Talking Peace was developed by the combined efforts of Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association (CJI) and the Langley School District #35 through the Educating for Peacebuilding program. Johnson, D., Johnson, R., & Holubec, E. (2005). Teaching students to be peacemakers (9 th ed.). Edina: Interaction. A comprehensive program is presented to train all students to negotiate constructive solutions to their conflicts and mediate the conflicts of their classmates. This peer mediation program provides a structure for managing classroom and school discipline by giving students the procedures and skills they need to regulate their own behavior. Discipline problems are dramatically reduced and students are given important lifelong coping skills. Lesson plans and lesson structures are included. Kreidler, W. J., & Furlong, L. (1995). Adventures in peacemaking: A conflict resolution guide for school-age programs. Cambridge: Kendall/Hunt. This is a frequently cited resource put out by the Educators for Social Responsibility ( which appears to be a leader in developing resources in the area of peer-mediation. Children learn basic

2 2 conflict resolution skills through fun, engaging activities such as cooperative challenges, drama, art, and cooking. Lieber, C. M. (1998). Conflict resolution in the high school. Cambridge: Educators for Social Responsibility. This guide presents lessons that teach high school students the essential skills they will need to manage and resolve interpersonal conflict in creative, positive ways. Along the way, students will also explore diversity, power, and prejudice as they continue to develop greater emotional and social skillfulness. The curriculum encourages students to connect the concepts and skills taught in the lessons to their own personal experiences with conflict and peacemaking. Lions quest. Retrieved May 9, 2008 from Lions Quest programs are developed by Thrive! The Canadian Centre for Positive Youth Development ( They are school-based comprehensive youth development programs for young people. The programs bring together families, educators, and community members to teach young people life and citizenship skills within a caring and consistent environment. These teach students the skills they need to develop into capable young people of strong character. Productive conflict resolution: A comprehensive curriculum and teacher s guide for conflict resolution education (for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). Retrieved May 8, 2008 from A resource from the Colorado School Mediation Center ( offering educators a comprehensive set of lessons, integration strategies, background material and articles. It is experiential, professionally developed, laid out in scope and sequence, and culturally sensitive. It is also designed to help teachers integrate lessons into pre-existing subjects. Chapter titles include: Building Community, Rules and Laws, Understanding Conflict, Listening Skills, Expression Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Valuing Diversity, Media Literacy, Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Roerden, L. P. (2000). Don t laugh at me: Teacher s guide: Grades 2-5: Creating a ridicule-free program. New York: Operation Respect Inc. This curriculum is a project of Operation Respect ( or which is adapted from materials by Educators for Social Responsibility and their Resolving Conflicts Creatively Program. It includes sections on expressing feelings, resolving conflict creatively as well as celebrating diversity. Student mediation training manuals. Boulder: Colorado School Mediation Center. Retrieved May 9, 2008 from A resource from the Colorado School Mediation Center ( which is available for elementary, middle and high school, This is a comprehensive yet concise resource for training student mediators. Each manual includes a step by step approach to learning and practicing mediation. Yarrow, P., Wiess, M., Lantieri, L., & Roerden, L. P. (2000). Don t laugh at me: Teacher s guide: Grades 6-8: Creating a ridicule-free classroom. New York: Operation Respect Inc. This curriculum is a project of Operation Respect ( or which is adapted from materials by Educators for Social Responsibility and their Resolving Conflicts Creatively Program. It includes sections on expressing feelings, resolving conflict creatively as well as celebrating diversity.

3 3 Books/Edited Books Amstutz, S. L. & Mullet, J. H. (2005). The little book of restorative discipline for schools: Teaching Responsibility: Creating caring climates. Intercourse, PA: Good Books. In this book, the authors present a restorative approach applied to the school context. Whereas punishment does little to promote responsibility, restorative discipline addresses the aim of teaching children to develop personal self-discipline. The movement in schools has roots in the peaceable schools concept, as well as movements in conflict resolution education (CRE), character education (CE), and emotional literacy (Daniel Goleman). The authors provide a number of illustrative stories. Practical applied models are also described, including whole-school training, class meetings, various types of circles, and conferencing, plus sections covering truancy mediation and bullying. Bitel, M. (2004). Preliminary findings from the evaluation of restorative justice in schools. London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. The preliminary evidence from the pupil surveys does not show clear effects between the schools which are in the pilot (programme schools) and the comparator schools (nonprogramme schools). However, when comparing the pre- and post-intervention surveys in schools that have implemented restorative practices to a significant degree, there are clear trends that suggest that restorative practices are having a significant effect. Buckley, S. & Maxwell, G. M. (2007). Respectful schools: Restorative practices in education. Wellington, New Zealand: Institute of Policy Studies and the Office of the Children s Commissioner. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing practices based on restorative justice to respond to the behaviour problems and under-achievement of students in schools. This report summarizes for school principals, members of boards of trustees and parents, findings from a study of restorative practices in New Zealand secondary schools. It provides information on practices and examples of how they have been introduced and used. It also looks at key themes and challenges in the introduction of restorative practices in schools. It is hoped that this information will be useful for members of school communities interested in implementing restorative approaches within their own schools and communities. Carlsson-Paige, N., & Levin D. (1998). Before push comes to shove: Building conflict resolution skills in children. Minneapolis: Redleaf. This book shows how teachers can begin to build conflict resolution skills with young children in ways that are meaningful to them and embedded in their everyday school experiences. The book is targeted for educators in pre-k to grade 3. Claassen, R. (2001). Whether crime or misbehavior, restorative justice principles provide guidance on how to respond. Fresno, California: Fresno Pacific University, Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies. In this article Claassen discusses two significant principles that shape and guide a discipline program for schools called "Discipline that Restores." The first principle is that misbehavior is primarily an offense against human relationships and secondarily a violation of a school rule. The second principle is that the primary victim of misbehavior is the person most affected by the offense; secondary victims are others affected by the misbehavior (e.g., students, teachers, parents, etc.). Coloroso, B. (2003). The bully, the bullied and the bystander: From pre-school to high school How parents and teachers can help break the cycle of violence. New York: HarperCollins.

