The Impact of Restorative practice Implementation on Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Behavior

American public schools uphold the policies, standards, and disciplinary practices that guide the belief systems of how students view fairness and deal with conflict. As teachers invest in student knowledge and seek to guide students in the right direction, the challenge is learning the appropriate methods of dealing with student behavior. Behavior management practices have evolved just as many student challenges and needs have changed. With these changes evolves the need to better understand students and families. Teachers gaining cultural responsiveness to student behavior challenges is a relatively new ideology to ensure students feel understood and more engaged in the classroom environment and school culture. This study examines teacher insights of the impact restorative practices have on teacher perceptions and student behavior. It explores the possibility of teachers' perception changing the way teachers handle student behavior challenges. This study was conducted reflecting the changes that occurred after restorative practices were implemented. The questions used were created to obtain valuable information from teacher experiences and beliefs. Valuable information was gathered from a teacher survey, focus group, and student behavior data to gain insight into the dynamics of teacher-student relationships and student behavior changes. The lessons in this study are embedded in the importance of relationship-building, cultural awareness, and the importance of problem-solving behavior challenges in the classroom. Each of these components assists in creating a positive and productive learning environment. The goal is that these valuable lessons will help teachers and students bridge the gaps of miscommunication and build the capacity to express challenges productively.