A Curriculum for Alternative High School Students
Two 3rd year students (Courtney Paulson and Jordan Silva) worked with Rick Kelly (Faculty) to develop and implement a weekly curriculum describing and illustrating the Restorative Philosophy for the OASIS Arts and Social Justice Program at the TDSB in the Winter of 2011. Below are the classes offered.
Week One:
Metaphor of the masks of justice
Intro to restorative justice philosophy
Week Two:
Aboriginal Roots of Justice
Intro to restorative process and conference with video
Week Three
Labels
Iceberg metaphor
Are people what they do discussion
Simulation courtroom & criminal justice system
Week Four
Roots and faces of revenge
Related art activity
Week Five
Process of putting the problem versus the person in the circle
Power of the circle – Opportunities
The restorative storybook: accountability; supporter’s voice and role; the needs and wants of those harmed; process of restoration
Week Six
Last segment of conference: The solutions
Can RJ work at Oasis and how
Collective art product – restorative justice on canvas
Refreshments
Week One:
Metaphor of the masks of justice
Intro to restorative justice philosophy
Week Two:
Aboriginal Roots of Justice
Intro to restorative process and conference with video
Week Three
Labels
Iceberg metaphor
Are people what they do discussion
Simulation courtroom & criminal justice system
Week Four
Roots and faces of revenge
Related art activity
Week Five
Process of putting the problem versus the person in the circle
Power of the circle – Opportunities
The restorative storybook: accountability; supporter’s voice and role; the needs and wants of those harmed; process of restoration
Week Six
Last segment of conference: The solutions
Can RJ work at Oasis and how
Collective art product – restorative justice on canvas
Refreshments
This is a summary canvas that the student group created in the last class. As one student wrote this is what Restorative Justice meant to her:
"Restorative justice means to me a chance to get your emotions OUT. A chance to tell people WHY you did what you did. NO ONE judges you in a Restorative Circle. You have a chance to avoid the court system and how they punish people. Plus you don’t get punished, find alternative ways to fix things. Restorative Justice means being fair."
Another student aptly described that it allows you to "close the book" on issues and not have the book thrown at you.
"Restorative justice means to me a chance to get your emotions OUT. A chance to tell people WHY you did what you did. NO ONE judges you in a Restorative Circle. You have a chance to avoid the court system and how they punish people. Plus you don’t get punished, find alternative ways to fix things. Restorative Justice means being fair."
Another student aptly described that it allows you to "close the book" on issues and not have the book thrown at you.