4 4 For each of the three "characters," Coloroso breaks down the behavior that defines each role, analyzes the specific ways that each character can have their behaviors changed for the better, and suggests a range of methods that parents and educators can use to identify bullying behavior and deal with it effectively. It does not specifically name mediation/conflict resolution/restorative justice as a way of dealing with these behaviors. Crawford, D., & Bodine, R. (1996). Conflict resolution education: A guide to implementing programs in schools, youth-serving organizations, and community and juvenile justice settings; Program report. Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The first chapter defines conflict as a natural condition and examines the origins of conflict, responses to conflict, and the outcomes of those responses. It presents the essential principles, foundation abilities, and problem solving processes of conflict resolution; discusses the elements of a successful conflict resolution program; and introduces four approaches to implementing conflict resolution education. Each of the next four chapters discusses one of these four approaches and presents examples of programs that use the approach. One chapter describes an approach to conflict resolution education characterized by devoting a specific time to teaching the foundation abilities, principles, and one or more of the problem solving processes of conflict resolution in a separate course or distinct curriculum. Another chapter describes an approach in which selected, trained individuals provide neutral third-party facilitation in conflict resolution. A chapter presents an approach that incorporates conflict resolution education into the core subject areas of the curriculum and into classroom management strategies, and another chapter presents a comprehensive whole-school methodology that builds on the previous approach. The next two chapters address conflict resolution education in settings other than traditional schools, including juvenile justice and community settings. The final three chapters address more overarching topics: conflict resolution research and evaluation; a developmental sequence of behavioral expectations in conflict resolution; and the process of developing, implementing, and sustaining a conflict resolution program. Egan, M., & Forget, M. (2004). Becoming peacemakers: Creating just relationships in our schools. Calgary, AB: Deep Humanity Institute. The purpose of this manual, according to authors Meredith Egan and Marc Forget, is to serve educators, parents, students, and other community members who are interested in changing the way conflict and violence are addressed in schools and their communities. It is not a complete, ready-to-use tool enabling a person to begin facilitating restorative programs or responses. Appropriate training and apprenticeship are required for that. It is, however, a tool for generating dialogue about and action toward creating fundamental change in handling school conflict and violence. The manual consists of the following sections: an introduction to a restorative approach in school settings; the foundations of the work of the Deep Humanity Institute; descriptions of the Project Planet Peace and Becoming CircleKeepers programs in schools in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and several appendices (a resource list, the restorative model, facilitating transformation, evaluation of Project Planet Peace, and personal reflections on restorative family relationships). Throughout are stories, illustrations, and exercises dealing with actual people and real situations in terms of restorative responses to conflict. Hopkins, B. (2004). Just schools: A whole school approach to restorative justice. London: Jessica Kingsley. Belinda Hopkins has developed restorative justice programs in the UK through her agency Transforming Justice ( In this handbook she presents a whole school approach to repairing harm using a variety of means including peer mediation, healing circles and conference circles. She provides clear, practical guidance for group sessions and examines issues and ideas relating to practical skill development for facilitators. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2000). Teaching students to be peacemakers: Results of twelve years of research. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Cooperative Learning Center.

5 5 This report presents findings from 12 years of research on the effectiveness of conflict resolution training in eight different schools in two different countries with results indicating that students do in fact learn how to negotiate and mediate to a total recall level. The results of the studies indicate that students learn the conflict resolution procedures taught, retain their knowledge throughout the school year, apply the conflict resolution procedures to actual conflicts, transfer the procedures to non-classroom and non-school settings, use the procedures similarly in family and school settings, and offer the ability to engage in problemsolving rather than win-lose negotiations. Overall, the studies validate the effectiveness of the total-student body approach to conflict resolution and peer mediation programs. Jones, T. S., & Compton, R. (Eds.) (2003). Kids working it out: Stories and strategies for making peace in our schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. This new book consists of two overarching parts: Part one, more theoretical, covers the need for and potential of conflict resolution education. Part two, more practical, deals with what works, with success stories in conflict resolution education. In each section chapters are written by experts and practitioners in the field. Kohn, A. (2006). Beyond discipline: From compliance to community (10 th ed.). Portland: Book News. Kohn, a former teacher and author of several other books on education and human behavior, challenges the fundamental assumptions of most classroom discipline programs, and with them the very idea of classroom management. He contrasts the idea of discipline, in which things are done to students to control their behavior, with an approach wherein teachers work with students to create caring communities and make decisions together. Lantieri, L., & Janaet, P. (1996). Waging peace in our schools. Boston: Beacon. This is another resource from Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR which advocates that schools must educate the heart as well as the mind. The authors draw on research in social and emotional learning, as well as their years of experience with educators and young people in ESR's Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), one of the longest-running comprehensive school-based programs in conflict resolution and intergroup relations in the United States. The book is filled with stories, ideas, and advice, about teachers using innovative techniques to create Peaceable Classrooms and student mediators changing the shape of schools. Lieber, C. M. (1998). Conflict resolution in the high school. Cambridge: Educators for Social Responsibility. This guide presents lessons that teach high school students the essential skills they will need to manage and resolve interpersonal conflict in creative, positive ways. Along the way, students will also explore diversity, power, and prejudice as they continue to develop greater emotional and social skillfulness. The curriculum encourages students to connect the concepts and skills taught in the lessons to their own personal experiences with conflict and peacemaking. Lincoln, M. (2002). Conflicting resolution communication: Patterns promoting peaceful schools. Lanham: Scarecrow. This book is on conflict resolution in school settings. The book discusses the importance of a peermediation program and a conflict resolution program in schools as a way to deal with school violence. The role of nonverbal communication in a dispute, bullies as well as how to implement such a program with the various stakeholders is also addressed. Masters, G. (2001). Restorative justice in Sussex. West Sussex, U.K.: The Sussex Centre for Restorative Justice.

