Date of Award

3-2021

Rights

© 2021 Jamie Elizabeth Coady

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Andrea Disque

Second Advisor

Jennifer Crawford

Third Advisor

Abie Benitez

Abstract

In this qualitative phenomenological study, the researcher sought to examine teachers’ perceptions of restorative practices in Kindergarten–Grade 8 (K–8) classrooms. The authors in the current literature concerning restorative practices have referenced the connection to social–emotional learning and school climate, yet there is limited understanding of how teachers perceive these practices and use them in their classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of restorative practices including when, where, and how teachers use these practices and support social–emotional learning efforts. Ten public school teachers in K–8 classrooms in Connecticut shared their lived experiences through semistructured interviews. Data from the interviews were analyzed using a 5-step data analysis process that Creswell and Poth (2018) developed. The analysis of the findings revealed that (a) the participants used restorative practices for community and relationship building, (b) there is an emphasis on the use of restorative practices to build social competency for students and staff, and (c) there is a need for consistent restorative structure within a school community. This research has implications for school leaders and classroom teachers, and it truly explores how restorative practices can be used to support SEL and to improve school climate.

Comments

Ed.D. Dissertation

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