In Conversation with Stephen Hurley

Dr. Crystena Parker-Shandal is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Development Studies at Renison University College at the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Parker-Shandal joins me today to talk about her newest book, "Restorative justice in the classroom: Liberating students’ voices through relational pedagogy."

We discussed a variety of key points including:

1. The essence and implementation of Restorative Justice in the classroom and its aim to create meaningful connections, repair harm, and cultivate an atmosphere of care on a broader scale.
   
   
2. The importance of a relational pedagogy, which involves building deep relationships with students and equipping them with tools for constructive conflict management, thereby fostering a more peaceful and democratic school environment.
   
   
3. The challenges, assumptions, and need for high-quality training in adopting restorative justice approaches in schools. We underlined the significance of creating safe spaces for difficult conversations and unmasking the true value in participative discussions.