Photographer Matt Roth posted some lovely photos recently on his blog, part of a photo shoot for an article that appeared in Education Week last summer.
The quote that stands out for me is this one, a candid impression of what it felt like to spend time in City Springs Elementary/Middle School, a school that is part of the Baltimore Curriculum Project and with whom IIRP has worked extensively:
This was one of the more interesting assignments I’ve had for Education Week. The story is about school security. But when I got to the school, I felt like security was a non-issue. I guess that means it's working. Everyone was respectful towards everyone else — which is a pillar of the Restorative Practices model of education. Staff members use “affective language” when talking with students. Students were encouraged to deal their issues in “circles” rather than fighting, employing the teachers as mediators of sorts. I bet that gave the teachers a super-strong connection to their kids.
Something’s working at this place. I’ve never met more polite middle schoolers.
via Education Week: Safety & Restorative Practices | Matt Roth.
