Last week we had 5 teachers attending a professional development programme on Restorative Practice.

The facilitator of the programme was Margaret Thorsborne who has a strong background in education, counselling & change management, and has highly developed skills as a facilitator, trainer, & presenter. She is widely recognised as an international expert   & has played a major role in the introduction of restorative practices into schools & workplaces in Australia and internationally

Restorative Practice is about a   restorative rather than retributive philosophy & focuses very clearly on the need to rebuild relationships in the wake of harmful antisocial behaviour.  Young people rarely have any idea who they have hurt, or how badly, when they do the wrong thing.

This kind of justice which seeks first to meet needs & to make things right.  Effective teachers have always known that the relationship between teacher and student lies at the heart of cooperation in classrooms or out in the playground. The restorative philosophy recognises that when wrong doing occurs, relationships are damaged. For successful learning to occur, these relationships must be put right.

Restorative Practice takes time and is not a quick fix.

Ngā mihi

Margaret Trotter