Restorative Practices at West Philadelphia High School

The Transformation of West Philadelphia High School: A Story of Hope
familyoice s_hi.mp4
©2009 International Institute for Restorative Practices. All rights reserved. Learn more about how restorative practices can help schools improve school climate, classroom management and student discipline at safersanerschools.org. Transcript International Institute for Restorative Practices, a graduate school, presents a SaferSanerSchools production. The Transformation of West Philadelphia High School: A Story of Hope Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal: West Philadelphia High School was considered one of the worst schools in the City of Philadelphia. We were on the “persistently dangerous” list, and there’s very few of those schools in Pennsylvania. And we were on that list, justifiably so, because of violence, because of crimes and just general problems here at the school. A number of things have changed. One of the things that changed is the climate and the attitude. That’s’ the first thing that has to change on the road to recovery, and that has done so. As a result, at the end of last year our violent acts and serious incidents were down 52% – the largest change in the city. This year so far, we’re down an additional 45% over what we ended up with last year. Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC: This year I know for a fact, based on what has been reported as far as serious incidents in this school, I know that we’re going to get off that list of being a “persistently dangerous” school. For instance, we had numerous fires last year. This year, I don’t think we’ve had one fire. Saliyah Cruz, Principal: This climate of disrespect is one of the problems at West Philadelphia High School, and that no one is teaching students the social skills that my kids – for the most part – don’t have. And so they understand that, “I shouldn’t break this rule,” but only understand it as far as, “Because you said so.” Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member: We need something besides what we have, in terms of punishment. We punish kids, but we never really talk to them. And I personally have an issue with that as a teacher. Sometimes you need to talk. And that’s what I think restorative practices gives us. Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC: You have to deal with these young folks on their level. What I’m dealing with now is to understand the issues that they bring with them into school. Those are the main things, the issues that they bring with them into school that prevent them from getting a good education. So that’s the reason why I use this. Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator: As a school that has a lot of social climate issues, utilizing restorative practices and building culture – positive social culture – is essential to the functioning of any school. It’s essential. And so, content and material mean nothing without relationships. Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member: I needed to find something that would help me have a different kind of interaction with my students. And the main thing that I liked initially about restorative practices was that whole idea of building a community. So in September, when we started school, the principal encouraged us to use the circles, kind of just to build the family. So I started doing that in my classes, and I liked it. And I found that my students liked it, as well. And I can feel that we have more of a family interaction this year. I can see the difference in my students and also see the difference in my behavior. Because I can be very aggressive. And I am very aggressive with my students, but I needed not to be. Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator: So there was sort of a looming conflict between two groups of girls. It was pretty evident that something physical was going to happen. And so myself and another teacher and a security guard took it on ourselves to try to reach an agreement between the girls and really get to the bottom of why this was happening. And so we used a circle and some of the conference training we received from restorative practices. We implemented the circle, and the girls never fought. Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC: We had two different cliques. And basically it boiled down to one girl looking at the other girl wrong and then, “Why are you bothering me?” – that kind of thing. And we sat them down. It must have been about 6 or 7 young ladies in this particular circle. We sat them down, and we allowed each of them to tell exactly how they were feeling about what was going on in the school. And when it was over with, we found out that it was really a misunderstanding. And so everybody felt good, and we went on about our business in a positive way. Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator: 95% of the problems we have are miscommunication. And so the act of communicating without using violence is a powerful act. Ashai Peterson, Student: Before we had circles at our school there were a lot of fights, riots, problems. There was just a lot of confusion. Aatirah Wilson, Student: I think circles help because they express a student’s feelings more. Instead of violence, just talking in a circle can avoid violence. Robert Walton, Student: Before we had circles in our school, our school was always just crazy and wild and there was nothing else to do. Ashai Peterson, Student: Now that we have circles at our school, it’s just more calm and collected and we get to talk around our peers respectfully and tell them how we feel and what's the problem. Ishea Moon, Student: Kids aren't so much afraid. They listen to what one another has to say now, and they can kind of agree with one another. Sherese Lewis, Student: Circles have changed our class because we've had to talk to one another. It's not just the teachers, it's all of us together. So we kind of had to come as a team and talk. Aatirah Wilson, Student: When something’s bothering me, circles help me relax, because I'm talking to somebody. With me, when I am frustrated, sad and all these other emotions, I need to talk to somebody. Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal: I think the turning moment — and I could see it in the students’ faces — is when they realized they had a say. They realized they were participants, that they were going to be listened to, they could have input. Saliyah Cruz, Principal: We tried a restorative practices conference where we asked the teacher, could we put the kids in a circle, and could we have them share “their perception about what’s happening in your class, and would you be open to hearing that?” The teacher was very good about being comfortable with being vulnerable in that way. The kids took it very seriously, and they had some very clear and concrete things to say about their role in the class and why they weren’t doing the things that they should have been doing, what they saw as the teacher’s role and why things weren’t going the way they should go in the class. And to the teacher’s credit, she took notes and she really did try to make corrections in terms of what the kids had talked about. Donald Smith, Student: Circles help you behave because you get to tell everybody about you, like what's going on. You get to express your feelings, your emotions, anything that's wrong, you get to tell them, tell the students, you get to tell the teachers. And you don't have to be afraid because you know that now, since we're all in a circle, you get to talk about whatever you want. Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member: The PFT should encourage the use of restorative practices and support it in the schools. Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC: It seems to work. Every time that we’ve used circles in our ROTC program, we’ve had positive results. Ishea Moon, Student: Circles have helped this school because now we don't have as many conflicts and fights and stuff like that. Everybody has their own opinion and you get to hear what everybody has to say. Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member: My advice to people would be to try it. What I like about restorative practices – I don’t think it’s just a “new thing on the block.” Most teachers, we’ve all been down the road. We’re looking for different things. You find different things. They’re “in”; they’re “out”. Restorative practices, to me, is really like a way of life. Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal: I believe very strongly in restorative practices. I have seen a change here in this school, West Philadelphia High School, since we’ve been using it. And I believe restorative practices is useful not only in our school but in any school. Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member: I think it’s one of the best things since sliced bread. Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC: Restorative practices can work in tough urban schools, and it doesn’t get any tougher than West Philadelphia High School.