6 6 The Sussex Centre for Restorative Justice was established in 1998 to promote the development of restorative justice throughout Sussex, beginning with the youth justice system, and now expanding into schools. This briefing paper provides an introduction to restorative justice and highlights examples of restorative practice within schools. Topics include restorative justice principles and processes, the place of punishment, the importance of relationships and communities, restorative justice in education, conflict resolution, peer mediation, and conferencing. Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning (1996). Restorative measures: Respecting everyone's ability to resolve problems. St. Paul: Office of Community Services, Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. Designed for educators and school administrators, this guidebook presents the theory, philosophy and practice of restorative response to wrongdoing. The guiding principles of restorative measures in schools are presented, including the role of those who are harmed, those who harm, and the community, and differences between restorative and punitive approaches. Suggests are provided for schools about where to start and barriers to success. Those harmed identify what they need in order to recover. Restorative measures of behavior management complement and support the premises and outcomes of "Unlearning Violence". Examples of restorative measures in Minnesota are presented. Morrison, B. E. (2007). Restoring safe school communities: A whole school approach to bullying, violence and alienation. Devon, UK: Willan Publishing. Morrison introduces a whole school approach which can involve students, teachers, parents and others in the wider school community, depending on the seriousness of the incident. The first, most proactive, level of practices aims to develop all students social and emotional competencies, to enable students to resolve their differences in caring and respectful ways. The second level of practices widens the circle of care around the participants, while the third and final level involves the participation of everyone in the school community who has been afffected, including parents, guardians and social workers. This tertiary level of intervention is normally only used for serious incidents within the school. Morrison, B. E. (Ed.) (forthcoming). Restoring safe school communities: International perspectives. Devon, UK: Willan Publishing. Moxon, J., Skudder, C. & Peters, J. (2006). Restorative Solutions for Schools: An introductory resource book. New Zealand: Essential Resources Educational Publishers. As well as giving an overview of the philosophy and practical application of restorative practices, this book offers a selection of templates and activities that have proven their effectiveness in a range of schools, and some illuminating case studies. It can be a key part of the journey towards restorative solutions to supportand behaviour management issues. Preston, N. (2002). Restorative justice: A new school of thought? Introducing restorative justice into the school setting. Chilton, Buckinghamshire, UK: Thames Valley Partnership. The use of restorative practices within schools is a rapidly developing and changing field. With this booklet, Nicola Preston provides guidance to both practitioners and policy makers who are interested in exploring restorative ways of dealing with conflict and inappropriate behavior in schools. She uses the experiences of a small number of initiatives across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire to give practical advice on how restorative justice is being developed within schools and what appears to work when trying to set up and maintain such initiatives. After a general discussion of restorative justice as a recent movement with ancient roots, she looks specifically at the role of restorative justice in schools. This includes a survey of some restorative methods currently used in schools. She then explains her research method and findings, and proposes ways to enhance the use of restorative justice in schools.

