A Spoonful of Sugar...
Restorative Practices in the Classroom
3 credit hour Iowa license renewal course (What's this?)
Register anytime. Take 2 full months to complete!

Mary Poppins was right; a spoonful of sugar does make the medicine go down. Let’s face it, learning isn’t always easy for students to lap up or teachers to impart. Thrown into the mix, is the ever present spectrum of behavior issues ranging from distraction and moving to all out acts of aggression. Very few teachers today have problem free classes and all too many have students who display behavior that is totally inconsistent with learning.
What research and our own experience has told us is that punishment, alienation, isolation and pushing students away doesn’t work in the long run…and sometimes it doesn’t work even in the short run. It’s time to rethink the way we manage behavior in our schools and classrooms and provide a framework for restorative practices that empowers our students to change and eliminate destructive behavior for good.
A Spoonful of Sugar…Restorative Practices in the Classroom is a 3 credit Iowa license renewal course that will show educators why punitive practices are ineffective, lead to disaffected and underachieving students and play a role in the school-to-prison-pipeline. Participants will learn how to implement restorative practices from communication techniques and structures and supports to peace-building and peacemaking strategies in order to establish classrooms built on collective respect developing students with the tools and understanding to self-regulate and self-manage. It’s all about sugar and little about vinegar.
What research and our own experience has told us is that punishment, alienation, isolation and pushing students away doesn’t work in the long run…and sometimes it doesn’t work even in the short run. It’s time to rethink the way we manage behavior in our schools and classrooms and provide a framework for restorative practices that empowers our students to change and eliminate destructive behavior for good.
A Spoonful of Sugar…Restorative Practices in the Classroom is a 3 credit Iowa license renewal course that will show educators why punitive practices are ineffective, lead to disaffected and underachieving students and play a role in the school-to-prison-pipeline. Participants will learn how to implement restorative practices from communication techniques and structures and supports to peace-building and peacemaking strategies in order to establish classrooms built on collective respect developing students with the tools and understanding to self-regulate and self-manage. It’s all about sugar and little about vinegar.
Organization
Course objectives will be met through instructor designed lessons and activities, the course text, supplemental readings and videos, discussions & quizzes.
Course objectives will be met through instructor designed lessons and activities, the course text, supplemental readings and videos, discussions & quizzes.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will...
1. Understand the benefits of restorative practices over punitive punishments
2. Understand the role attitudes, SEL and relationships play in restorative practices
3. Know how to establish restorative environments
4. Understand restorative peacebuilding and peacekeeping strategies
5. Know the key components to establishing a welcoming, inclusive and preventative school mindset
By the end of the course, participants will...
1. Understand the benefits of restorative practices over punitive punishments
2. Understand the role attitudes, SEL and relationships play in restorative practices
3. Know how to establish restorative environments
4. Understand restorative peacebuilding and peacekeeping strategies
5. Know the key components to establishing a welcoming, inclusive and preventative school mindset
How Does This Course Support The Iowa Core?
The information and strategies presented in this course improve students’ ability to analyze, monitor and improve their behavior. It provides insight into how to help students reach a point where they are able to develop and maintain positive social interactions, develop and implement non-confrontational ways to meet conflict and use resolution and reconciliation to achieve both internal and external harmony, success and peace.
Restorative practices will impact across all disciplines, subject/content areas, and age levels to improve thinking and learning. All students must be proficient learners and reach their maximum potential. This falls in line with the Iowa Core that states school preparation should produce the following:
1. Students who are college and career ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.
2. Students who are proficient in English, language arts, history, social studies, science, and technical subjects in all grade levels.
3. Students who are proficient in 21st century skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, curiosity, collaboration and leadership.
The information and strategies presented in this course improve students’ ability to analyze, monitor and improve their behavior. It provides insight into how to help students reach a point where they are able to develop and maintain positive social interactions, develop and implement non-confrontational ways to meet conflict and use resolution and reconciliation to achieve both internal and external harmony, success and peace.
Restorative practices will impact across all disciplines, subject/content areas, and age levels to improve thinking and learning. All students must be proficient learners and reach their maximum potential. This falls in line with the Iowa Core that states school preparation should produce the following:
1. Students who are college and career ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.
2. Students who are proficient in English, language arts, history, social studies, science, and technical subjects in all grade levels.
3. Students who are proficient in 21st century skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, curiosity, collaboration and leadership.
Course Topics that Support Instructional Practices and Strategies:
*Punitive vs. Restorative: What’s the difference?
*The School-to-Prison Pipeline (Suspensions, Expulsions & Zero Tolerance)
*Shame & the 7 Affects
*Relationships (Invitations to Learning & Connecting Positively)
*Restorative Environments
*Self-Regulation & the 5 Domains
*Power
*Peacebuilding (Individual & Class meetings & Circles)
*Peacemaking (Mullet’s 3-Step Process, Victim-Offender Dialogues & High-Stakes Meetings
*Re-entry Plans
*School Mindset: Inclusive & Preventative
*Punitive vs. Restorative: What’s the difference?
*The School-to-Prison Pipeline (Suspensions, Expulsions & Zero Tolerance)
*Shame & the 7 Affects
*Relationships (Invitations to Learning & Connecting Positively)
*Restorative Environments
*Self-Regulation & the 5 Domains
*Power
*Peacebuilding (Individual & Class meetings & Circles)
*Peacemaking (Mullet’s 3-Step Process, Victim-Offender Dialogues & High-Stakes Meetings
*Re-entry Plans
*School Mindset: Inclusive & Preventative
Grading
This is a 3 credit hour Iowa license renewal only course. Grading is Pass/Fail. Students are required to participate in and complete all assignments and/or activities. Participants must earn scores of 80% or better to receive Pass score and receive credit.
This is a 3 credit hour Iowa license renewal only course. Grading is Pass/Fail. Students are required to participate in and complete all assignments and/or activities. Participants must earn scores of 80% or better to receive Pass score and receive credit.

Required Text:
Smith, D., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Better than carrots or stick: Restorative practices for positive classroom management. Alexandria, VA: AS
Text can be ordered by clicking on the book
https://amzn.to/3VAEkxU
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases."
Smith, D., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Better than carrots or stick: Restorative practices for positive classroom management. Alexandria, VA: AS
Text can be ordered by clicking on the book
https://amzn.to/3VAEkxU
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases."