Classroom Management and Discipline/Restitution Model

Restitution is about 'making it right.' It is an approach to discipline which recognizes that young people will make mistakes and that these situations provide opportunities for students to take responsibility, choose effective behaviors and create positive solutions.

Restitution is a model for classroom management developed by Diane Chelsom Gossen based on Dr. William Glasser's concepts of Control Theory and Quality Schools. The Restitution Model has provided a guide for evaluating my management style, learning new skills and setting and maintaining limits within the classroom. The goal of Restitution is self-discipline. Using the Restitution Model is about helping children learn to become better people. Part of my job is to create the conditions in which a child can learn new behaviors that can be used in other situations; conditions where a child can be strengthened and develop self-understanding. Restitution is about helping an offending child become the kind of person she/he wants to be. It does not focus solely on the victim. Restitution helps a child reclaim their self-esteem through personal effort, taking action in making reparation, and strengthens the agreed upon beliefs and values about how we treat others. Restitution helps children evaluate what they can do to fix their own mistakes. (Restitution: Restructuring School Discipline, Diane Chelsom Gossen)