7 7 Redekop, P. (2008). Changing paradigms. Scottdale, PA, USA: Herald Press. After several decades of working in the field of restorative justice, Paul Redekop concludes that punishment is a major obstacle to healthy societies, families, and schools. Punishment can be so damaging, cruel, and barbaric, especially to children, that it should be replaced with restorative discipline, and societies should move toward a punishment-free justice system. Sharpe, L. (2003). Statement of restorative justice principles as applied in a school setting (2 nd ed.) London: The Restorative Justice Consortium. These principles refer directly to schools. The various restorative processes referred to in the following guidelines include restorative empathic listening; restorative discussion; mediation (peer and adult -led), problem-solving circles, restorative conferencing and family group conferencing (FGC). A restorative school may have some or all of these in place, or be working towards developing some or all of these processes. Relationship and community building processes are also referred to in the context of proactive initiatives that schools can take to pre-empt anti-social and/or offending behaviour. Sheanh, G. (1996). Helping kids deal with conflict. Winnipeg: Peguis. A Canadian resource broken down into sections including: Conflict Resolution Misunderstandings, Conflict Resolution Strategies, Bullying and Dealing with Bullies, Peer Pressure and The Importance of Self Esteem. The author is a high-school principal in British Columbia. Thorsborne, M & Vinegrad (2002). Restorative practices in schools: Rethinking behaviour management. Victoria, Australia: Inyahead Press. A 'just' school is a place where victims and offenders and their respective communities of care are active participants in processes that ensure equal justice and fairness. Victims are empowered to have their needs met and to have their experience validated. offenders are able to tell their stories and be given the chance to make amends. and finally, the community of care may seek ways to ensure that the incident does not happen again. Based on this philosophy this book shows how the approach may be applied in schools. It covers deciding whether to conference or not, conference preparation, convening the conference, managing the emotional dynamics, and a 'what if' section to cover irregularities and exceptions. Thorsborne, M & Vinegrad (2004). Restorative practices in classrooms: Rethinking behaviour management. Victoria, Australia: Inyahead Press. A 'just' school is a place where victims and offenders and their respective communities of care are active participants in processes that ensure equal justice and fairness. Victims are empowered to have their needs met and to have their experience validated. offenders are able to tell their stories and be given the chance to make amends. and finally, the community of care may seek ways to ensure that the incident does not happen again. Based on this philosophy this book shows how the approach may be applied to classroom practice, considering working proactively, facilitating conferences, different sorts of conferences - individual, small and medium group, and classroom, and a section on alternative strategies to cope with 'what if' situations that might arise. Thorsborne, M & Vinegrad (2007). Restorative practices and bullying: Rethinking behaviour management. Victoria, Australia: Inyahead Press. This book is the third in the school series of books on Restorative Justice. The guiding principles of restorative justice provide for a different response to bullying. When harm is done (deliberate or otherwise) it needs to be fixed. These principles are not based on definitions of bullying behaviour or measure of frequency and intensity. The authors believe that restorative practice can bring about repair and healing, and in the long term, make the school a safer place. Van Gurp, H. (2002). Peer mediation: The complete guide to resolving conflict in our schools.

8 8 Winnipeg, MB: Portage and Main Press, This is a Canadian resource which guides teachers through the process of initiating, implementing and supporting a Peer Mediation Program. There are three chapters: One describes how to start a peer mediation program; Two provides resources and ideas on how to train the student/peer mediators; and Three provides support to peer mediators as their training comes to an end and they need realistic practice. The Appendices include a master of the Peer Mediation Handbook to be photocopied and used by teachers and peer mediators during the training sessions. The author, Hetty van Gurp, is the founder of Peaceful Schools International ( a Canadian based NGO started in Van Gurp, H. (2002). The peaceful school: Models that work. Winnipeg: Portage and Main. This book provides educators with examples of safe schools and many of the strategies safe schools use to create a culture of peace (including examples from Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan). The author proposes that lessons in peace cooperation, respect, effective communication, celebrating diversity, expressing emotion, and conflict resolution be incorporated into the school curriculum. Varnham, S. (2005). Seeing things differently: Restorative justice and school discipline. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington, School of Accounting and Commercial Law. There is a currently a great deal of research in New Zealand and the comparative jurisdictions concerning both the teaching of citizenship in formal education and the introduction of school cultures which embrace the right to participation of young people. This paper picks up on the theme of citizenship in schools by considering processes by which conflict and safety issues may be dealt with by the school community as a whole, based on the restoration of relationships rather than punishment. It looks particularly at restorative justice practices such as peer mediation in the case of student conflict and school community conferencing. Wachtel, T. (1997). Real justice: How we can revolutionize our response to wrongdoing. Pipersville, PA: The Piper's Press. Ted Wachtel and his wife, Susan, founded the Community Service Foundation in Pennsylvania a school and counseling agency for troubled youth and REAL Justice a program employing conferencing to bring together young offenders, victims, their respective supporters, and community members to try to resolve the harm of crime. Wachtel describes the origins, purposes, and processes of these programs for troubled young people. To illustrate key ideas and their development and implementation, he recounts his encounters with those who are pursuing similar efforts in New Zealand and Australia and elsewhere; and he relates real stories of youth crimes, their effects on individuals and communities, and attempts to deal with those crimes either through formal juvenile justice processes or through community-based informal processes such as conferencing. Particular topics discussed or illustrated in his book are conferencing, restorative justice, shame, the role and needs of victims, community, corrections, accountability for offenders, and the roles of government and the police in informal justice processes. Wachtel also advocates the extension of conferencing to spheres other than criminal justice, including schools, the workplace, and more. Warren, C., Williams, S. & Soar, J. (2007). Restoring the balance 2: Changing culture through restorative approaches: The experience of Lewisham schools. Lewisham Council: Restorative Approaches Partnership. Drawing on the pyramid of restorative practices, this colourful and easy to read resource is broken down into three parts: Part 1: Summarises why and how restorative approaches work and how schools have successfully brought about cultural change. This section highlights the need to establish a restorative ethos within the school. Part 2: Case Studies - a collection of real life examples of rebuilding relationships, managing conflict and disruption and strengthening relationships. Part 3: Schools experience of cultural change. Three secondary and two primary schools describe how they became restorative schools. Whilst written in the UK, Lewisham have been extensively led in their practice by Margaret Thorsborne of Australia. Their work draws on that done by Peta and Marg; Brenda Morrison and Belinda Hopkins.

