“We can say ‘Peace on Earth.’ We can sing about it, preach about it or pray about it, but if we have not internalized the mythology to make it happen inside us, then it will not be.”

Betty Shabazz – American Civil Rights Educator

All human beings are valued and relational.  This is a tenet of Restorative Justice and a place where Waldorf Education and Restorative Justice principles completely align.  In Waldorf Education a meaningful bond between teachers and students is essential to both academic success and personal growth.  In Restorative Justice respect, dignity and mutual concerns form the three pillars of creating a cohesive and connected community.

This week the North Shore Restorative Justice Society worked with teachers to help us hold community building circles in an intentional way. Circles are a way people in many cultures have come together as a community to talk about important issues and resolve problems.  Circle process is facilitated through a talking piece, allowing for thoughtful reflection, attentive listening and an unhurried pace.

The objective for circles is that students will feel they have been seen, heard, understood and that they have given and received respect.

Rubeena Sandhu – Head of School