Implementing Restorative Practices
When school leaders look to improve climate, reduce conflict, and create more consistent systems for addressing behavior, they often find themselves caught between too many initiatives and not enough results. Restorative Practices Training offers a way forward—not as one more thing, but as a foundational approach that strengthens relationships, builds trust, and supports lasting culture change.
At its core, Restorative Practices are about how people relate to one another in a community. In schools, this means creating the conditions for students and adults to feel seen, heard, and accountable to each other. When implemented well, Restorative Practices become the “how” behind your goals for engagement, behavior, and SEL—connecting what you already value to daily actions, conversations, and systems.
But implementation is key. Many schools try to launch Restorative Practices without a clear roadmap, high-quality training, or leadership support—and then wonder why it doesn't stick. At Collaborative School Culture, we help districts get it right from the start with a phased, tailored approach that actually works in real schools.
An Introduction to Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices aren’t a program—they’re a framework for building and repairing relationships in community. In schools, they help create the conditions where students and adults feel respected, connected, and responsible to one another.
That can look like daily classroom circles where students reflect and build trust. It can also look like one-on-one conversations where teachers help students take ownership of harm. But it’s just as critical for staff. When done well, Restorative Practices help adults navigate conflict, decompress after stressful incidents, and rebuild trust on teams.
While RP is often first introduced as a discipline alternative, its true power is in prevention. It strengthens the web of relationships before harm happens, so that when it does, there’s a foundation of trust to work from.
In short, Restorative Practices help schools:
Build community and connection among students and staff
Address conflict through relational accountability—not just consequences
Improve student behavior, engagement, and belonging
Support adult culture through shared norms, structured communication, and regular check-ins
Align SEL, MTSS, and behavioral systems under a unified relational approach
When implemented consistently, RP becomes the connective tissue between your values and your systems. It’s not just a tool for students—it’s a culture framework for everyone.
What is the Purpose of Restorative Practices?
Schools are under pressure from all sides—staff burnout, student dysregulation, rising behaviors, and a need to rebuild trust after years of disruption. Traditional top-down strategies aren’t cutting it. Leaders are looking for something that can address root causes, not just surface symptoms.
Restorative Practices offer a structured, relational way to do just that. They create consistent opportunities for students and adults to build trust, share voice, navigate conflict, and feel a sense of belonging. Instead of relying solely on compliance or consequence, RP helps school communities develop stronger relational muscle—so teams can respond with clarity, empathy, and accountability.
For staff, RP provides more than just tools. It offers protected time and structure for processing difficult moments, resolving tensions, and reconnecting with purpose. And for students, it builds critical skills: self-awareness, empathy, communication, and responsibility for impact.
Done well, Restorative Practices shift school culture from reactive to proactive. They help teams move from siloed, overstretched, and reactive to aligned, relational, and clear-eyed about what matters most: people.
Beyond Discipline: What Restorative Practices Are Really For
One of the biggest misconceptions about Restorative Practices is that they are a replacement for discipline—or a worse misunderstanding, a way to avoid consequences altogether. In reality, Restorative Practices are not just a reactive tool for when things go wrong. They're a proactive approach to building strong relationships, fostering emotional safety, and creating consistent opportunities for connection, reflection, and ownership. When harm does happen, RP provides a structured process for accountability, voice, and repair—not a free pass. And outside of discipline entirely, Restorative Practices help create the kind of school culture where students and staff are more connected, more supported, and better equipped to navigate the daily challenges of learning and working together.
How To Implement Restorative Practices
Implementing Restorative Practices doesn’t begin with student discipline—it begins with adults. Before introducing new systems to students, schools must invest in mindset shifts, adult culture, and internal alignment.
This means slowing down to get the foundation right. Building-wide implementation only works when the staff understands what Restorative Practices are (and aren’t), experiences the value firsthand, and has space to reflect, practice, and grow.
For many schools, this starts with a full-staff training focused on the core mindset and proactive tools: community-building circles, affective statements, curbside conversations, and relational habits. When adults engage in these practices with one another—before they’re asked to lead them with students—it builds buy-in and models the culture you’re trying to create.
Leaders play a central role here. Their language, decision-making, and willingness to engage in the work signal to staff whether this is just another initiative or a true shift in how the school functions. Creating space for staff listening circles, transparent communication, and collaborative rollout planning is essential for getting early traction.
A Guide To Implementing Restorative Practices
From Training to Practice: A Phased Rollout
Restorative Practices are not a plug-and-play program. Sustainable implementation requires thoughtful phasing—starting with proactive relationship-building before introducing more complex responsive practices like formal conferencing.
In year one, most schools begin with a focus on building community through daily or weekly proactive circles, staff-to-staff relationship tools, and the use of affective statements to reinforce norms and foster connection. These early practices are the foundation for trust and buy-in.
As staff gain confidence and the culture shifts, schools can layer in additional tools: structured processes for addressing conflict, student-led peer mediation, and re-entry meetings for students returning from suspension or time away. Restorative Justice Conferencing and other formal practices come later—after a culture of accountability and support is already established.