9 9 Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (2004). National evaluation of the restorative justice in schools programme. London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. Downloaded 29 April The Restorative Justice in Schools programme consisted of nine local Yots working across 26 schools (20 secondary and 6 primary). The contract to evaluate these initiatives was awarded to Partners in Evaluation, a specialist agency with a multi-ethnic team of researchers and a national reputation for conducting evaluations in the fields of health, education, social exclusion and regeneration. The evaluation was intended to explore the following research questions: 1. What are the levels of victimisation, bullying and robbery in the schools in the study? 2. How are restorative justice approaches introduced into the schools? 3. To what extent are participants in restorative justice conferences (victims and offenders) satisfied with the process at the time of the conference? 4. To what extent do the conferences show short-term and longterm effects on the participants' experience of victimisation, robbery and bullying? 5. Do conferences and other restorative justice approaches have wider effects on the nature and frequency of acts of victimisation in the schools involved in the project? 6. Are restorative justice conferences a useful tool in reducing school exclusions? This report shows the findings of the national evaluation. In writing the report, our aim has been to produce a report that is concise and usable, presenting the most important data so that the key findings and messages do not get lost. Journal Articles/Chapters in Books Ahmed, E., & Braithwaite, V. (2004). Bullying and victimization: Cause for concern for both families and schools. Social Psychology of Education, 7, This study examines the roles of family variables (authoritarian and authoritative parenting, family disharmony) and school variables (liking school, perceived control of bullying and school hassles) in discriminating non-bully/non-victims, victims and bullies. Participants were parents and their children aged 9-12 years old. The main conclusion is that family and school systems working together may provide the most effective means of intervention for bullying problems. Anderson, C. L. (2003). Double jeopardy: The modern dilemma for juvenile justice. University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 152, This article juxtaposes the zero-tolerance policy in the schools setting and the increase their coordination with enforcement agencies off campus thus creating a double jeopardy for students. Restorative justice models in the US in particular are offered as an alternative or a reasonable solution to the zero-tolerance frenzy discussing the positive outcomes in settings such as Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania and with restorative justice practices more generally. Bazemore, G., Riestenberg, N., & Stinchcomb, J. B. (2006). Beyond Zero Tolerance: Restoring Justice in Secondary Schools. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. 4(2), Overall, results from the case study analysis indicated that the school district has experienced a number of positive outcomes since embracing restorative justice practices, including reductions in suspensions, expulsions, and behavioral referrals. Overall attendance has increased as well. Implementation challenges were noted as minor and included problems with providing appropriate training for staff on restorative justice principles, providing holistic approaches, and with identifying and supporting advocates. Results of interviews and focus groups revealed that while some teachers had concerns about the amount of time required to implement restorative justice practices, most teachers and students had positive reactions to the programming and believed that the restorative practices had improved the school climate.

10 10 Braithwaite, V. (2000). Values and restorative justice in schools. In H. Strang & J. Braithwaite (Eds.), Restorative Justice: Philosophy in Practice. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. In this chapter of Restorative Justice: Philosophy in Practice, Valerie Braithwaite looks at school bullying and restorative justice practices particularly the perspectives of parents on how a school bully should be treated. A significant part of her examination deals with the interplay between values and personal experience in responding to a problem like school bullying. Braithwaite reviews the results of a school survey conducted in Australia, relating those results to values that underlie restorative and retributive approaches to strategies for dealing with school bullying. Burssens, D., & Vettenburg, N. (2006). Restorative Group Conferencing at School: A Constructive Response to Serious Incidents. Journal of School Violence. 5(2), This article presents the results of a Flemish experiment with restorative group conferencing at school suggesting positive results. Cameron, L., & Thorsborne, M. (2001). Restorative justice and school discipline: Mutually exclusive? In H. Strang & J. Braithwaite (Eds.), Restorative Justice: Philosophy in Practice. Burlington, VT: Ashgate This paper outlines briefly the results of two separate studies conducted by Education Queensland involving the introduction of Community Conferencing into schools to deal with incidents of serious harm, as an additional tool in a broad spectrum of strategies which also included suspension and exclusion. Experiences during the two years in which these studies were conducted have highlighted a range of implementation issues which have exposed tensions between existing philosophies and practices in managing behaviour and restorative interventions such as conferencing. The incorporation of the restorative justice approach via conferencing, while in itself a very useful addition, had limited potential because of these tensions. Carter, C. C. (2002). Conflict Resolution at School: Building Compassionate Communities. Social Alternatives, 21(1), Candice Carter asserts that the foundation of peace education is learning to accept and understand differences, thereby fostering stronger communities. Hence, assessing the success of conflict resolution must account for the degree to which disputants learn to build and maintain their community, both during and after mediation, through understanding and accommodating their differences. In this article Carter focuses on the personal and social productivity of conflict resolution in the school setting. Her aim is to improve the processes and results of conflict resolution in schools. Casella, R. (2003). Zero tolerance policy in schools: Rationale, consequences, and alternatives. Teachers College Record, (105), This article discusses theory and related policies that support zero tolerance policy in schools, including rational choice theory in criminology and national crime policies based on deterrence. Potential consequences of zero tolerance policy implementation in schools are also described. These consequences are shown to involve outcomes similar to those identified by researchers who have studied national crime policy, especially in relation to incarceration. Drawing from the qualitative data, anecdotal evidence, and related research, the article concludes with suggestions for violence prevention based on a model of restorative justice, including a practical agenda for what schools may do to prevent violence and to discipline students who act aggressively. Claassen, R. (1993). Discipline that restores. Conciliation Quarterly Newsletter, 12(2). Gives a brief introduction to restorative practices in a school setting. Roxanne is an experienced educator and restorative justice worker.

