Jonathan Converse

Background

About Jonathan Converse

I have spent the past 11 years Urban Education as a teacher or an administrator. While in education I started my journey with Restorative Practices in 2015. Now, I am the Director of Restorative Practices with CharacterPlus and a licensed IIRP Trainer. I got into the work of RP because I saw a need to help shift the Mindset of the community that I was working with. There was shame, blame, and inconsistent messages going on at many different levels. I do this work in RP to help others see that there is a bright light in every journey, some lights are father off than others, but it is just a bright. That at the core of any journey should be a solid foundation in relationships. That with relationships, when issues arise, people are able to work through it and continue in their journey. I heard a quote by Tom Herner (president of NASDE (National Association of State Directors of Special Education) that stuck with me, it went like this; “If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we. teach? …punish?” Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?