Integrating Restorative Practices and PBIS: The System and the Heart
A Practical Conversation Between Rebecca and Beth
PBIS and RP: Every system needs a heart
Rebecca:
Everywhere I look, schools are trying to get kids to behave in positive ways. There are pom-poms, stickers, clothespins, tickets — all kinds of rewards to encourage good choices. When I was earning my M.Ed. in Special Education, one of my assignments was to create a reward system and try it out in the class where I was doing my practicum.
But as a special educator, then as a classroom teacher, I always felt like I was multitasking myself into exhaustion. Tracking who got which reward took up the same brain space I could have used to actually connect with my students.
And if I’m honest, I started noticing something uncomfortable: the kids who were quietly doing the right thing often got overlooked. Those kids noticed too! And years later, my own child came home distraught when nobody noticed that she’d been Proactive, and didn’t earn a sticker for their Habits of Mind program.
So I started wondering — what if the relationships themselves were the incentive?
Beth:
I had the same experience; I wasted so much time and effort managing the incentives. I love your question! Relationship-based incentives are exactly where Restorative Practices (RP) shine.
When we think about Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), we’re talking about a system — a framework for creating clear expectations, routines, and consistent responses. It’s the scaffolding that holds up a schoolwide culture.
But Restorative Practices are the heart that makes that system meaningful. RP gives us the tools to bring those expectations to life in a way that feels human. It’s how we teach accountability through connection, not compliance.
Rebecca:
Right! PBIS is like the blueprint — the structure that holds things together — and Restorative Practices are how we actually live it out.
Beth:
Exactly. PBIS tells us we need consistency and clear expectations. RP gives us circles, routines, and language that make those things real.
Both PBIS and RP want the same outcomes:
Positive school climate
Students staying in the classroom
More instructional time
Fewer behavior referrals
Stronger relationships between teachers and among students
PBIS helps us measure whether it’s working. RP helps us make it work in a way that builds community.
Rebecca:
That’s what I found in my classroom. When I was relying on rewards, teaching started feeling transactional — like kids were earning my approval. But when I shifted to focusing on relationships, students responded to the trust. They wanted to do well because they belonged.
That’s intrinsic motivation — not “I want a sticker,” but “I want to contribute.”
Beth:
Yes! When we focus our time and energy on building relationships instead of managing rewards, we help students internalize values like responsibility and empathy.
PBIS is often associated with extrinsic motivation — giving students something tangible for making a good choice. Restorative PBIS moves that motivation inward. It’s about creating spaces where every student feels belonging and shared responsibility and are able to develop the skill of self management
PBIS Through a Restorative Lens
Rebecca:
How would you describe what PBIS looks like when it is restorative?
Beth:
Okay, I think of it in the three PBIS tiers:
Tier 1: Building Belonging
Daily practices like morning circles, greetings at the door, reviewing classroom norms, and class rituals help students feel safe, seen, and valued. These routines build a culture of belonging before behavior even becomes an issue.
Tier 2: Addressing Disruptions
When a student acts out, the restorative approach is to slow down, get curious, and find out what the student needs to get back on track. The goal isn’t to punish — it’s to restore connection. Everyone should walk away feeling more, not less, part of the community.
Tier 3: Repairing Harm
When serious harm occurs, restorative processes bring together those involved to discuss what happened, who was impacted, and how to make things right. The result is not just “discipline,” but healing and reintegration.
So instead of relying solely on removal or exclusion, we are helping the student to take responsibility and be accountable to their community. Through this process the student is able to reintegrate and maintain their sense of belonging within the school community.
Rebecca:
That’s such a powerful shift. It also makes me think about the data obsession we all feel in schools — how do we quantify belonging?
Beth:
Right! PBIS is data-driven, and that’s valuable. We want to know what’s working. But the real question is:
“is your classroom a place where everyone feels like they belong?”
That’s data too — it just doesn’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet. But, great news! There’s an approach called Participatory Action Research that can provide data; you just need to have training and guidance on how to do it right. There’s a wonderful resource called The Little Book of Restorative Justice Program Design that lays it out and clearly.
Rebecca:
And that kind of data starts with relationships.
So, Beth, what would you say to a teacher who’s overwhelmed and wants to start somewhere? What’s one small thing they can do tomorrow to move toward a restorative PBIS approach?
Beth:
Start small and stay consistent:
Greet every student as they enter your classroom.
Take five minutes for a morning or afternoon check-in.
Build class rituals with your students, not just for them.
Show up authentically — don’t perform connection, practice it.
Put your mental energy into remembering things about your students, not tracking who earned a pom-pom.
Rebecca:
That’s doable — and it’s actually easier than managing a points system once you get used to it.
I love the idea that PBIS gives us the system and Restorative Practices give us the heart.
Beth:
That’s it! One student acting out isn’t that one student’s problem — it’s a community problem.
When we use Restorative Practices within the PBIS framework, we’re not just managing behavior — we’re building the kind of community where students actually want to behave in positive ways, because they feel connected, seen, and valued.
