posted on 10/22/12
"Restorative Justice and Bullying" Seminar to be Held Monday, October 22
On Monday, October 22, a seminar on how to handle bullying in the classroom through restorative justice will be held in the Halleck Student Center Ballroom on the SJC campus from 7:00 to 9:00 pm CDT. The free seminar is geared to current and future educators, but all are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.
The seminar will involve role-playing bullying scenarios as well as discussions led by Fr. David Kelly, C.PP.S. '77, and Sr. Donna Liette, C.PP.S., of the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR). The ministry is located in the violent "Back of the Yards" neighborhood on Chicago's south side. Fr. Kelly is the executive director of the PBMR, which promotes restorative practices and reaches out to at-risk youth.
As a restorative justice practitioner, Sr. Donna spends much of her time working with at-risk youth who face gangs, drugs, and violence daily as they struggle to follow their dreams and find peace in the midst of violence. "Many people don't understand just how real the bullying problem is in schools," said senior History major and Education minor James Bertucci.
"This workshop will provide an opportunity to learn how to deal with bullying when it's encountered."
The goal of the workshop is to demonstrate alternative means for teachers to deal with bullies besides punishment. Often times, bullies don't know what they're being punished for, meaning their behavior is never corrected.
"Bullying is an important issue, and it's essential for future educators to understand how to address the problem," said Bertucci.
For more information, contact James Bertucci at jbs7908@saintjoe.edu.
Saint Joseph's College, named a "character-building college" by the Templeton Foundation and a "best Midwestern college" by the Princeton Review, is a four-year, Catholic college offering 27 majors, 4 group majors, 34 minors, and 9 pre-professional programs, complemented by the nationally acclaimed Core Program. Founded and sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, SJC is located in Rensselaer, Indiana, approximately 90 minutes from both Chicago and Indianapolis, on a park-like campus of 180 acres and has an enrollment of 1,100 students.
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