The Transformation of
West Philadelphia High School:
A Story of Hope

familyoice s_hi.mp4

Learn more about how restorative practices can help schools improve school climate, classroom management and student discipline at safersanerschools.org.

Transcript

International Institute for Restorative Practices, a graduate school, presents a SaferSanerSchools production.

The Transformation of West Philadelphia High School: A Story of Hope

Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal:

West Philadelphia High School was considered one of the worst schools in the City of Philadelphia. We were on the “persistently dangerous” list, and there’s very few of those schools in Pennsylvania. And we were on that list, justifiably so, because of violence, because of crimes and just general problems here at the school. A number of things have changed. One of the things that changed is the climate and the attitude. That’s’ the first thing that has to change on the road to recovery, and that has done so. As a result, at the end of last year our violent acts and serious incidents were down 52% – the largest change in the city. This year so far, we’re down an additional 45% over what we ended up with last year.

Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC:

This year I know for a fact, based on what has been reported as far as serious incidents in this school, I know that we’re going to get off that list of being a “persistently dangerous” school. For instance, we had numerous fires last year. This year, I don’t think we’ve had one fire.

Saliyah Cruz, Principal:

This climate of disrespect is one of the problems at West Philadelphia High School, and that no one is teaching students the social skills that my kids – for the most part – don’t have. And so they understand that, “I shouldn’t break this rule,” but only understand it as far as, “Because you said so.”

Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member:

We need something besides what we have, in terms of punishment. We punish kids, but we never really talk to them. And I personally have an issue with that as a teacher. Sometimes you need to talk. And that’s what I think restorative practices gives us.

Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC:

You have to deal with these young folks on their level. What I’m dealing with now is to understand the issues that they bring with them into school. Those are the main things, the issues that they bring with them into school that prevent them from getting a good education. So that’s the reason why I use this.

Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator:

As a school that has a lot of social climate issues, utilizing restorative practices and building culture – positive social culture – is essential to the functioning of any school. It’s essential. And so, content and material mean nothing without relationships.

Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member:

I needed to find something that would help me have a different kind of interaction with my students. And the main thing that I liked initially about restorative practices was that whole idea of building a community. So in September, when we started school, the principal encouraged us to use the circles, kind of just to build the family. So I started doing that in my classes, and I liked it. And I found that my students liked it, as well. And I can feel that we have more of a family interaction this year. I can see the difference in my students and also see the difference in my behavior. Because I can be very aggressive. And I am very aggressive with my students, but I needed not to be.

Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator:

So there was sort of a looming conflict between two groups of girls. It was pretty evident that something physical was going to happen. And so myself and another teacher and a security guard took it on ourselves to try to reach an agreement between the girls and really get to the bottom of why this was happening. And so we used a circle and some of the conference training we received from restorative practices. We implemented the circle, and the girls never fought.

Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC:

We had two different cliques. And basically it boiled down to one girl looking at the other girl wrong and then, “Why are you bothering me?” – that kind of thing. And we sat them down. It must have been about 6 or 7 young ladies in this particular circle. We sat them down, and we allowed each of them to tell exactly how they were feeling about what was going on in the school. And when it was over with, we found out that it was really a misunderstanding. And so everybody felt good, and we went on about our business in a positive way.

Neil Geyette, Teacher and Academy Coordinator:

95% of the problems we have are miscommunication. And so the act of communicating without using violence is a powerful act.

Ashai Peterson, Student:

Before we had circles at our school there were a lot of fights, riots, problems. There was just a lot of confusion.

Aatirah Wilson, Student:

I think circles help because they express a student’s feelings more. Instead of violence, just talking in a circle can avoid violence.

Robert Walton, Student:

Before we had circles in our school, our school was always just crazy and wild and there was nothing else to do.

Ashai Peterson, Student:

Now that we have circles at our school, it’s just more calm and collected and we get to talk around our peers respectfully and tell them how we feel and what's the problem.

Ishea Moon, Student:

Kids aren't so much afraid. They listen to what one another has to say now, and they can kind of agree with one another.

Sherese Lewis, Student:

Circles have changed our class because we've had to talk to one another. It's not just the teachers, it's all of us together. So we kind of had to come as a team and talk.

Aatirah Wilson, Student:

When something’s bothering me, circles help me relax, because I'm talking to somebody. With me, when I am frustrated, sad and all these other emotions, I need to talk to somebody.

Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal:

I think the turning moment — and I could see it in the students’ faces — is when they realized they had a say. They realized they were participants, that they were going to be listened to, they could have input.

Saliyah Cruz, Principal:

We tried a restorative practices conference where we asked the teacher, could we put the kids in a circle, and could we have them share “their perception about what’s happening in your class, and would you be open to hearing that?” The teacher was very good about being comfortable with being vulnerable in that way. The kids took it very seriously, and they had some very clear and concrete things to say about their role in the class and why they weren’t doing the things that they should have been doing, what they saw as the teacher’s role and why things weren’t going the way they should go in the class. And to the teacher’s credit, she took notes and she really did try to make corrections in terms of what the kids had talked about.

Donald Smith, Student:

Circles help you behave because you get to tell everybody about you, like what's going on. You get to express your feelings, your emotions, anything that's wrong, you get to tell them, tell the students, you get to tell the teachers. And you don't have to be afraid because you know that now, since we're all in a circle, you get to talk about whatever you want.

Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member:

The PFT should encourage the use of restorative practices and support it in the schools.

Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC:

It seems to work. Every time that we’ve used circles in our ROTC program, we’ve had positive results.

Ishea Moon, Student:

Circles have helped this school because now we don't have as many conflicts and fights and stuff like that. Everybody has their own opinion and you get to hear what everybody has to say.

Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member:

My advice to people would be to try it. What I like about restorative practices – I don’t think it’s just a “new thing on the block.” Most teachers, we’ve all been down the road. We’re looking for different things. You find different things. They’re “in”; they’re “out”. Restorative practices, to me, is really like a way of life.

Russell A. Gallagher, Assistant Principal:

I believe very strongly in restorative practices. I have seen a change here in this school, West Philadelphia High School, since we’ve been using it. And I believe restorative practices is useful not only in our school but in any school.

Marsha A. Walker, Teacher and PFT Building Committee Member:

I think it’s one of the best things since sliced bread.

Lt. Col. James Cotten, Officer and Teacher, Air Force Junior ROTC:

Restorative practices can work in tough urban schools, and it doesn’t get any tougher than West Philadelphia High School.