BLOCK CHAPTERS 4-6Presented by Lili Koblentz and Deidre Sheehan

RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY

Block defines restorative community as a possibility that rotates on the question, “What can we create together?”

…Remind anyone of Dr. Abraham’s Critical Pedagogy lesson plan model steps 6-8, “Who might we become together?”

Is this related?

What aspects of music education need restorative attention?

PROJECTIONS

Block discusses the dangers of projecting our beliefs about the “others” onto groups of people.

When we label groups like “underprivileged” or “at-risk”, it shifts our thinking so that the problem lies with the group we are projecting the label on, not on ourselves for allowing such conditions to exist. When the problem doesn’t lie within ourselves, it ceases to become our responsibility.

What kind of labels might we project on our students? What kind of responsibility and accountability might we

be avoiding by making these projections?

BLOCK’S ESSENTIAL MINDSET CHANGES FOR RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY

From conversations about problems to ones about possibility

From conversations about fear and fault to ones of gifts, generosity, and abundance

From a bet on law and oversight to a preference for building the social fabric and choosing accountability

From seeing the corporation and systems as central to seeing associational life as central.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE In restorative justice systems, the victim and the

perpetrator work together to bring healing and reconciliation to themselves and the community. The offender admits guilt Offender, victim, and families discuss damage done Offender apologizes and promises not to commit offense again Offender promises some kind of reparation Victim decides whether to forgive:

If yes, community gets a say in whether the offender gets to rejoin community

If no, the offender faces the traditional justice system Is this practical? What kind of community is the restorative justice system best

suited to? City Smaller town High School Middle Elementary

THE TRUTH AND RESTORATION COMMISSION IN SOUTH AFRICA

READ MORE ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Interesting Overview of the Truth and Reconcilliation Comission in South Africa:

http://www.crinfo.org/articlesummary/10240/

More on the Truth and Reconcilliation Comission http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/TRC/index.htm

Current Work and Publications in North American Living Justice: http://www.livingjusticepress.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={3901BBB2-F2E7-47DE-A49F-D59F660A7FE4}

CITIZEN VS. CONSUMER

Every citizen works together for the greater good.

Power of the citizen remains with the citizen.

Takes responsibility for actions, education and future.

Consumer allows someone else to make decisions.

Consumer gives power away.

Prefers to delegate responsibility to others.

CITIZEN VS. CITIZEN When citizens are simply voters, they

become consumers, when they hold themselves accountable for the well-being of the larger collective, they are truly citizens.

What is the difference between citizens of a community and the citizens of a country?

COMMITMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability = Willingness to care for the well-being of the whole.

Commitment = Willingness to make a promise without expecting any kind of return

How does this apply to music education?

THE DRAGONFLY POOL We’ve talked about accountability as community members honestly

letting one another know “where they are” at any given time, and about commitment as the emotional essence of community.

Putting these together, as Block says they are “forever paired”, (71) what might this look like in our classrooms? Might the answer be a bit daunting?

Should we be emotionally truthful and accountable to our students? Does that promote growth or uncertainty? Would that build community or cross the line of what is appropriate?

This is an excerpt from a children’s book by author Eva Ibbotson. At a “progressive” British boarding school before the eve of WWII, Tally has just finished her first day at a school where attending class is optional, neither uniforms or shoes are required, and yet, the students are learning.

*** The Dragonfly Pool ***

THE DRAGONFLY POOL

But now, as the lights went out, the homesickness that had been lying in wait for Tally gathered itself together and pounced.

She thought of the aunts, waiting for her as he came home from school, eager for every detail of her day. She thought of her friends in the street – Maybelle and Kenny, and Primrose in her stable.

But above all she thought of her father. Coming in from the surgery asking, “Where’s Tally?” as soon as he entered the house…teasing her about something foolish she had said…walking with her along the river on a Sunday, while they talked about anything and everything on earth.

It would be months before she saw him again and they had scarcely been separated for a day.

The lump in her throat was growing bigger. She groped for a handkerchief.

And then she heard the sound of sobbing. The sobbing grew louder, was muffled, then grew louder again. Tally had expected tears from Kit, but he had gone to sleep at once, his thumb in his mouth, and anyway his room was at the other end of the corridor. She waited, but the crying went on. It was none of her business, really – but she had not been brought up to ignore distress. She got out of bed, opened her door, and listened.

CONT…The sobbing came from a door opposite. She knocked very quietly,

then pushed it open.

She was in the housemother’s room. Magda was sitting at her table, which was piled high with manuscript paper. Clearly she had intended to work on her book about the philosopher with the difficult name, but she wasn’t. Her head had fallen forward and she was crying bitterly; strands of hair lay on the paper and there was ink on her face.

When she saw Tally she sat up suddenly and blew her nose. “Is anything the matter?” she asked. “Are you homesick?”

“No . . . well, not really. But are you all right?”

Tally’s inquiring face, tilted in concern, brought on another attack of weeping.

“Yes . . . yes. Of course. I’m not starving or being shot at, so of course I’m all right.” Magda sniffed and dabbed at her eyes. “You must go back to bed – you’ll be so tired in the morning.”

But tally knew what one had to do when people were in trouble; her father had told her often enough. One sat quietly beside them and waited. And indeed, almost at once, Magda began to speak.

CONT. CONT.

“It’s just . . . when everything’s quiet, one can’t help remembering. You see, I studied in Germany, in Weimar. It’s such a beautiful city, the old squares, the gardens . . . so peaceful, so full of interesting people and everyone so well-behaved. Scholars, professors . . . the lectures were remarkable. There was a young professor there . . Heribert. I was going to go back to Germany to live when I had finished my book, and I thought that we might get married. But not now. Not with the Nazis marching about in jackboots spoiling everything – and anyway, I have a Jewish grandmother. But for me,” said Magda, and her eyes filled with tears again, “Weimar will always be home.”

“Yes, I see.” Tally put out a hand and laid it on Magda’s arm. I’m so sorry.”

She stayed for a while, and before she left Magda’s sobs had died down. She even offered to make Tally another cup of cocoa.

Back in her bed, Tally found she was too tired to go on with her own longings. She had expected anything except to go to a school where it was the teachers who were homesick – and almost at once she fell asleep.

Ibbotson, pp. 43-45

WORKS CITED

Block, Peter. Community: The Structure of Belonging. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2008.

Ibbotson, Eva. The Dragonfly Pool. New York: Dutton, 2008.