Hi, I’m Kristy
I have worked in and with schools for over two decades – first as a primary teacher and then as a consultant and trainer. My business, Restorative Pathways, was born from a desire and passion to support educators to deeply understand and implement restorative practices and to build connected, thriving school communities where people experienced a sense of belonging.
I have always wanted to teach. I have very early memories as a young child creating classrooms in my bedroom and ‘playing school’ with my toys, taking the roll and pretending to be a teacher. When I started attending school myself, I began to mimic the teachers I had at school, being inspired to be like them – helping kids feel good and learn.
It was during one of my first teaching positions in the ACT that I was introduced to Restorative Practice. I remember attending the professional learning with my colleagues and feeling a deep connection to the content and the learning experience; it connected to my internal belief systems and mindsets about teaching, learning, and engaging with young people. I felt compelled to do something with the learning.
I led an action research team project, funded by a grant, to investigate how best to implement and sustain Restorative Practice across five schools in the ACT. This project propelled me into new territories where I was able to train and support other ACT educators and schools in RP and share our story at various national and international conferences in the 2000s. This was my springboard into establishing Restorative Pathways.
It has been an honour and a pleasure to champion restorative approaches in schools but our work is not done. Restorative Pathways is ever-evolving and growing – just like me.
In 2017 I completed a Professional Certificate in Positive Educaton with Melbourne University, Victoria, focusing on the symbiotic nature of RP and positive education.
Then in 2020 I completed a Master of Applied Positive Psychology with Melbourne University, deeping and broadening my understanding of the science of wellbeing.
It is abundantly clear that Restorative Practice IS a wellbeing strategy and resource for schools. Building, maintaining, deepening and repairing relationships contributes enormously to individual and collective wellbeing and the science around this is unequivocal.
Restorative Practice, done right and done deeply creates a culture of dignity, inclusion, and equity where relations are set right and communities thrive.