Presenter Info: Annie O’Shaughnessy, M.Ed in Mindfulness
Date: May 14, 2019 8:30 registration 9:00-3:30 light breakfast and lunch included
Includes: Resource Binder
Target Audience: All educators K-12
Although restorative practices have been used in schools in the U.S. for over 20 years, it has only recently experienced a big uptick in popularity. This is due in large part to the enthusiasm educators have brought to the movement based on the real, day-to-day benefits the practices bring to their lives. The dreaded task of “classroom management,” for example, transforms when we add structures for collaboration and processes to access student voice. Our stress decreases as we do things “with” students rather than “for” them or “to” them.
One of the most powerful things we can do to transform a school culture and climate is to shift the way we communicate that aligns with restorative principles, mindfulness, and trauma informed care. During our day together we will look at a model for restorative communication, share our own experiences, and practice what we’ve learned in real-life scenarios. Throughout the day we will explore how to use restorative communication to build relationships, respond to disruptive behavior, and collaborate in and out of the restorative circle process.
Achievable Outcomes:
- Examine and reflect on the theory and psychology that informs restorative communication.
- Learn and use the circle process to practice mindful presence and share our thoughts on restorative communication.
- Reflect on our own effective and ineffective default communication styles and those of the staff we work with.
- Explore and practice a mindfulness and trauma informed approach to restorative communication.
About our Presenter: Annie O’Shaughnessy has an M.Ed in Mindfulness for Educators, Level I & II Training in Modern Mindfulness, Level 1 & 2 Restorative Justice, CircleWork Leadership Training and Restorative Justice Summer Institute and has taught Mindfulness, Restorative Practices and Rites of Passage to K12 Educators.
Presenter Info: Annie O’Shaughnessy, M.Ed in Mindfulness
with Bobby Riley, Principal Integrated Arts Academy (IAA), Burlington School District
Date: May 17, 2019 8:30 registration 9:00-3:30 light breakfast and lunch included
Includes: Resource Binder
Target Audience: All educators K-12, Leaders, Behavior Coaches and Planning Room Teachers
The “Zero Tolerance” policies put into place in the 1990s to combat school violence, blossomed into rigid exclusionary discipline policies for many different student behaviors from tobacco, weapon, and drug possession to vandalism and disrespect. While suspension and expulsion rates rose, the policies did not have the intended effect of making schools safer and more supportive places to learn. In fact, as stated in Vermont’s Agency of Education resource book on restorative practices, “Trying to achieve safe school environments that promote learning through compliance and exclusion have been ineffective and such efforts have disproportionately negatively affected specific populations that are typically marginalized”.
The current popularity of restorative practices in schools has risen up out of the need for an alternative to exclusionary discipline policies. From the VT AOE guide: “Restorative approaches promote social engagement and connection (1) proactively to build community and connection (Tier I), (2) when things go wrong and relationship need repair (Tier II), and (3) when an individual needs more intensive support to feel a sense of belonging (Tier III). Research shows a clear connection between outcomes and students’ sense of connection, belonging, and being part of the school community”. This workshop explores Tier 2 processes—how to respond to harm in schools in a variety of restorative ways.
Achievable Outcomes:
- Examine how we know we are ready for Tier 2 work—when to proceed, when not to and why.
- Explore what is the right process and why—restorative “chat” or conversation, circle, conference.
- Practice and debrief all of three processes.
About our Presenters: Annie O’Shaughnessy has taught since 1990 in public, alternative and therapeutic settings. She pursued her M.Ed. in Mindfulness for Educators in 2016 and has taught in multiple settings, both workshops and classes throughout Vermont. read more…
Bobby Riley is the principal of the Integrated Arts Academy (IAA), one of two magnet schools in Burlington, Vermont and is a passionate champion of PBIS, restorative practices, mindfulness, SEL and the power of the arts in transforming education.read more…
Instructor: Annie O’Shaughnessy Hybrid/Online course
Start Date: July 1 Face to Face Dates: July 8 – 12 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Online Work: Intro/Prep 7/1 – 7/5 and 7/15 – 7/19
Target Audience: Educators, therapists & helping professionals
In this course we will explore Mindfulness and Restorative Practices as foundational and interdependent practices central to developing a vital learning community. While class meetings will be primarily experiential in order to develop an embodied understanding of mindful awareness and restorative work, online material and assignments will challenge participants to become fluent in the principles, science and research that support them.
Emphasis is placed on each participant’s unique goals and teaching styles, providing structure, resources and support for the tricky, often challenging work of teaching content while building community and attending to the social and emotional needs of students. Finally, participants will experience the power of Mindfulness and Restorative Practices as tools within a collaborative reflective practice, looking closely at our teaching lives.
Participants will:
· Review research on the effect of mindful awareness activities and restorative practices (RP) on classroom learning, executive functioning & behavior and teacher/counselor wellness.
· Use mindful investigation and analysis to improve teaching practice
· Design & implement mindfulness activities that are developmentally appropriate and feel authentic to the teacher.
· Learn how RP works to improve classroom culture, decrease behavioral incidents and increase positive academic risk-taking.
· Explore how RP can be woven into content instruction
Includes book: Rechtschaffen, D. (2014). The Way of Mindful Education: Cultivating Well-Being in Teachers and Students and Riestenberg, N. (2012). Students & Circle in the Square: Building Community and Repairing Harm in School.
Standards are for Teaching
Standard 3: Learning Environments: The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
Standard 8 : Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep
understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually
evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community) and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
For Leading:
Standard 2: An education leader promotes the success of every learner by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to learning and staff professional growth.
Standard 5: An education leader promotes the success of every learner by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical
About the Presenter: Annie O’Shaughnessy