Better Than Carrots or Sticks

Book Review:  Better Than Carrots or Sticks

by Dominique Smith, Douglas Fisher, & Nancy Frey

In the opening chapter of Better Than Carrots and Sticks, the authors provide a chart that contrasts traditional approaches to discipline to restorative approaches:

Traditional Approaches	Restorative Approaches
Accountability is defined as punishment	Accountability is understanding the impact of the offence and repairing the harm
Schools and rules are violated	People and relationships are violated
Justice is directed at the offender and the victim is ignored	The offender, victim, and school community all have direct roles

The authors also make some important points about rewards and punishments, which are associated with traditional disciplinary approaches.  First, they state that “Rewards and consequences don’t work – or at least, they don’t teach.  They may result in short-term changes, but in reality they promote compliance and little else.” (6)  They also add that research has indicated that rewards can actually undermine motivation.  In way of illustrating the counter-productive effect of traditional consequences, they explain that student suspensions and expulsions merely “undercut [school’s] efforts to boost attendance.” (15)

The focus of Chapter 2 is relationships, which are at the heart of a restorative classroom or school culture.  Teachers should develop an “intentionally inviting” relationship with their students by adopting a growth mindset, being consistently positive, and showing sensitivity to individual student needs and being responsive to those needs. (23)  To build trusting relationships, teachers should begin by making it a priority to know their students’ names.  The authors emphasize that students “expect that those who care about them will remember” their names. (25)  Other relationship-building strategies teachers should use include getting to know students’ interests, attending extracurricular activities, and most importantly, engaging students with quality, meaningful instruction. 

In Chapter 2, the authors argue that social-emotional learning is also an important component in a restorative school climate.  They list the 5 social and emotional competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning:

• Self-awareness -  knowing one’s values, feelings, strengths, and possessing self-confidence;
• Self-management – regulating one’s impulses and emotions;
• Social awareness – being able to understand and empathize with others;
• Relationship skills – being able to build healthy relationships and resolve interpersonal conflicts; and,
• Responsible decision making – making decisions based on ethical standards.

CASEL's 5 Social-Emotional Learning Components

Chapter 3 examines classroom procedures and teacher expectations that contribute to a restorative culture.  Teachers need to realize that their classroom-management strategies and skills will either help or hinder the development of an overall restorative school culture.  As well, when establishing classroom management procedures, teachers should keep in mind the developmental needs of their students.  For instance, the same restrictive measures that are necessary for primary-age students are inappropriate for secondary level students. 

Also included in Chapter 3 is a great discussion on what the authors call the ABCs of behaviour:  “the antecedents to the behavior, the behavior itself, and the consequences of the behavior.” (67)  They emphasize that educators must avoid the temptation to focus solely on the behaviour itself; instead, they need to examine the trigger to the behaviour so that the causes or functions of the behaviour can be addressed effectively through appropriate supports and consequences.  As they write, “Developing the habit of trying to discern the intended function of a behavior can provide teachers with a frame for deciding on how to intervene.” (70)

The chapter on procedures and expectations concludes with some advice for teachers on de-escalating inappropriate behaviour.  The key is to respond “along a continuum based on the severity or intensity of the issue.” (78)  For example, for minor misbehaviour, the teacher can simply make eye contact with the offending student or talk quietly with the student.  Some additional techniques for de-escalation include:

•         Speaking in a soft tone;
•      Acknowledging the student’s feelings; and,
•      Keeping hands where the student can see them.

Several informal peace-building strategies associated with a restorative school culture are introduced in Chapter 4.   The first, the 2 x 10 strategy, is great for building relationships: “spend 2 minutes talking with a student about anything other than school for 10 consecutive days.” (83)  Identity-building statements, whereby the teacher refers to students according to a success-oriented category (ie. scholars or scientists), is effective for helping students build positive self-images and a sense of agency.  Central to restorative practices are affective statements.  These help both teachers and students to express their feelings without negatively labeling other students.  The formula for an affective statement is “I felt [emotion] when [behavior or event] because [reason for the emotion].

Informal classroom circles are an important restorative practice that can be used proactively to prevent conflict.   Some important aspects of effective circles are that everyone is given an equal but strictly voluntary opportunity to speak while all others listen without interruption and the process is not rushed or dominated by the teacher.  When students are very upset, writing is often a good strategy that provides reflective and “cooling-off” time for them.  When lost for how to get started writing, students should be provided with sentence stems such as “I’m angry because ...” and “It hurt me when ...” (101) 

Chapter 5 deals with formal peacemaking strategies.  Before discussing these strategies, the authors share some thoughts on overcoming any resistance by school staff members to restorative approaches.   It is critical to deal with their opposition as these strategies will not be effective unless there is consensus among the adults in the school on the restorative philosophy.  All staff must believe in the importance of restitution and reintegration, and not focus on consequences and marginalization.  

When harm is done in schools, the authors recommend that J. H. Mullet’s three-phase process be followed, in order to repair the relationships, address the harm, and support everyone involved:

·         Phase 1: Unwind – Those who were harmed voice their feelings in private and suggest ways to allow for restitution;

·         Phase 2: Rewind – The offending student is encouraged to reflect on his/her behaviour, develop empathy, and accept responsibility for his/her actions; and,

·         Phase 3: Windup – Observers of the harmful behaviour share their perspectives and support both the victim and the offender.

The formal classroom circle is a strategy that can be used for the Windup stage of the process as everyone in the learning community can have his/her say.   Formal circles should be conducted by trained facilitators (not the teacher), and a “talking piece” should be used to signal that one person speaks at a time and that everyone else listens “with mind and heart”. (118)

When a conflict involves a small group of students, a victim-offender dialogue is an effective strategy.  Before the dialogue occurs, both parties should be given time to unwind, and the facilitator should also meet with each student separately.  Most importantly, both students must be willing to participate in the dialogue.

At the conclusion of Chapter 5, the authors outline some key steps in a re-entry plan for a student returning from having engaged in harmful or inappropriate behaviour.  These include rehearsing the student and identifying a life-line (a fall-back plan if the student feels anxious on returning to class).

In the final chapter, the authors emphasize that all staff in a school must have the right mindsets in order to create a truly restorative culture.  First, they must have a welcoming mindset, which begins with a friendly atmosphere in the front office and includes adults in the school greeting students with smiles and handshakes at the door and being “present in places where students tend to congregate” outside of class. (134) A preventative and “early warning” mindset is also important, with the main goal that teachers identify early students who are “heading for trouble”. (142)