Restitution is used in schools as a way of teaching the student to repair or eliminate the damage caused by their misbehavior. It is a form of restorative justice that focuses on healing the harm and restoring the relationships that were affected by the student’s actions. These actions are typically completed after a restorative conversation and apology to the party/parties harmed. Some examples of restitution in schools are:
- If a student rips student-made projects off the wall in the hallway, they could put the posters back up, apologize to the students who made them, and create a piece of art for that classroom.
- If a student intentionally dumps over the garbage can in the lunchroom, they could clean up the mess, help the custodian during or after lunch, and apologize to the lunchroom staff.
- If a student vandalizes school property, they could pay for the repair or replacement of the item, perform community service, and write a letter of apology to the school community.
Restitution in schools can help students learn from their mistakes, take responsibility for their actions, and develop empathy for others. It can also reduce the need for exclusionary discipline practices, such as suspension, that can have negative effects on students’ academic and social outcomes. Below is a list of additional restitution suggestions from teachers and administrators.
- Use "you break it, you fix it"- Look for a logical consequence, a way for the students to fix what s/he’s broken. Whether they’ve made a mess, broken something, or hurt someone’s feelings, require them to take responsibility for fixing it.
- Hold "practice academy"- Students spend part of their lunch, after school, or other free time, practicing and perfecting the correct behavior. For example, if they throw something across the room, they practice crumbling a Kleenex, raising their hand for permission, and walking the trash to the trash can.
- Have students write an action plan- Have students answer questions like:
1. What is the reason you are filling out this action plan?
2. What happened prior to the behavior? (background info)
3. What goal could you make to help with this behavior in the future?
4. Is there anything I can do as your teacher to help with the goal?
Students sign it and you sign it. Add comments as needed; then send a copy home and keep one on file for the student.
- A presentation- I have students do presentations to share with staff or students (or both) what they should have done.
- Assign discipline essays- assign discipline essays that ask them to examine their behavior and plan how they should act differently in the future. EXAMPLES
If you have additional ideas, be sure to add them to the form below. I will share this information in our upcoming Behavior Bulletins.
