Striving for Racial Equity Through Restorative Practices and Social Emotional Learning

• In Event: Five Perspectives on Leveraging Systemic Social and Emotional Learning to Create Equity in Schools

Abstract

Too often, new reform initiatives are layered into existing school programming with little integration and chance of sustainability. A challenge is for school leaders to integrate racial equity initiatives, restorative practices, and equity-conscious SEL into existing infrastructure. Despite scholars drawing the link between RP and equity efforts (Davis, 2019; Winn, 2018) or SEL and equity efforts (Jagers et al., 2019), little is known from a “ground up” perspective about what school conditions enable school leaders to integrate initiatives. The current paper draws on practitioner experience in a single high school and a review of the literature to identify two conditions that support equity-oriented and integrated RP and SEL initiatives. We identified that schools need (1) equity-oriented school leadership and (2) adult opportunities for self-reflection and guided learning with coaching and workshop supports.
Methods and Results. Using the methodology of a single case study (Crowe et al., 2011), the paper offers naturalistic observations of a principal navigating complex socio-emotional and behavioral incidents with his students. A co-author on the current paper was a RP consultant in the school. She offers a thick description of Principal Miles and his actions in the face of a tragic loss of a student and a stealing incident involving law enforcement.
In the first critical incident, Principal Miles responds to the death of a student—he acknowledged the trauma and loss for the school community by immediately making space for processing grief in schoolwide advisory circles. Recognizing the whole humanity of his students, Principal Miles did not hesitate to flex the schedule and provide extra time and resources to meet students’ socio-emotional needs in the moment. When teachers were concerned about lost academic instructional time, he remained committed to the socio-emotional processing and healing time, and he provided funding for teachers to supplement academic support.
In the second incident, Principal Miles confronted a theft by two students. He called the Community Affairs officers (not 911) and took steps to mitigate shame and fear. He ensured other students and staff did not observe the officers escort the young men off campus, advocated for the students’ humane treatment throughout the process and immediately communicated with families. Principal Miles prioritized repairing harm and community and challenged educators to jointly reflect and understand their own emotional reactivity to the incident through a circle and a conference process led by the RP consultant. The principal’s actions demonstrated his commitment to equity-oriented school leadership and the educators’ opportunities for reflection and learning.
Discussion. The case illustrates two conditions that helped advance an integrated RP and SEL initiative: Condition 1: Through Principal Miles’ actions, we see the pivotal role of a school administrator who offers RP, SEL, and equity-oriented bold leadership for change (Gregory et al., 2020; Khalifa et al., 2016). Condition 2: Through the educators’ participation in circles and conferences, we see the significance of adult opportunities for reflection and learning (Aspen Institute, 2018; Pollock et al., 2016; Wadhwa, 2020).

Authors

• Anne Gregory, Rutgers University
  Presenting Author

• Allison Rae Ward-Seidel, University of Virginia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dionne Grayman, Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility
  Non-Presenting Author