11 11 Claassen, R. (2002). An Introduction to discipline that restores. Discipline that Restores, Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies, Fresno Pacific University. Retrieved May 9, 2008 from An introductory article on restorative practices or discipline that restores in a school setting by one of the leaders in the restorative justice field. Coetzee, C. (2005). The Circle of Courage: restorative approaches in South African Schools. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 14(3), An entirely different approach is needed regarding the way in which troubled learners are perceived and approached. The removal of traditional punitive methods has left many educators unequipped for youth showing destructive behavior. This article reviews the shift towards a restorative approach within education in the Western Cape, South Africa. Coleman, P. T., & Fisher-Yoshida, B. (2004). Conflict resolution across the lifespan: The work of the ICCCR. Theory into Practice, 43, This article presents an overview of the work of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (ICCCR) at Teachers College, Columbia University, which is aimed at helping individuals, schools, communities, businesses, and governments better understand and deal with conflict. The article begins by outlining the basic elements of the theoretical approach, and then presents three projects initiated by the ICCCR during the past decade, spanning from work with preschoolers to work with delegates to the United Nations. A set of practical guidelines for implementing conflict resolution interventions in schools and communities is detailed. Cremin, H. (2002). Pupils resolving disputes: Successful peer mediation schemes share their secrets. Support for Learning, 17, This article is focused on peer mediation initiatives which promote the active participation of young people. The author discusses the impact of her research and consultancy in peer mediation with young people in Birmingham primary schools. Cunningham, C. E., Cunningham, L. J., Martorelli, V., Tran, A., Young, J., & Zacharias, R. (1998). The effects of primary division, student-mediated conflict resolution programs on playground aggression. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 39, Researches how primary school playground aggression was affected by a student-mediated conflict resolution program. Emergence of conflict, bullying, relational aggression and physical aggression in preschool settings; Description of research methods utilized; Analysis of statistical data on the percentage of conflicts mediated by boys and girls. Published by Canadian researcher and frequently cited. Drewery, W. (2004). Conferencing in Schools: Punishment, Restorative Justice, and the Productive Importance of the Process of Conversation. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 14, During the decade to 1999 in New Zealand, schools experienced more than doubling of the rates of suspension and exclusion. The higher suspension rates of Maori, males and in low decile schools were of particular concern. The Ministry of Education enacted a variety of responses to this situation, including encouraging the use of restorative conferencing in schools. This article builds on learning from the Restorative Conferencing in Schools Trial and shows how the process of a conversation can be productive of more and less peaceable relationships. It is argued that school communities are uniquely placed in civic life, and that it is worthwhile considering restorative conferencing and restorative practices more generally in relation to their behaviour management and disciplinary functions. Restorative practices are advanced from a social constructionist position, which is a very different philosophy from the philosophy of punishment and judgement that dominates in many schools. Author's abstract.

12 12 Graves, C. M., Gray, D. L., & Schub, O. (2005). Consider restorative justice: Making the case for restorative justice. Clearinghouse Review Journal of Poverty Law and Policy. 39(3-4), In this article we explain restorative justice; describe restorative justice models of conflict resolution; discuss the application of restorative justice in three settings: juvenile justice, schools, and domestic violence; and discuss lessons learned through our work in promoting restorative justice in communities of color. Haft, W. (2000). More than zero: The cost of zero tolerance and the case for restorative justice in schools. Denver University Law Review, 77, 795. There is a trend in public education toward "zero tolerance" policies. Zero tolerance policies are designed to suspend or expel from public schools students who commit a single occurrence of proscribed conduct. The trend is largely a response to increased youth violence or the perception of increased youth violence, particularly in the aftermath of the Columbine High School shootings. In this context, William Haft contends that zero tolerance responses directly counter a fundamental purpose of public education, namely, the purpose of preparing children to live in a democratic society. Exclusionary policies should be a last resort not a first resort. Hence, it is necessary to have intermediate responses available to teachers and administrators. Haft urges the application of restorative justice principles and practices - particularly victim-offender mediation - as alternative responses to exclusionary policies in school settings. Haines, K., & Case, S. (2005). Promoting prevention: A multi-agency initiative to prevent youth offending through consultation in Swansea schools. Youth Justice, 4(2), pp The purpose of this article is to set out Swansea s response to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and related matters, which encompasses an explicitly universal, positive and young person- focused approach to crime prevention. This stands in contrast to more controlling or punitive practices developed elsewhere. Research into the multi-agency, multiple intervention Promoting Prevention programme has utilized an interactive, computer- based questionnaire with young people aged to identify risk and protective factors associated with youth offending in Swansea. This has enabled Promoting Prevention steering group to begin to target appropriate interventions to reduce and prevent youth offending, as reflected in the decrease in official offending locally. Hopkins, B. (2002). Restorative justice in schools. Support for Learning, 17, This article is an introduction to the use of restorative justice principles in addressing challenging or disruptive behaviour. The underlying principles of the restorative approach suggest its worth as an expression of a school s commitment to, for example, Active Citizenship and the Healthy Schools Programme. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1996). Conflict resolution and peer mediation programs in elementary and secondary schools: A review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 66, This paper examines the effectiveness of conflict resolution and peer mediation training programs in resolving violence and conflict in elementary and secondary schools in the United States. Findings included an increase of academic achievements by students with the integration of conflict resolution and English literature; Reduction in the number of student-student conflicts. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2004). Implementing the Teaching Students to be Peacemakers Program. Theory into Practice, 43, This article focuses on the Teaching Students To Be Peacemakers Program which trains every student in a school in the competencies they need to (a) resolve conflicts constructively and (b) make their schools safe

