Student Climate Resources for K-12

This list of resources consists primarily of restorative practices references along with some social emotional learning and trauma-informed care materials.

Building a Trauma-informed Restorative School – Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior: Joe Brummer is an expert trauma-informed care specialist who began to research restorative practices and fell in love with the work. He does a great job explaining how you shouldn’t have discussions about trauma in students without having talking about restorative practices and likewise, you shouldn’t explore restorative conversations without having dialogue about trauma.
Supporting and Educating Traumatized Youth: A Guide for School-based Professionals: This book provides the basics on understanding traumatic or adverse childhood experiences and their impact on students in an educational setting.
Little Book of Circle Processes: This is a quick read…one that is recommended as an introductory learning experience to prime members of the school community for discussion on the principles that anchor a restorative approach.
The Boy Who Raised as a Dog: This is considered a must read for anyone working with traumatized children. The author developed the neurosequential model and is a senior fellow at the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas. The book explores the devastating impact of trauma and methods for engagement.
Restorative Discipline Practices: A Journey in Implementation by a Community of Texas Educators: Each chapter of this book is written from the perspective of a different member of the school community: teachers, principal, students, parents, juvenile justice officers, RJ coordinator, school attorney. etc. Each tells anecdotes of their practical journey to building community and relationships to proactively deal with behavioral issues.
Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices: Building a Culture of Equity, Connection and Healing: This book is one strongly recommended to building leaders.It is excellent for learning the “heartset” of becoming a restorative leader. It covers some important topics like establishing beliefs, building buy in and handling difficult conversations.
Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, Healing and Hope in Schools This book provides a solid definition for restorative justice in education. It is a must read for school leaders who need a strong foundational understanding of restorative justice in schools. There are many great examples provided to illustrate the beliefs, values and principles of restorative justice.Does your school have teachers who are already “RJ Champions”? They will be valuable influencers for your school’s RJP initiative. We highly recommend that you buy the two following books for your RJ Champions:
- Circle Forward: This becomes a technical manual for schools. It serves as a “how to” manual that all Leaders and Implementation Team members will need. I call it the “RJ Cookbook” for schools. It is pricey, but this practical manual is highly praised by leaders and teachers alike.
- Heart of Hope: This is the companion to Circle Forward.
This book list is recommended for establishing a professional library on restorative practices in schools.