Plenty of schools launch restorative practices and quietly abandon them within a year. Circles feel slow, staff feel untrained, and the old referral form is still sitting right there. The idea was sound; the implementation was fragile.
Restorative practice is a culture, not an event
Restorative work sticks when it's woven into the ordinary day — community circles that build relationships before anything goes wrong, not just a reactive meeting after harm. You cannot restore a relationship that was never built.
It also sticks when adults are supported, not just handed a script. Staff need practice, coaching, and permission to be human in the circle themselves.
What makes it last
- Proactive circles before reactive ones
- Ongoing coaching, not a one-time training
- Leadership that models the practice, not just mandates it
Done well, restorative practices don't add work — they replace the endless cycle of the same conflicts coming back.
Jennifer Awesome
Founder & Educational Consultant, Awesome Consulting