Families

"Family is not an important thing. It's everything." - Michael J. Fox

Social emotional learning (SEL) and restorative practices are two complementary approaches that can create positive and supportive learning and home environments. SEL focuses on developing students' social and emotional skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, empathy, and relationship skills. Restorative practices focus on repairing the harm caused by conflict or wrongdoing, emphasizing the importance of accountability, responsibility, and community.

 SEL and restorative practices can be aligned in the following ways at home:

• Integrate SEL skills into restorative practices: When implementing restorative practices, it is essential to integrate SEL skills into the process. This can be done by encouraging families to share their thoughts and feelings. Listening to each other and taking responsibility for their actions.

• Utilizing restorative practices to teach SEL skills: Restorative practices can also be used to teach SEL skills. For example, a parent (s) could use a restorative circle to teach children about family issues or conflict resolution.

• Provide professional training for parents: It is vital to provide professional development on SEL and restorative practices. This will help parents understand the benefits of these approaches and learn how to implement them effectively at home.

When used in families, restorative practices can help to improve communication, build trust, and resolve conflict peacefully.