4.2 Responsive Circles

Responsive circles utilize questions to explore challenging behavior, the consequences of this behavior and agreements about how to make things right. When using responsive circles to respond to incidents, they should address two critical questions:

  • What harm has been caused?
  • What needs to happen to make things right?

restorative circle processThe process for the responsive circle can be visualized as a circle, moving from steps 1 through four:

  1. Establishing familiarity among the participants (introductions, having each person tell a little bit about themselves)
  2. Building trust and relationships
  3. Addressing and dealing with the issue or issues that brought everyone together
  4. Creation of a contract in which affected parties take responsibility for carrying out actions to make things right

Helpful Questions for Responsive Circles:

  • What have you thought about since the incident?
  • How do you feel about what happened?
  • What has been the hardest part of this for you?
  • Who has been affected by this incident?
  • How have they been affected?
  • What was your part in the problem?
  • What needs to happen to make things right?
  • What can we do to make sure this doesn’t happen again?

Responsive circles, like community-building circles, build relationships and trust. Trust fosters an environment in which students can be their best selves. When there is trust between students, it creates an environment in which students can safely risk expressing themselves.

Trust is a process and is not automatic. Once trust is embedded in the school culture, you can have more powerful conversations to help everyone grow and improve. To build trust, start by investing time and giving structure to trust-building activities such as recognizing and supporting others. Restorative circles are always by invitation; students should not feel compelled to share when they do not feel emotionally safe with those who are in the circle. You can use participation levels as a gauge for how students trust each other. If many students do not want to speak in the circle, it may mean trust is lacking and may need more attention.

In circles, we build trust by giving students the ability to safely share their responses without being judged or fearing social consequences. This begins by asking students in the circle prompting questions with low-risk responses such as, “What is your favorite movie and why?” Teachers can increase the depth of questions asked based on participation and how students react to each other. “Share a time when you had a conflict with someone and tell what happened.”

When thinking of ways to build trust among students in your classroom(s), consider the following questions:

  • What has to happen?
  • What has to change?
  • What do you need to do?
  • What do students need to do?

Teacher strategies for building trusting relationships include modeling trust and respect for all students, connecting with each and every student on a regular basis, letting students know they can talk to you about their issues, and never embarrassing or calling out a student purposely. A student who has been publicly embarrassed will not trust you, and while they may bond with one or two other students in the class, they are less likely to make friends and build trusting relationships with other students if they feel they have been shamed in front of them.

Set norms and be intentional about letting students know you want to create a safe and inclusive place to learn. Make it clear to students about how they can share concerns with you (meeting after class or anonymously by note or email). If a student uses a surrogate such as another student or a family member to share their concern, examine why the student didn’t feel comfortable doing it themself and what has caused a barrier to them trusting the teacher with their feelings.

One method of building community and trust is to begin each class (or as many as possible) with a moment to focus on kindness to self and others. Journaling helps students reflect on what has happened to them and how they feel about it. One way to formalize and standardize the building of trust in the classroom is through a classroom agreement which is created with the involvement of each student who is willing to participate.

 

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