PDF Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles

Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles

? Amos Clifford, Center for Restorative Process Developed for San Francisco Unified School District

Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles

Table of Contents Introduction: Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles ....................................................... 1 Part One: Restorative Practices and the Skills of Circle Keeping .............................................................. 3

Restorative Community in the Classroom ........................................................................................... 4 Goals for Students ........................................................................................................................... 4 Goals for Teachers ........................................................................................................................... 5 Goals for Classroom Community...................................................................................................... 5

What is Restorative Justice? What are Restorative Practices? ............................................................. 6 Evolution of a Restorative Classroom and School Climate ................................................................... 8 Circle Dialogue and Circle Keeping ...................................................................................................... 9

The Shape of the Circle .................................................................................................................... 9 Every Voice Heard: How to Use the Talking Piece.......................................................................... 10 A Circle Keeper's Toolkit ................................................................................................................ 11 Focus the Circle with High-Quality Prompting Questions............................................................... 12 The Circle has a Center .................................................................................................................. 13 Respecting Each One's Experience: The Principle of Non-Interference ........................................... 13 Building Trust in the Circle ............................................................................................................. 14 Guidelines are Cornerstones of Trust ............................................................................................. 16 Agreements are Also Cornerstones of Trust ................................................................................... 17 Mandated Reporting, Agreements, and Trust ............................................................................... 17 Community Building (Proactive) and Response to Harms: Two Circle Themes ................................ 18 Sequence of Events in a Circle........................................................................................................ 19 Part Two: Varieties of Circle Formats and Circles for Building Community.............................................. 21 Varieties of Circle Formats................................................................................................................ 21 Basic Circle .................................................................................................................................... 21 Popcorn Circle ............................................................................................................................... 21 Fishbowl (Witness) Circle............................................................................................................... 22 Spiral Circle.................................................................................................................................... 22 Feedback Circle.............................................................................................................................. 22 Wheelhouse Circle......................................................................................................................... 22 Small Group/Student Circle Leaders............................................................................................... 22 Building Connections, Building Community....................................................................................... 23

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Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles

Goals for Community-Building Circles ............................................................................................ 23 Implicit Questions of Connection ................................................................................................... 23 Basic Connection: The Check-in Round .......................................................................................... 24 Responsive Circle........................................................................................................................... 24 Story of the Day ............................................................................................................................. 24 Something Special ......................................................................................................................... 25 The Guest House Circle .................................................................................................................. 26 Loving the Questions Circle............................................................................................................ 27 Thanksgiving Circle ........................................................................................................................ 28 Energy Management: Calming Activities ........................................................................................... 29 Part Three: Restorative Circles in the Classroom: Teaching Skills and Setting Things Right ..................... 30 Teaching Restorative Concepts and Dialogue: Overview of the Teaching Circles ............................... 31 Lesson 1 Overview--Introduction to Circles...................................................................................... 32 Lesson Plan 1--Introduction to Circles.............................................................................................. 33 Lesson 2 Overview--Agreements ..................................................................................................... 37 Lesson Plan 2--Agreements ............................................................................................................. 38 Lesson 3 Overview--Restorative Justice and the Chips Scenario ....................................................... 41 Lesson Plan 3--Restorative Justice and the Chips Scenario ............................................................... 42 Lesson 4 Overview--The Issues that Affect Us .................................................................................. 47 Lesson Plan 4--The Issues that Affect Us .......................................................................................... 48 Lesson 5 Overview--Fishbowl Circle Discussions .............................................................................. 51 Lesson Plan 5--Fishbowl Circle Discussions ...................................................................................... 52 Using Punitive and Restorative Approaches Together ................................................................... 57 Lesson 6 Overview--Exploring Conflicts, Expressing Affection .......................................................... 58 Lesson Plan 6--Exploring Conflicts, Expressing Affection .................................................................. 59 Lesson 7 Overview--Maintaining Our Community............................................................................ 62 Lesson Plan 7--Maintaining Our Community .................................................................................... 63

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Introduction: Teaching Restorative Practices with Classroom Circles

"Because of our class circles, students accepted more responsibility for their roles in both creating and solving the problems. It became much easier to encourage students to solve their problems themselves; in part because I gained more confidence that students had the skills to do so, but also in part because of how the project shifted the way I communicate with my students."

--Fourth Grade Teacher

This manual supports the teaching of restorative practices and skills in your classroom. Restorative Practices are a framework for building community and for responding to challenging behavior through authentic dialogue, coming to understanding, and making things right.

This manual describes how to hold restorative circles in classrooms. It contains step-by-step instructions for circles that build community, teach restorative concepts and skills, and harness the power of

restorative circles to set things right when there is conflict. Using these methods consistently will help to create calmer, more focused classrooms. Teachers who use these methods often find that the overall proportion of time dedicated to managing behavior is reduced. This means more instructional time becomes available. It also means that students (and teachers) have happier, more peaceful experiences of their school days.1

Restorative thinking is a significant shift from punishment-oriented thinking. People, including students, who are invited into restorative dialogue are sometimes confused by the concept of "making things right." Their default response to the question "What can we do to make things right?" often has to do with punishment. It is said that "children live what they learn." When what they have learned is that troublesome behavior demands a punishment-oriented response that is how they will live. But restorative practices invite different ways of responding. These new ways must be learned through experience. The activities in this manual give students the necessary experiences to support a shift toward restorative ways of thinking and behaving.

1 One of the best resources for research on restorative practices is the International Institute of Restorative Practices, online at .

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