One of the things I love about choosing to practice restoratively is that it removes the option to choose something else.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t other effective ways to build culture or improve student behaviour. Nor is it that I’m closed to other effective practices.
It just means that I sidestep any decision-making fatigue by already having chosen a way of working for all situations that matches my purpose, saves me time and produces pretty good results.
I was speaking recently to a parent of a school where I was Principal and she reminded me of a time that her son had a “meltdown”. This boy had both parents in attendance and they were both trying really hard to defuse the situation, but without luck.
I asked if I could intervene and they permitted me. But I have to be honest, I don’t really remember what I did or said. I do know that I would have leaned back into my restorative intention to be firm and fair … because that’s what I always did.
What this parent remembered was that her son was “disciplined without being demoralised”.
So, my question for you is … What if that was the only choice you had?
What if there were no other strategies or options available to you. The only thing you can do is discipline without a shred of demoralising effect occurring.
What would you do then?
Keep fighting that good fight,
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