Reaching and Teaching All Students: Facilitating Restorative Circles for Community Building and Academic Success in the School Environment

Presentation given at the National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference of Research, Action, and Change.

The use of restorative practices to build relationships and address harm dates back more than 5,000 years. Modern practices use Restorative Circles to foster community and build relationships in a variety of settings. Schools can use Restorative Circles as a tool to foster social, emotional, and success for all members within the school community. In order to understand the power of Restorative Circles, learners in this workshop will focus on participating in diferent types of circles, circle design, and circle facilitation. Participants will become knowledgeable of the importance of Circles in building relationships and be introduced to experiential exercises for understanding the core elements and components of community building and academic circles.