Book cover with illustration of multi ethnic children holding hands in concentric circles

A Universal Design for Learning Approach

Restorative Practices That Heal School Communities

By Mirko Chardin, Pamela Chu-Sheriff, & Edgar Vásquez

Formats: Paperback and EPUB
274 pages
ISBN (print): 978-1-943085-12-5
List price: $34
Publisher: CAST Professional Publishing

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Why This Book—and Why Now

When schools feel fractured, discipline gets reactive and relationships fray. Restorative Practices That Heal School Communities offers a practical, heart-forward roadmap to rebuild trust, repair harm, and cultivate a culture where students and adults can thrive. Drawing on lived experiences and student stories, the authors show how restorative practices and UDL work together to support belonging, voice, and equitable access—not as slogans, but as daily habits and systems. CAST

What You’ll Learn (at a glance)

  • Build community before there’s conflict: Routines and rituals that make connection the norm.
  • Respond to harm without shame or blame: Circles, questions, and agreements that repair and restore.
  • Center student voice: Structures that elevate youth wisdom in classrooms and decision-making.
  • Design for every learner with UDL: Plan instruction and culture so barriers are removed by design.
  • Lead system-level change: Practical guidance to align policies, PD, and data with healing and equity. CAST

Who It’s For

  • Classroom teachers, deans, counselors, and support staff
  • School and district leaders building trauma-informed, relational systems
  • SEL, MTSS, and culture teams integrating restorative approaches
  • Teacher education and leadership prep programs

Inside the Book

  • Introduction – Why healing is the work
  • Part A: A School in Need of Healing – Naming what’s not working
  • Part B: Restorative Practices, Indigenous Origins – Honoring roots and teachings
  • Part C: The Power of Student Voice – Youth-led culture building
  • Part D: SEL Through Personal Narratives – Story as skill-building and repair
  • Part E: Change Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All – Context-responsive implementation
  • Part F: UDL + Restorative Practices – Designing environments where all can belong
  • Appendix: UDL Guidelines 3.0 – Practical reference for planning
  • Acknowledgments • Land Acknowledgment • References • Index • About the Authors CAST

Lead Unapologetically.
Live Unburdened.

Join us at Chardin & Co. and lead with purpose and passion.

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