Episode Details

Chris Wejr, an elementary principal in Canada, explains how restorative practices can replace automatic suspensions with teaching. The last child he suspended, a grade two student, turned out to have a significant disability, and it took years to repair that relationship. Now he asks what the school will do differently when a child comes back.

Wejr describes restitution that fits the harm, such as a disruptive student coaching younger kids on the playground, followed by reflection. He also explains FedEx prep, where he covered six to eight classes so teachers could build something they cared about, and the half hour of uninterrupted time he offers each teacher.

What you'll learn

• Ask what the school will do differently when a suspended child returns, because three days at home rarely changes the behavior.
• Put the victim's safety first, tell parents you will teach the other child, and call them a week and a month later.
• Match restitution to the harm, such as helping younger students on the playground, then reflect on how helping felt.
• Cover six to eight classes so a teacher can work on a project they care about, then have them share it with staff.
• Offer each teacher a half hour of uninterrupted time and ask what they are curious about and how you can support them.

Chapters

• 0:00 Part two of the Chris Wejr interview
• 2:10 Why suspensions and zero tolerance fail kids
• 6:57 Talking with parents of the victim
• 11:15 Following up with parents weeks later
• 14:14 What restorative justice and restitution look like
• 20:44 FedEx prep time for teacher passions
• 27:46 Creating the conditions for teachers' ideas
• 31:32 The paddle that reminds him to listen

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Questions this episode answers

What can schools do instead of suspending students?
Wejr says to look at each child, because zero tolerance and automatic suspensions send kids home without teaching them anything. When the child returns, the school should be doing something different, such as restitution, coaching, and a supervised area at recess.

What do you tell parents upset that the other child was not suspended?
Wejr starts with the victim's safety and says that sending a child home for three days guarantees nothing. He tells parents the child has to be taught, then calls them a week and a month later to confirm things are going well.

What is restitution in a school?
Wejr says restitution should tie to the behavior and the person wronged, and works best when the student helps design it. A child unsafe on the playground might coach younger students with support, then reflect on how helping felt compared with hurting.

About Chris Wejr

Elementary school principal in Canada who wrote the FedEx Prep post on Connected Principals.

Links and resources

• Sanebox sponsor banner
• Sponsor: Sanebox
• Transformative Principal website
• Transformative Principal on Stitcher
• Refer a principal form
• FedEx Prep post on Connected Principals

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