This “slow drip” approach allows for real growth and reflection between phases. With the right scaffolding, coaching, and leadership alignment, Restorative Practices don’t feel like “one more thing”—they become the way people talk, teach, lead, and learn.
At Collaborative School Culture, we guide schools through a six-phase implementation process that ensures alignment, momentum, and sustainability:
Assess Readiness – We help you evaluate existing systems, mindsets, and capacity.
Gather Voice and Build Buy-In – Staff, students, and families are invited into the “why” behind the work, fostering trust and relevance.
Restorative Practices Training – Tailored to your context, our engaging training equips staff with foundational tools and mindsets.
Phased Implementation – Schools begin with proactive strategies and gradually integrate responsive practices as culture shifts.
Embed Practices into Systems – We support integration with your MTSS/PBIS frameworks, student support systems, and leadership structures.
Monitor and Adapt – With ongoing coaching and feedback loops, we help your team refine and sustain the work over time.
In year one, most schools begin with proactive circles, staff relationship tools, and the use of affective statements to reinforce norms and connection. These early practices build trust and buy-in across the community.
As confidence grows, schools expand their toolkit: peer mediation, re-entry meetings, structured conflict resolution, and eventually Restorative Justice Conferencing. This “slow drip” approach allows space for growth and reflection between phases.
With the right scaffolding, coaching, and leadership alignment, Restorative Practices don’t feel like “one more thing”—they become how people relate, lead, teach, and repair.
The Importance of Training and Leadership
High-quality training is the entry point—but without leadership modeling and follow-through, even the best training fades. At CSC, we treat implementation as both an adult culture shift and a strategic change initiative.
Our training sessions are practical, interactive, and grounded in real-world school experience. Educators don’t just learn theory—they try on language, practice tools, and reflect on how these approaches can shift their daily interactions. From affective statements to community-building circles, staff walk away with strategies they can use immediately.
But training alone isn’t enough. Leaders set the tone for whether Restorative Practices are viewed as “just another initiative” or a meaningful shift in how the school community functions.
That’s why we support leaders to:
Create time and space for staff to practice
Align RP with existing systems (MTSS/PBIS, SEL, Behavior Response Procedures)
Model vulnerability and relational leadership
Use Fair Process decision-making to elevate voice and build trust
Track progress and celebrate growth
We also help build internal capacity by training school-based facilitators who can lead proactive circles, mentor peers, and support sustainability long after initial training ends.
Restorative Practices are most successful when adults experience them as adults—not just as tools for students. Staff need spaces to build trust, address conflict, and feel seen. That’s why our trainings include opportunities for educators to reflect, connect, and restore together.
What Are the Five R’s of Restorative Practices?
The traditional “5 R’s” of Restorative Practices—Respect, Responsibility, Relationship-building, Reintegration, and Repair of harm—are often used as an entry point when schools begin exploring the restorative approach. While these values are important, they don’t always translate into concrete action steps that help educators shift their daily practice. Knowing you should “build relationships” is one thing. Knowing how to build relationships, especially when trust has been broken, is another.
At Collaborative School Culture, we move beyond static values to focus on what Restorative Practices look like in action. Instead of asking staff to memorize words like “reintegration,” we help them systematize the process of repairing harm and rebuilding trust. Instead of just naming “respect” as a value, we show how it’s demonstrated through affective statements, restorative questions, and how adults engage with each other—even when there’s conflict.
Expanding Beyond the Traditional 5 R's Framework
Here’s how we translate those 5 R’s into practical, school-ready components that actually support implementation:
Regulate First: We teach staff how to calm themselves and co-regulate others using bottom-up brain strategies. Before anything can be repaired or discussed, the brain needs to feel safe. This comes before reflection, conversation, or resolution.
Reflect on What Happened: Using tools like the Compass of Shame and the Engagement Window, we help staff and students explore the root causes of behavior (students and adults) and consider the impact. We ask: What happened beneath the surface? What skills or supports are missing? What patterns are showing up?
Repair with Intention: Repair doesn’t just mean saying sorry. It involves naming impact, taking responsibility, and making a plan. We model how to facilitate restorative conversations and conferences that actually resolve conflict instead of just shelving it.
Restore Relationships: Whether it’s student-to-student, staff-to-student, or between colleagues, our approach includes tools to rebuild connection over time. This includes follow-up, relational routines, and structured re-entry conversations.
Reinforce with Systems: Without embedding restorative tools into behavioral flowcharts, classroom routines, staff meetings, and leadership decisions, the work fades. We support schools in making RP visible, accessible, and sustainable across the building.
In short, the 5 R’s are a helpful starting point—but lasting implementation depends on actionable frameworks, shared language, and systems that support both staff and student success.
Practical Examples of Restorative Practices in Classrooms
Restorative Practices are most effective when they’re embedded into the daily fabric of school life—not reserved for when something goes wrong. Below are practical ways schools use Restorative Practices across classrooms, hallways, and staff interactions to build connection, respond to conflict, and strengthen community:
Daily Community-Building Circles
Teachers open the day or week with proactive circles that help students connect, build trust, and share their voice. These circles aren’t just SEL add-ons—they become part of the classroom rhythm, supporting academic readiness and emotional regulation. When used consistently, students begin leading circles themselves and miss them when they’re skipped.