13 13 places in which to learn. The program is directly based on the theory and research on constructive conflict resolution. More than 16 studies in 2 different countries have been conducted on the program's effectiveness. The evidence indicates that without training, children and adolescents tend to manage their conflicts in destructive ways. When given training, however, they learn how to engage in integrative negotiations and how to mediate their schoolmates' conflicts. They maintain their ability to do so months after the training has ended. The research shows that students apply the learned procedures to actual conflicts in the classroom, school, and family settings Karp, D. R., & Breslin, B. (2001). Restorative justice in school communities. Youth and Society, 33, This article explores the recent implementation of restorative practices in school communities in Minnesota, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, examining how school communities can make use of this approach to address drug and alcohol problems and how this approach may offer an alternative to zerotolerance policies. This article is cited by other authors/researchers. Lincoln, M. G. (2001). Conflict resolution education: A solution for peace. Communications and the Law, 23, The author states that the use of conflict resolution education and effective communication skills provides the necessary strategies to reduce altercations and promote peaceful solutions in schools in the United States. The article discusses mediation methods, process and skills, advantages of conflict resolution education, and principles of conflict resolution education. McCold, P., & Wachtel, T. (2002). The worst school I ve ever been to: Empirical evaluations of a restorative school and treatment milieu. Plenary speech at The Third International Conference on Conferencing, Circles and other Restorative Practices, August 8-10, Available at This article was written by the director and president of the International Institute for Restorative Practices. Morrison, B., Thorsborne, M., & Blood, P. (2005). Practicing restorative justice in school communities: The challenge of culture change. Public Organization Review: A Global Journal, 5: The practice of restorative justice in schools has the capacity to build social and human capital through challenging students in the context of social and emotional learning. While restorative justice was originally introduced in schools to address serious incidents of misconduct and harmful behavior, the potential this philosophy offers is much greater. The conviction is that the key challenge for schools is addressing the culture change required to make the shift from traditional discipline, driven by punitive (or rewards based) external motivators, to restorative discipline, driven by relational motivators that seek to empower individuals and their communities. Neil, R. (2000). Teaching law and order: Criminal justice and schools in NSW. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 6(1), This article deals with issues in schools, including truancy, drug use, and school violence, and how these issues are related to the criminal justice system. Criminalization in schools has tended to increase with more police power and law and order rulings. However, with the 1997 enactment of the Young Offenders Act, there has been increased focus on restorative justice measures to be used in school. These measures are considered well considered, rational progressions in juvenile justice, seeking to divert young offenders from the justice system in recognition of the fact that most young people who offend will not re-offend. Reistenberg, N. (1997). Changing the paradigm: Restorative justice in Minnesota schools. The ICCA Journal, 3(28),

14 14 Riestenberg presents the extension of restorative justice to schools in Minnesota. Most schools operate in ways divergent from or even opposed to restorative principles and practices. In the mid 1990s Minnesota education officials began studying and applying restorative ideas and processes in schools to resolve conflicts and reduce violence. Riestenberg surveys the history of this, as well as specific instances and programs in which restorative processes are being implemented in Minnesota schools. Rigby, K. (2004). Addressing bullying in schools: Theoretical perspectives and their implications. School Psychology International, 25(3), Bullying in schools is now regarded as an important social problem which schools need to address. However, recent evaluations of existing anti-bullying programs have not indicated a high level of success in the reduction of bullying. This article seeks to critically examine the theoretical perspectives that have been adopted in explaining the prevalence of bullying and their implications for the work of schools. Five different theoretical perspectives are identified and examined. Each is shown to have some empirical support and to have influenced the thinking adopted by schools and actions undertaken in addressing bullying. However, none can claim to provide a complete explanation for bullying behaviour in schools, nor form the basis for a comprehensive approach to the problem. It is suggested that educators recognize both the strengths and limitations of existing theoretical perspectives. Selfridge, J. (2004). The Resolving Conflict Creatively Program: How we know it works. Theory into Practice, 43, The Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP) is a K-12 program characterized by a comprehensive, multi-year strategy for preventing violence and creating caring and peaceable communities of learning that improve school success for all children. First developed as an initiative of the New York City Public Schools and the Educators for Social Responsibility NYC chapter (ESR Metro) in 1985, RCCP now serves more than 400 schools in 16 urban, suburban, and rural school districts across the United States. Throughout its history, local sites have evaluated the effectiveness of RCCP in their settings and how well RCCP met local goals and objectives. While the research questions have differed somewhat from site to site, there is sufficient similarity in the results to determine that RCCP is effective. In this article, the results of individual assessments are presented and trends across sites are noted. Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., Miller, D. M., & Robinson, R. T. (2002). Conflict resolution and peer mediation in middle schools: Extending the process and outcome knowledge base. Journal of Social Psychology, 142, The authors conducted research on conflict resolution and peer mediation in 3 middle schools. Specifically, they surveyed teachers and students, tracked disciplinary incidents across school years, collected mediation data, and compared mediators with a matched sample to determine attitudinal change as a result of PM training and experience. The authors also surveyed peer mediators and disputants about program satisfaction, as well as peer mediators and their parents about the generalization of PM skills. The authors conclude with implications for developing future CR programs, including a focus on mediation-process evaluation as well as schoolwide outcome measures and the use of peer mediation training as an intervention for students at risk. Stomfay-Stitz, A. M. (1994). Conflict resolution and peer mediation: Pathways to safer schools. Childhood Education 70, (5) Violence in America's schools may be minimized with the help of peer mediation programs. These programs teach students communications and conflict resolution skills so that they can settle disputes through peaceful discussions rather than through physical fights, threats and verbal abuse. Under peer mediation programs, students in conflict and peer mediators undergo a process of critical thinking and problem-solving to find mutually satisfactory solutions. Tyrrell, J. and Hartop, B., & and Farrell, S. (1999). Schools: Lessons from the agreement. Fordham International Law Journal, 22, 1680.

