How to adapt game to restorative justice model
So our school is shifting to a restorative justice model. I know just enough about it to 1) be on board with the shift but be little more than a bit dangerous until I receive more training, 2) know that the sentences students earn as consequences in the game are going to be problematic, 3) worry that students protecting each other may be problematic.
So here's what I'm thinking so far: Keep all the positives: gold (which is also used in our real-world item shop) and XP (which students enjoy for powers) and leveling up - they get excited every time they hear the level-up sound. Keep doling out damage at the end of class as now, so that teammates can protect (and encourage healers to heal as needed), and keep following it up with XP and gold (optimistic closure?).
Here's where I'm lost: What do I do about sentences? Right now, we have two sets of sentences – one for when a character falls at their own hand, and one for when a character falls due to a random event or fellow student falling. The first list includes more standard consequences: detention, copying a behavior lesson, be silent for the class, clean up the hall, do extra chores at home, etc. The second is a bit more light-hearted.
My first thought is to eliminate all the serious consequences and – when appropriate – have students think of a serious way of making up for their behavior in addition to the lighthearted game consequence. My other thought is to keep the serious consequences and have students have the possibility of replacing the serious consequence with a way to make up for their behavior, provided that I agree that it's adequate.
I know that I can't eliminate the sentences, as that takes away a good amount of the teeth in the game. Alternately, I can think of removing AP and/or gold when a student falls, but what happens if a student doesn't have any of that to take away?
Thoughts? Advice?