Affective Statements
Staff use short, personal statements like “I feel concerned when…” to give students real-time feedback that’s relational, not punitive. These statements help model emotional awareness and create space for redirection without shame or escalation. Many schools build affective language into behavior rubrics and professional norms.
Curbside Conversations
Rather than sending a student out for low-level issues, staff pause for quick one-on-one conversations—often in the hallway or during transitions—to express concern, ask what’s going on, and preserve connection. These conversations help de-escalate behavior before it spirals and prevent staff from taking on behaviors personally.
Restorative Questions & Re-entry Meetings
When a student has been removed from class, staff use restorative questions to guide reflection and prepare for re-entry. Schools embed these questions into classroom flowcharts and discipline systems, ensuring that return conversations prioritize both accountability and reconnection. Re-entry isn’t just a consequence—it’s a process to support students and the class community.
Staff Circles and Curbside Check-Ins
Restorative Practices aren’t just for students. Many schools host staff listening circles during transitions or challenging moments—like after a major incident or during change fatigue. Administrators also use curbside conversations and Fair Process to resolve tension and repair trust within adult teams. These practices help prevent fractured staff cultures and improve communication.
Peer Mediation Programs
In middle and high schools, student leaders are trained to facilitate low-level conflict resolution among peers. These programs reinforce agency, leadership, and shared responsibility—and often reduce the burden on staff to mediate every issue themselves.
Role of Leaders in Creating a Restorative Culture
A restorative culture doesn’t begin with students—it begins with adults, and school leaders set the tone. When administrators model relational leadership, use Restorative Practices in staff interactions, and embed those practices into systems and routines, the work becomes sustainable—not just aspirational.
Lead by Doing, Not Just Directing
Staff take their cues from leadership. If principals and assistant principals use affective statements with staff, engage in curbside conversations to resolve tension, and facilitate or participate in restorative staff circles, they show—not just tell—that relationships matter. Culture isn’t changed by mandates; it’s shaped by modeling.
Integrate RP into Systems, Not Just PD
Restorative Practices shouldn’t live only in a training binder. School leaders ensure RP is visible in behavior flowcharts, classroom management templates, re-entry procedures, and team meeting norms. When restorative language and expectations are aligned across adults, practices feel consistent rather than isolated.
Use Fair Process in Decision-Making
Fair Process—the idea that people are more likely to support decisions when they feel heard—is essential for building trust and shared ownership. Whether leaders are rolling out a schedule change or adjusting discipline policies, inviting staff voice early helps reduce resistance and fosters a climate of collaboration.
Support Staff in Doing the Work
No one implements RP perfectly on the first try. Effective leaders provide coaching, feedback, and protected time to help staff build fluency. They normalize small wins, create space to reflect on challenges, and ensure RP isn’t “one more thing,” but a way to do existing things better—together.
Role of Teachers in Facilitating Restorative Practices
Teachers are the day-to-day stewards of school culture. Their ability to embed restorative routines into classroom life shapes how students experience community, respond to feedback, and take responsibility when things go wrong.
Build the Foundation with Proactive Practices
Restorative classrooms don’t just repair harm—they prevent it. Teachers use daily check-ins or circles to build relationships and community norms. Affective language becomes a go-to strategy for reinforcing behavior, while curbside conversations address concerns early, before they escalate into referrals.
Create Shared Ownership with Students
When teachers engage students in co-creating norms, classroom agreements, and repair plans after harm, students experience accountability as something they’re part of—not something done to them. Teachers who ask restorative questions like “Who was impacted?” or “What do you think needs to happen next?” help students reflect deeply and re-enter the community with intention.
Use Restorative Tools in Real Time
From hallway interactions to redirections in class, restorative teachers respond to behavior without shaming. They use tone, timing, and reflective questions to manage disruptions and preserve dignity. Instead of relying solely on removal, they lean on relationship.
Model Emotional Regulation and Repair
Restorative teachers don’t have to be perfect—but they are willing to reflect and repair. They acknowledge their own missteps, repair when needed, and model the kind of adult-student relationships that foster respect and accountability on both sides.
Implement Restorative Practices with Collaborative School Culture
Restorative Practices are more than just a policy. They represent a comprehensive, compassionate approach to nurturing a school culture rooted in understanding, empathy, and strong interpersonal connections.
Ready to make a change? Reach out to experts for a seamless implementation process. It demands dedication, guidance, and a robust support system, but the benefits that follow are numerous and lasting. This approach ensures a smoother transition and lays a solid groundwork for sustainable Restorative Practices.
We take pride in our hands-on experience and comprehensive approach. Contact Collaborative School Culture and let us help you cultivate a positive, harmonious school environment that empowers both educators and students. Together, we can embark on a journey towards a more understanding and connected school culture.