This is a great book to share with schools and colleges to support teachers to become stronger trauma-informed restorative practitioners. I'll absolutely be recommending this to many of the people I work with.

This book is precisely what we need more of in today’s world. I appreciate how the authors approached a daunting topic to make it accessible for folks.

While I'm not an educator, I have a strong interest in restorative justice so was very interested in this book.
I found it engaging, thorough, and really interesting. It covered all the necessary background information in an understandable way, e.g. the brain biology chapter was very readable and not full of jargon.
I did think there was a bit too much reliance on a small number of sources - some parts felt like a rehashing of other people's work, or too many quotes from the same people.
However overall I thought this was a great book, and society would hugely benefit from reading it and learning from it. The summaries and questions at the end of each chapter were really great too,.
Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy.

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Valuable Guide for Educators**

*Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator* by Joe Brummer and Margaret Thorsborne offers a practical and insightful approach to integrating trauma-informed practices with restorative education. The authors provide actionable strategies and a clear framework for creating supportive and responsive classroom environments. The book’s emphasis on understanding trauma and fostering resilience is both timely and essential for educators aiming to address diverse student needs effectively. While some content may be familiar to those already versed in restorative practices, the book’s comprehensive and accessible approach makes it a valuable resource for educators looking to deepen their understanding and enhance their practice.

I am a parent of gifted and autistic children, as well as a former kinship care parent for five years to a child from a hard place ages 5-10. I've become very knowledgeable in trauma, exceptionalities, and building connected relationships formed with love and trust as the foundation. I have seen the power of unconditional love and trust developed with a child whose brain was rewired so that his neurons fired together much more strongly, and he was more able to meet his iep goal of being safe, respectful, and responsible while in our home.

The steps that neurologists and brain researchers have made toward knowing how human beings learn and grow are unbelievable. Our practices as caring, nurturing adults MUST be reframed to encourage growth and build interconnectivity in children's brains- and at the very least to NOT unwire a brain by using old-school punitive practices to manage behavior.

This is a great tool to help improve and prevent trauma in the classroom.

As a primary/early years educator, I was really interested in how this book could improve my practice. It's skillfully written in that it doesn't bamboozle you or give you endless theories. The book is based on science which is well explained and then supported with pedagogical experiences or examples. It's easy to read and follow, the appendices at the end made for really interesting reading as they're contributed by restorative practitioners. There were parts I was able to utilise in my practice straight away and things I've jotted down to discuss with colleagues however I have only given it a 4 star review as I felt it was geared more towards American/Australian education and would be more useful for secondary school teachers- that's not to say I didn't get a lot from reading it and I would still recommend it to my primary colleagues for the pointers I've found useful.

Most of the books I've read from Jessica Kingsley Publishers have been well researched and presented, making for great resources. BECOMING A TRAUMA-INFORMED RESTORATIVE EDUCATOR is no exception; it is one of the best books I've read from this publisher. I have studied and use many of these concepts before/currently yet still found plenty in this book to help me renew and deepen my practices. I have a copy on order so that I can read it again and write all of my notes in the margins. I highly recommend this for teachers looking to learn about being a trauma-informed restorative educator for the first time as well as someone wanting to further their skills.

In today's educational landscape, it is imperative that we keep in mind all the facets that make up a child's learning environment. I recommend this book to all members of school staff; or anyone working with children. Very informative and well written.

A really useful read for anyone in school leadership who wishes to make their school and this more nurturing and trauma informed. Recommend it

Becoming a Trauma-informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior brings together important concepts from experts in the field all in one place for any person supporting youth in our schools. Reviewing historical paradigms of behavior and moving into the new lens in which to frame human behavior and emotions, this book creates and easy and accessible space for all to learn. It takes high level concepts such as Dr. Bruce Perry's model and breaks it down into accessible parts and quick takeaways that can be immediately implemented. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter make an east way to check in with yourself and a handy addition to the book itself. No matter your role in the school system, nor your time of service, this book is a useful tool to have in your tool belt. #BecomingaTraumainformedRestorativeEducator #NetGalley

The book a comprehensive and practical guide that successfully bridges theory and practice. The book delves into the foundational values and ideas that underpin trauma-informed restorative practices, bolstered by insights from neuroscience to demonstrate their effectiveness.