15 15 In the context of the troubles in Northern Ireland, the authors of this paper seek to draw lessons for education from the Good Friday Agreement in the interests of building peace and reconciliation for the future in Northern Ireland. Education is a priority for promoting peace and reconciliation. Integrated education is one means for building a post-conflict society. Additionally, specific programs in schools will contribute positively. An example is the Education for Mutual Understanding program (EMU) in the schools. The authors point in particular to the school peer mediation program developed by EMU Promoting School Project as a program for dealing constructively with conflict and forming young people who can later contribute to peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Wearmouth, J., Mckinney, R., & Glynn, T. (2007). Restorative justice in schools: a New Zealand example. Educational Research, 49(1), Introducing restorative practices in schools is not straightforward. It requires considerable forethought and prior planning, negotiation and deliberation. Restorative justice requires that schools do not own or completely control the process, but have to learn to be responsive to families and local voluntary community groups who are, potentially, important sources of additional support for schools in addressing student behaviour that is seen as problematic. Links to Online Resources and Existing School Mediation Programs Association for Conflict Resolution Education Resources Barron County Restorative Justice This agency is located in Rice Lake, Wisconsin has links and resources on restorative justice in school settings and has a program called Restorative Practices for School Communities. There is no indication of a curriculum and limited information on the program. Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace A Canadian network of which encourages broad education about peacebuilding. Includes details on upcoming conferences in Canada on peace education. The Canadian Safe Schools Network Privately funded agency with a focus on anti-bullying and commitment to reducing violence in Canadian schools. Programs are based in Toronto area. Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation Research Project University of Florida Provides both training materials as well as conducts research on peer mediation, particularly in middle schools. The Cooperative Learning Center The University of Minnesota The Cooperative Learning Center is a Research and Training Center focusing on how students should interact with each other as they learn and the skills needed to interact effectively. The Directors of the agency, Roger T. Johnson and David W. Johnson have published extensively on peer-mediation and conflict resolution within school settings. The website includes a number of these articles. Educators for Social Responsibility

16 16 ESR does numerous things around education reform including peacebuilding and conflict resolution in classroom settings. They have published a number of curricula and books around the topic and have become an authority on school peacebuilding through their Resolving Conflict Creatively Program. The Life at School Project Center for Restorative Justice, Australian National University The Life at School Project has extensive material on bullying prevention and intervention and restorative approaches to school conflict. See Publications section. This is a program of research by Dr Valerie Brathwaite, Dr Brenda Morrison and Dr Eliza Ahmed on school bullying and the application of restorative justice in the school setting. The publications section has useful articles (however, limited to this particular RJ circle). Peaceful Schools International The head office of Peaceful Schools International is co-located with the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Cornwallis Park, Nova Scotia. The organization was begun in the spring of The goals of Peaceful Schools International are to: Facilitate networking among peaceful schools; Act as a clearinghouse for innovative ideas and programs; Encourage student-centered conflict resolution strategies; Reduce violence and punitive discipline measures; Support at-risk students; Promote an understanding and appreciation of diversity. Good potential for networking and resource promotion. Prisoner Fellowship International Restorative Justice Online Restorative Justice Online is a service of the Centre for Justice & Reconciliation at Prison Fellowship International. The purpose of Restorative Justice Online is to be an authoritative, credible, non-partisan source of information on restorative justice. Safer Saner Schools International Institute for Restorative Practices A program of the International Institute for Restorative Practices (Real Justice). Provide training for restorative practices in schools as well as a list of resources. School-Based Violence Prevention Programs University of Calgary This UofC website has a list of Prevention Programs Addressing Bullying and Conflict Resolution particularly with information on Canadian Programs. It is a part of a larger manual of resources on violence prevention in school settings. School Mediation Center A leading agency in the field of school mediation, formerly known as Colorado School Mediation Project. The mission of the School Mediation Center is to help create safe, caring and just school communities through conflict resolution. Founded in 1987 as an innovative organization of dedicated professionals, it works with schools, youth institutions and community organizations in order to create supportive, peaceable environments in which youth can learn and grow. Transforming Conflict This is a leading agency in the UK which specializes in restorative responses within a school context through peer-mediation and a whole-school approach. The agency is run by author, Belinda Hopkins.