Educating Higher Education and School Leaders in Matters of Peace

Abstract

Current reform efforts in the redesign of educational leadership programs in higher education call for rigorous coursework in management and education. Educational leadership models that are grounded in principles of restorative justice and peace education, however, are seldom targeted as part of this reform -although they may significantly enhance student achievement, communication, relationships, and general satisfaction in a learning community. This paper offers three brief case studies exploring experiments in educational reform that have integrated restorative justice principles into higher education and K-12 urban school district contexts. Data were drawn from a wide range of sources, including surveys, formal and informal interviews, student achievement scores, and journal entries. Characteristics are identified that can be integrated into educational leadership programs to promote nonviolence in learning communities.