Workshops:
At UMBC, we operate on the premise that restorative practices is a form of democratic dialogue, and as such, is about relationships within communities. This includes learning skills for being in relationship with one another, understanding obligations that exist based on community needs, and the responsibility to engage as a community to repair harms caused within those relationships.
This two-day workshop, facilitated by trainers licensed through the International Institute for Restorative Practices, will focus on the restorative philosophy, building community, community standards-setting on campus, or in educationally focused groups, and facilitating circles.
Day One: Developing a Restorative Worldview
This workshop will challenge you to think differently about how you build relationships, build community with groups and how we respond to conflict and incidents of harm. We will wrestle with the notions of discipline, conflict, and justice through lecture, discussion, activities and role play-looking closely at what our current systems are accomplishing and if the real needs of victims, offenders and communities are being met. Ultimately, we will emerge from day one of the workshop with ideas of how we can use restorative practices as a way of thinking about how we exist in community with others.
Day Two: Using Restorative Tools
This workshop focuses on practical skills to set up and host a circle, how to use different types of circles and concrete tools and techniques to support engagement from participants in the circle process. The workshop uses adult education and experiential learning techniques, as well as activities and discussion.
Circles can be used for:
- Establishing agreements on how community members will interact and engage with each other;
- Creating a sense of shared responsibility for maintaining agreements inside and outside of the classroom;
- Offering a way to address issues and have an open and honest discussion of these issues;
- Providing a way to address and deal with conflict.
