Restorative Practices:

Restorative practices build community and promote healthy relationships among educators and students in order to teach the social-emotional and conflict-resolution skills necessary to reduce conflict.

Red, green, blue, purple and yellow stick figures arranged in a circle.

Connection Circles

Connection Circles serve as the foundation for building community, relationships and establishing classroom norms. The circle process is regulated through an established order with an opening, focus or reading, then questions and a closing. Each student is handed a talking piece that allows them the chance to speak and be heard. In primary school they are used on a daily basis and in middle and high school they can be used daily or weekly. Advisory is a great chance for teachers and students to connect and build that community to address upcoming events, changes and even when things go bad. Circles can sometimes be challenging and students may refuse to participate or they share too much, this is the reason training and preparation are key. A good facilitator will not sweat the small stuff and know when the circle is working or not. It is a process, a journey toward building community. It is not the only way, but it is a fundamental one.

The Process of a Circle

There is value in the power of relationships, how well we know each other and how strongly we are connected to each other is directly tied to students and teachers sense of safety and belonging.

Objective

To build and strengthen our connections to each other

Ground Rules

Text in boxes as follows: Speak openly and honestly, speak from the heart, use school approriate language, respect people's privacy, speak only when you have the talking piece, no crosstalk verbal or non-verbal, you may pass but we'll come back to your, share the time fairly.

The Talking Piece

The talking piece is a meaningful and symbolic object that the facilitator brings to the circle. The facilitator often incorporates an explanation of the meaning of the talking piece into the circle activities.

Prompts and Rounds

The prompt/question should be appropriate for the level of safety in the group (low-risk for new groups, then build through the year to medium and high risk).

Closing

Thank everyone for participating and encourage others to follow up with something else during their free time with something that connected.

Connection Circle Prompts for The Year:

- Circle Prompts: (some prompts are borrowed from Kay Pranis and Restorative Solutions, Inc.)
  - Week 1:
    - Check in - how are you today?
    - What’s been something you’ve liked about this time of COVID?
  - Week 2:
    - If you really knew me you’d know this about me….
    - What’s been a support for you during this time of COVID?
  - Week 3:
    - I think I’m good at ….?
    - What are you proud of yourself for in this difficult time?
  - Week 4:
    - If I could do something really well it would be …..?
    - How are you supporting yourself and/or someone else during this time?
  - Week 5:
    - Check in - how are you today?
    - What gives you hope?
  - Week 6:
    - I value this more than anything…?
    - What ways do you try and improve yourself or others?
  - Week 7:
    - I find that I am happiest when…?
    - Who do you like to talk with about your worries/concerns?
  - Week 8:
    - When I get annoyed (especially during the COVID crisis) I do this…?
    - My first response or reaction to challenges or difficult things is to...?
  - Week 9:
    - I am inspired by ….?
    - What’s your favorite music to listen to and why?
  - Week 10:
    - Respect is important to me because ….?
    - My classmates show me respect when I do ….?
  - Week 11:
    - What does it take to listen to another person’s opinion and understand it? What’s challenging about that?
    - I like to get people’s attention by doing what (being yourself, being funny, saying something important…)?
  - Week 12:
    - Something I am really looking forward to is….?
    - Something that I do really well is…? Something that I really struggle with is….?
  - Week 13:
    - What helps you wake up in the morning and get ready to go?
    - What is something that you would prefer to avoid in the morning?
  - Week 14:
    - I want to get better at …?
    - What am I afraid to fail at?
  - Week 15:
    - When people try to boss me around I….?
    - When I want adults to do something I do ……?
  - Week 16:
    - Something that I worry about is…?
    - If I were an adult I would do this right away?
  - Week 17:
    - I am most brave when….?
    - When I’m not brave, or when I’m feeling scared I usually do this?
  - Week 18:
    - Something I really like about my family/my home is…?
    - Something that I find really annoying about my family/cousins/siblings is ….?
  - Week 19:
    - I like to tease/make others laugh by doing what?
    - Other people can tease/make me laugh by doing what?
  - Week 20:
    - Respect looks like this to me…?
    - Disrespect looks like this to me…?
  - Week 21:
    - I wish my classmates would do this…?
    - I wish my teachers would do this….?
  - Week 22:
    - I wish I had the courage to…?
    - Something that I struggle with doing is …?
  - Week 23:
    - I could teach you how to ….?
    - People seem to like me because…?
  - Week 24:
    - My best friend….?
    - My teachers are …?
  - Week 25:
    - A strong and independent person is ….?
    - I don’t like when people help me with what…?
  - Week 26:
    - One of my biggest fears is…?
    - I wish other people would …?
  - Week 27:
    - The hardest thing about school is…?
    - The hardest thing about friendship is…?
  - Week 28:
    - I care most about…?
    - I am willing to do ….. To make sure people are not left out?
  - Week 29:
    - The best thing about me is….?
    - If I could change one thing about myself it would be…?
  - Week 30:
    - Something you don’t know about me is….?
    - What I know about my family’s roots are…?
  - Week 31:
    - I love talking about …?
    - I show how I am feeling by doing what …?
  - Week 32:
    - I made a new friend this year by …?
    - If I could change one thing about this year it would be…?
  - Week 33:
    - If I had a magic wand to change anything it would be …?
    - If you had $100 what would buy/do with it?
  - Week 34:
    - Which is better: being well liked or respected? Why?
    - If I could be an expert in anything it would be…?
  - Week 35:
    - The best thing about school is…?
    - Something I’ve done to make school better is…?
  - Week 36:
    - My best friends would describe me as …?
    - Something I’ve accomplished or am proud of from this year is…?
  - Week 37:
    - Something that I will remember from this school year is…?
    - Something that I want others to remember about me from this year is…?
  - Week 38:
    - Something I am really looking forward to this summer is…?
    - How are you feeling about this school year? High’s/Low’s?
  - Week 39:
    - I am excited about next year because…?
    - I am grateful for…?
  - Week 40:
    - Next school year I want …?
    - What do you appreciate about your classmates?

Click here for more on Connection Circles!

Webinar on Restorative Practices in APS

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Restorative Practices: