St Finian’s College - Becoming a Restorative Practice School
Our current SSE initiative involves the introduction of Restorative Practice on a whole-school level.
Our RP / SSE focus has been linked with LAOS Domain 2: Learner Experiences
- Students grow as learners through respectful interactions and experiences that are challenging and supportive.
Widespread evidence was gathered initially through Google Form questionnaires which were completed by a class group in each of the year groups, their parents, and the teaching staff.
The staff and entire school community have agreed to the adoption of a restorative ethos and culture, and the introduction of the consistent use of restorative thinking and skills in every classroom by every teacher.
Restorative Practice is all about using restorative language, promoting student voice and active listening in our classrooms, and building positive relationships in the classroom which in turn ought to lead to better teaching and learning and fewer challenges and conflicts.
A core team of seven teachers from the staff have been identified to lead the introduction of RP in our school.
Guidance and CPD is being facilitated by Caroline Harrison and Genevieve Cooney from the PDST.
Continuous staff training is being delivered by our core team and PDST facilitators as part of our Croke Park hours.
Posters have been displayed in all classrooms and notice boards outlining our four key principles
- Honesty, Respect, Fairness and Accountability.
From January to June 2022, Restorative Circles were incorporated into SPHE/CSPE in years 1,2 & 3 to promote student voice and active listening.
Teachers and Class tutors were mentored and supported by members of the RP Core team.
Restorative Practice workshops were included in the First year induction day on 26 August 2022.
The RP Core team worked alongside the Class Tutors to introduce RP and facilitate ice-breakers to help the new 1st years get to know one another.
All staff members received a further three hours of CPD training in August 2022.
Workshops concentrated on the following key aspects of Restorative Practice which will be implemented in 2022-2024 through subject departments on a monthly rotation basis:
- RP Values and Skills
- Connecting feeling with needs
- Feelings and Emotions
- Fairness
- Anger and Shame
- RP Circles (Theory & Practice)
- Expressing ourselves restoratively
- Fishbowl Problem Solving Circles
- Restorative Questions
- Restorative Conversations (Theory & Practice)
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