The Troublesome Nature of Change in Schools: From a Punitive Approach to Restorative Practice

• In Event: Understanding School Improvement in Chaotic Conditions

Abstract

A school’s student management policy reflects a great deal about the culture, the history and values of that school; it may also reflect the school’s capacity to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of students and society. In schools where procedure is well entrenched in a historical framework, it is often a challenge to disrupt accepted and practised procedure to make room for change. The ‘troublesome nature of change’ is therefore located at the very heart of the school culture and its historical context. In the context of this paper, the meaning of change refers to a shift in consciousness of teachers in schools to a philosophical and intellectual understanding and acceptance of the fundamental theories of restorative practice.

Authors

• Lisa Vinnicombe, Deakin University

• Andrea Marlene Gallant, Deakin University