One of the book's strengths is its clarity in explaining complex concepts. It breaks down key theories related to shame, trauma, and the autonomic nervous system in an accessible manner. This makes the content not only understandable for educators new to these ideas but also valuable for those seeking to deepen their knowledge. The explanations of how the brain works and how our nervous system responds to trauma are particularly insightful and provide a solid foundation for understanding the importance of trauma-informed practices.

I especially appreciated the practical strategies outlined in the book, such as improving questioning skills. These strategies are essential for creating a supportive and healing educational environment. The step-by-step guidance on how to ask questions that foster a restorative dialogue is both practical and easy to implement, enhancing educators' ability to engage with students effectively.

The inclusion of real-life examples and stories of restorative practice adds a relatable and inspirational dimension to the theoretical framework. These narratives help educators visualize how to apply trauma-informed restorative practices in their own settings. Furthermore, the book is rich with practical protocols, tools, and systems designed to develop the reader's skills and confidence in implementing these practices.

A noteworthy aspect of the book is its emphasis on the personal and professional qualities necessary for engaging in trauma-informed, restorative practice. It encourages educators to reflect on their own experiences and growth, which is crucial for authentic engagement with students. The reflection points scattered throughout the book are particularly helpful, as they promote ongoing self-assessment and development.

Overall, this book serves as an invaluable resource for educators aiming to foster a supportive and healing educational environment. Its blend of theoretical knowledge, practical advice, and reflective exercises makes it an essential read for anyone committed to becoming a trauma-informed, restorative educator. I already suggested it to my colleagues and school.

I was excited to receive a copy of this to read and review. I’ve been in education for a decade, but I am always looking for ways to improve the experience in the classroom. This book is a wealth of information. I enjoyed how many of the chapters end with a summary of key points and review questions to encourage further thought. I’m looking forward to being able to apply this knowledge.

I usually teach in universities and this book might be more applicable to schools, but I've found I've used what I've learned when working with practitioners who do work with young people.
The neuro science is useful for explaining the mechanisms of how trauma impacts on chikdren and the exploration of values behind the practice is useful and could be helpful in a higher education teaching setting to help learners to explore the importance of being trauma-informed.

This book is FANTASTIC! I only wish I had a paper copy so I could write all the notes and a-ha moments I'm having as I read it. I've been working in public education for 12 years, the last two have been spent as a behavior coach working with teachers to help them with management and culture building in their classrooms. What I wouldn't give to go back and have this book when I started this journey...it's a lot and if you know public ed, it's not like teachers have "a lot". I appreciate the actionable nature of the book and how the information does pass judgement, but rather allows the reader to examine their own biases and then move forward from them. Reading this book has been an eye opening experience for me, even as someone who has used restorative practices as a classroom teacher and instructional coach; I realize that I have more to learn and further to go in my journey to become a more trauma informed and restorative educator.

I am not an educator but I still wanted to read this to see if any of it could translate across professions. I honestly think they do and would recommend this to anyone who is looking to expand their skill sets when it comes to trauma-informed practices.

As someone who works in a school setting with some understanding and awareness of trauma-informed practice, I was interested in this book to help develop my knowledge further and this book has definitely done that.
What I love about this book is that it is set out clearly and because of this you could read the book in a non-linear way, picking out the most useful parts for you - always helpful if you are time-poor educator. I also like how the book takes you on a journey from the personal, to professional and the wider community and what can be done to prevent trauma in the first place.
The book opens with a good level of background information about trauma, restorative practice, behaviorism and the neuroscience of behaviour, without it being too heavy or weighed down in theory.
However, as someone with some knowledge of the theory, I would have preferred more practical applications and case studies to show how all this could work in a real school.
This book certainly does a good job of bringing forward science that should be more widely acknowledged and I think anyone who works with young people would benefit from reading it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I picked it up as someone who spent time studying trauma as part of my degree to further deepen my knowledge base (to hopefully use it going into postgrad) and this book was great. It incorporates many of the bits I already learned and more with ways to apply it to education and references provided and collated well at the end.

I found this difficult to read. It's too full of theory and not enough clear cut examples of how to put it into practice.

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

Thank you NetGalley for this! It’s a resource I will bring to my work and my classroom and pass the tools and skills along to my fellow classroom instructors. Bring a college instructor, and especially as a Gender and Women’s Studies instructor, trauma is always ever-present and we never know when students will open up to us, and what they will tell us. Being trauma-informed with our responses are important skills to have and to bring into our spaces as well as lives in general.