Rights Respecting
Schools:
Workshop Series
Workshop 5
Leadership for a Rights
Respecting School
Five-Minute Reflection
INSTRUCTIONS
Jot your responses on your handout.
For successful leadership of a Rights Respecting School…
Who needs to be on
board? (on the basket)
What is holding it back?
(on the ropes)
What will really make
it fly (or grow)?
(above the balloon)
What do the people on
board need to get it
off the ground?
(on the balloon)
Leadership for a Rights Respecting School
AGENDA
•
Activity 1: Introduction and Five-Minute Reflection
•
Activity 2: Mediating Conflict Between Rights in Schools
•
Activity 3: Children’s Rights-Friendly School Policies
•
Activity 4: Good Practices for Building Leadership at a
Rights Respecting School
Leadership at a Rights Respecting School
What does leadership at a
Rights Respecting School look like?
Leadership for a Rights Respecting School
Leadership
Administrators are committed to promoting
respect for children’s rights. Children’s
rights are used as a lens for policies,
program choices, program implementation,
and other decision-making.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 18
The school has a mission statement, charter and code of
conduct that reflect the principles of the Convention.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 19
The school reviews its policies
and procedures, and ensures that
they reflect the principles and
rights articulate in the Convention.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 20
Conflicts between students, and
between students and adults, are
resolved with rights-consistent
decisions and policies.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 21
School staff are recruited and inducted to be able to support
and advance progress as a rights respecting school.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 22
School community stakeholders have opportunities to
improve their knowledge and understanding of the
Convention, its relevance to the school, and its relation to
local, national and global issues.
Leadership Benchmarks
Benchmark 23
The school takes active and regular measures to assess its
progress as a rights respecting school.
Leadership for a Rights Respecting School
For successful leadership of a Rights Respecting School…
Who needs to be on
board? (on the basket)
What will really make
it fly (or grow)?
(above the balloon)
What is holding it back?
(on the ropes)
What do the people on
board need to get it
off the ground?
(on the balloon)
Leadership for a Rights Respecting School
For successful leadership of a Rights Respecting School…
Who needs to be on
board? (on the basket)
What will really make
it fly (or grow)?
(above the balloon)
What might blow it off
course? (on the side)
What is holding it back?
(on the ropes)
What do the people on
board need to get it
off the ground?
(on the balloon)
Leadership for a Rights Respecting School
The ultimate goal of leadership for a Rights
Respecting School is to protect and uphold
children’s rights for all children.
Best Interests of the Child
Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child states:
“In all actions concerning children, whether
undertaken by public or private social welfare
institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities
or legislative bodies, the best interests of the
child shall be a primary consideration.”
Best Interests of the Child
In the Best Interests of the Child
Not in the Best Interests of the Child
Best Interests of the Child
In the Best Interests of the Child
Not in the Best Interests of the Child
To receive an education (Article 28)
To be exposed to any form of violence
(Article 19)
To have family relations (Article 8)
To know and be cared for by parents
(Article 7)
To be heard in matters concerning
her/him (Article 12)
To be wrongly separated from
parents/family (Article 9)
To perform any work that is hazardous or
harmful (Article 32)
To be exploited or abused (Articles 33-36)
To play and to rest (Article 31)
Tensions Between Rights
Groups
Interests of one child and
interests of peers
Schools and school board
Teachers’ union and school
boards
Minority groups and the school,
board or ministry
Example Conflict
Tensions Between Rights
Group
Example Conflict
Interests of one child and
interests of peers
A student identified as a ‘bully’ could be expelled
(losing his/her right to education) while his/her
peers continue to be at risk (losing protection from
harm)
Schools and school board
Schools allocate resources on a per capita basis and
certain schools have higher needs
Teachers’ union and school
boards
Teachers go on strike for better teaching resources
to improve students’ quality of education, but while
on strike, student lose their right to education
Minority groups and the school, Zero-tolerance school safety policies implemented
board or ministry
by school boards, which arguably discriminate
against disenfranchised youth
Views of the Child
Article 12 of the Convention says that:
“States Parties shall assure to the child who is
capable of forming his or her own views the
right to express those views freely in all matters
affecting them, the views of the child being
given due weight in accordance with the age
and maturity of the child.”
Views of the Child
• Children 16 years and older, are normally assumed to
be sufficiently mature to make decisions.
• Children between 14 and 16 years are presumed to be
mature enough to make a major contribution.
• Children between nine and 14 years can meaningfully
participate in the decision-making procedure, but their
maturity must be carefully assessed on an individual
basis. Younger children may require assistance.
• Children younger than nine years have the right to give
their opinion and be heard.
Scenario
• Read the scenario with your group
• Determine one or two possible resolutions by considering
the best interests and the views of the child.
Restorative Conflict Resolution
What is Restorative Practice?
• Practices that enable people to restore and rebuild
relationships after conflict, disagreement and harm
• Whereby persons of authority (in schools – staff, teachers,
parent volunteers) do things with students rather than to
or for them
• Allows students to meaningfully participate in decisionmaking processes that affect them – exercising Article 12
Restorative Practices in Schools
Restorative practices can take
the form of
By
In response to
Restorative Enquiry
The starting point for restorative
practices
Peer mentors,
Teachers
Minor student worries,
Classroom disruptions
Restorative Discussion
Used in challenging situations
All members of
the classroom
community
Disruption,
Inter-personal conflict,
Challenging situations
Mediation
Used when both parties believe the
other is the problem
Peer mediators,
Teachers
Student conflict,
Staff–student conflict
Circles or Forums
Useful for solving problems that
involve a group of people
Members of
classroom
community,
Class groups
Class issues/harm within class,
Problems affecting students
Five Questions to Rebuild Relationships
Restorative practices are centred on five questions:
• What happened?
• What were you thinking at the time?
• Who was affected and how were their rights impacted?
• What can you do to help those who were affected?
• How can everyone better respect the rights of others in
the future?
Forum Circle
The Forum: Conflict Resolution in a Circle
creducation.org/cre/homebase/content_video/2397/
How Restorative is Your School?
Read over the handout as a group. Then discuss:
• Which practices on the continuum do you feel are most
representative of the general approach to conflict at your
school?
• What about your own practice? Which approaches do you
use often?
• What would you change about your own practice? About
the approach to conflict your school advocates?
Children’s Rights-Friendly School Policies
Best interest
of the Child
Views of the
Child
TOPIC 1
Children’s Rights Compliance Test
Instructions
1. Determine which of articles are
impacted by the school policy.
2. Discuss the questions on the
Children’s Rights Compliance
Test and take notes in the
spaces provided.
RRS Action Plan: Our Roadmap
CRT completes
RRS Action Plan
What is being done?
What do we need to do next?
Our school has
a roadmap for
our future
Good Practices for Teaching and Learning
through a Rights Lens
Work together as
a group to determine
which strategies would
work best to meet
your assigned
benchmark.
Create this 3-columned chart
Strategy
Resources
Timeline
Activities the school will
undertake.
People resource, budget and
materials needed to undertake
activities.
Timing of year, duration of time
needed to accomplish the
activities.
Take Away Resource – For Staff / Students
Restorative Conflict Resolution
Describes restorative practices for
democratic conflict resolution
processes for use in schools
and classrooms.
Available for download on
Dropbox – ‘Tools for RRS Schools’
Take Away Resource – For Staff / Parents
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen
& Listen So Kids Will Talk
Siblings Without Rivalry
How to Talk So Kids
Can Learn
By Adele Faber
& Elaine Mazlish
Improve relationships at
home and at school
Congratulations!
Congratulations on completing the
Rights Respecting School Workshop Series!
Congratulations!
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