Restorative Justice in the Classroom with Crystena Parker-Shandal

Published: Nov. 17, 2023, 11:15 p.m.

b'Dr. Crystena Parker-Shandal is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Development Studies at Renison University College at the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Parker-Shandal joins me today to talk about her newest book, "Restorative justice in the classroom: Liberating students\\u2019 voices through relational pedagogy."

We discussed a variety of key points including:

  1. The essence and implementation of Restorative Justice in the classroom and its aim to create meaningful connections, repair harm, and cultivate an atmosphere of care on a broader scale.

  2. The importance of a relational pedagogy, which involves building deep relationships with students and equipping them with tools for constructive conflict management, thereby fostering a more peaceful and democratic school environment.

  3. The challenges, assumptions, and need for high-quality training in adopting restorative justice approaches in schools. We underlined the significance of creating safe spaces for difficult conversations and unmasking the true value in participative discussions.
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