Restorative practices for conflict resolution in schools

Rethinking conflict resolution in schools

Restorative practice is a proactive approach that prioritises relationships and seeks to address harm in a constructive, non-punitive way. It can be used to promote open dialogue, reflection, and accountability among pupils, helping to develop trust, respect, and a sense of belonging within the school community. We heard from several experts who explained the concept of restorative practice and how it can be best applied in schools.

• Restorative practice in schools: time for a new approach? by Annegrete Johanson, board member of the NGO RuaCrew and the European Forum for Restorative Justice 
• Conflict resolution programmes as a path to positive school culture by Eli Pijaca Plavšić, board member of the European Toolkit for Schools
• Restorative practices in schools - interview with Michelle Stowe, Connect RP

Restorative practices in action

By implementing different restorative strategies, schools can shift from punishing poor behaviour to a more inclusive, empathetic, and constructive approach. This helps pupils to learn from their actions and to build lifelong skills for maintaining healthy relationships.

• How peer mediation empowers pupils to resolve conflicts
• Building community through dialogue, not punishment by Judith Kohler, manager at Institut für Restorative Praktiken
• Building respectful schools: addressing polarisation and bullying in schools

Innovative ways to address conflict in school

Teachers play a central role in implementing and sustaining restorative approaches in schools. For restorative practices to be successful, educators need proper training, ongoing support, and the right tools to facilitate conversations, address conflicts, and build positive relationships with pupils.

• Managing the classroom in a positive way
• Approaches to restorative justice in education
• Achieving student wellbeing for all: educational contexts free of violence - publication by NESET. 
• menABLE toolbox: tackling gender-based violence online

Rewatch recent webinars

Watch our webinars on restorative practice and conflict management, and learn tips for classroom management, and how to address bullying and polarised dialogue.

• Mastering classroom management: practical strategies for European educators
• Depolarising dialogue: how to defuse tensions in education
• Addressing bullying and violence in schools: identifying root causes and discussing effective solutions