Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management

by Dominique Smith

classroom management as being "about building relationships with students and teaching social skills along with academic skills"

relationships (specifically, the range of interpersonal skills necessary to maintain healthy relationships) and high-quality instruction.

misbehavior that matters. We believe that students should have a chance to learn from their mistakes

The Restorative Practices Movement in Schools

Simply said, it's harder for students to act defiantly or disrespectfully toward adults who clearly care about them and their future.

Circles.

Individual conferences to address problematic behavior.

The criminal justice system.

Teaching Rather than Punishing

Rewards and Consequences Don't Work

This is so true… consequences and rewards… Specifically rewards in my case have never really worked to change behavior. The most important thing a child can learn is to do the right thing because intrinsically they believe is the right thing to do. If they misbehave, they should be completely aware that they have done something “wrong, and want to control emotions or whatever motivated them to misbehave.