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School Leader Perceptions About The Implementation And Utility Of Restorative Practices, Danielle Rutig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study examined school leaders' perceptions of using restorative practices within their schools. Participants included twelve school leaders who had experience with utilizing and implementing restorative practices. School leaders included: principals, assistant principals, deans, and administrative assistants. Research indicates that restorative practices are adapted to support specific school goals. Restorative practices are not practiced in isolation, as school leaders often couple restorative justice with social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and other social-emotional supports. Restorative practices are tied closely to CASEL’s social emotional framework.

Data were collected via semi-structured interviews using a virtual platform. Themes that emerged from the analysis …

Influence Of Restorative Practices On The Middle-School Classroom, As Reported By Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study, Julia Y. Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the influence that restorative practices have on the middle school classroom environment. For the purpose of this study, seven middle school teachers were selected who have implemented restorative practices in their middle school classrooms to provide feedback. Findings suggest that overall restorative practices have a positive influence on the classroom. The findings from this study can be used with teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and school and district support staff to help create a positive campus culture between students and adults in middle school classrooms. The …

Educator Perceptions Of The Working Environment In Tennessee Elementary Schools That Actively Employ Positive Behavior Supports And Restorative Practices, Scott Thomas Lamie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study captured the experiences of elementary educators with the purpose of gathering their perceptions of the use of restorative practices and positive behavior supports in their schools with a particular focus on how these programs influenced school climate, their professional efficacy, and their job satisfaction. Results of interviews lead to the emergence of seven major themes, which were the importance of understanding the underlying causes of student behavior, change, common practices of positive behavior supports and restorative practices, benefits for students, benefits for educators, struggles with implementation, and suggestions for implementation. These findings led to the identification of …

Creating Safe Schools: An Exploratory Study Of Educator Perspective On Student Behavior And Restorative Practices In Schools Implementation, Rachel Danielle Vargas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Restorative practices in schools (RPS) is an Integrated Student Support process that many U.S. K-12 schools utilize to combat student behavior and racial disparities against students. Initial research suggests that RPS is a successful tool to drop suspension rates, create safe school environments, and help students stay engaged in school. However, there is not sufficient empirical evidence to support a successful implementation model, leading to mixed results and opinions about the effectiveness of RPS. The purpose of this study was to explore the program processes of RPS and determine effective implementation strategies that lead to successful student outcomes. Data were …

Restorative Justice & A Dean Of Students: An Auto-Criticism Of The Role Of Care In School Discipline In A Poverty Impacted Public High School, Alicia D. Vasquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study is an auto-criticism, an approach that allows researchers to study themselves. This emergent methodology is derived from educational criticism and connoisseurship, which fits under the broader category of arts-based research. School discipline is a programmatic component of any secondary school’s educational framework and directly effects student engagement and academic achievement. An analysis of the dean role in relation to school discipline is central to this study. The main research question is what are the lived experiences of a dean who incorporates restorative justice practices in a poverty impacted public high school?

The author spent two years as …

Teachers' Perspectives Of Restorative Disciplinary Practices, Asma Anwar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this phenomenological qualitative study, the perceptions of middle school teachers regarding the implementation of restorative practices with their students with disabilities were examined. Exclusionary suspensions have been overwhelmingly employed to handle student discipline, and students with disabilities experience these harsh punishments at higher rates than their general education peers. However, an increasing number of school districts have started to utilize alternative therapeutic methods, such as restorative practices, to handle conflict and build relationships. The researcher’s goal was to understand better the lived experiences of teachers when implementing these practices and understand the challenges they faced while building connections with …

Restorative Strategies Used To Reduce Disproportionality In Texas Schools That Have Implemented Restorative Practices, Shenita Y. Alsbrooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify restorative practice strategies than can be used to reduce disproportionality in school discipline in Texas schools. Exclusionary discipline practices have created disproportionality in school discipline. While zero-tolerance policies are no longer considered effective in addressing conflict in schools, many schools are implementing restorative practices as a promising alternative. Restorative practices have shown to contribute to positive school culture, specifically by improving student achievement, improving attendance, improving student-teacher relationships, and lowering discipline issues. Interviews using semistructured questions were used to conduct this study. In this qualitative case study, participants at suburban …

Investigating Administrators’ Resistance To Implementing Restorative Practices, Beri Deister

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this case study, the researcher investigated the barriers to school administrators’ implementation of restorative practices as a management approach to student behavior. Based on the claim that restorative practices is a promising alternative to exclusionary disciplinary placements for changing behavior, the researcher used an emergent explanatory mixed methods design to better understand administrators’ resistance to change despite overwhelming evidence that exclusionary disciplinary practices are the primary contributors to national trends in disciplinary disproportionality and institutional discrimination. The researcher identified and analyzed barriers to create recommendations for addressing administrators’ resistance through organizational change strategies using systems theory.

From Exclusion To Restoration: Implementation Successes And Barriers, Chris White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exclusionary suspensions have been used extensively to handle student discipline and promote a perception of a safer environment in schools. However, an increasing number of school administrators have begun seeking alternative methods, such as restorative practices, in an effort to change the approach towards handling misbehaviors, conflict, and damaged relationships. This study occurred in a Grade 9 campus in northern Texas. The goal of the researcher was to better understand the challenges and successes of implementing restorative practices at the school during the 2018–2019 school year from multiple perspectives. Utilizing the principles of a program evaluation approach—deliberatively democratic evaluation—the researcher …

Perceptions Of Restorative Practices Among Black Girls: Talking Circles In An Urban Alternative Middle School., Vanessa Marie Mcphail

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that Restorative Justice approaches have shown promise in terms of their impact on school climate, student behavior, and relationships. The purpose of this study is to explore Black female students’ perceptions of Restorative Practice (RP) talking circles at an alternative school. The study examined literature on Zero Tolerance, School Discipline Disparities, African American Female students, Intersectionality, Restorative Justice, and Alternative Schools. A qualitative case study method was used for this study, drawing from two sources: (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) observations of the Black female students who attend the alternative school and participate in the talking circles. Analyses …

An Exploratory Study Of Existing State Anti-Bullying Statutes., John-Robert Curtin, Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory study examines the current state of school anti-bullying legislation in the United States by reviewing the 50 state statutes and builds on the work of Sameer Hinduja, and Justin W. Patchin, (2015) and Sacco, D, Silbaugh, K, Corredor, F, Casey, J, Doherty, D. (2013). Their work on comparing state bullying statutes did not address restorative justice/practices, protections for special populations, safe-reporting systems, or stakeholder knowledge. This study addresses these four areas that were not addressed and they are the focus. In addition, this exploratory study addresses the following questions:

• What are the theories that explain youth bullying? …