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The students in this videa are very open and comfortable with each other. This stood out to me most because teenagers are usually not given a chance or they do not want to share like these students. As I write this I realize the problem may be that they do want to share byt they are not given the opportunity to do so. Although I teach younger students, we do incorporate a morning meeting into our daily routine. This helps set the tone for the day. My co-teacher and I encourage the students to share as muych as possible, as long as time permits. Our morning circle also includes a greeting, activitiy and message in addition to the share. I do think this helps build community in the classroom and pushes students to come out of their shell at times. I would not think to do the same morning meeting with older students but after seeing this video Ive learned that a morning circle could benefit all students. This also gives the students a consistant space to be themselves. The students in this video are happy and trusting of each other. This is a postive way to start the day and I plan to always make this a practice in my classroom.

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The part of the video that resonated with me the most was ~4:00 mark where the students and Ms. Glasband remark about the fluidity and balance of the circle. As the students says, “I find a balance to be serious and funny. If we’re saying something that changes the whole direction of the circle. So eventually, somebody has to say something to bring back to life because if it’s sad nobody’s going to walk to talk again.” I thought it was remarkable to see how the circle was established and reinforced to not only be a safe space for students to engage in and be vulnerable, but also a place where students have enough mutual respect to be able to navigate between serious and lighter tones amidst heavier conversation topics without coming off as rude or dismissive. Even as adults, it is often difficult to seamlessly steer a conversation between lighter and more serious topics without making it awkward. The students in the video highlighted the importance of dedicating time in the day for a restorative practice, like a community-building circle, and how much value that time brings by helping students get to know more about each other and develop compassion for each other.

I would like to incorporate a practice like this in my own classroom to help students get to know each other better, and to help me develop stronger relationships with my students. Unfortunately, my school does not have homeroom or advisory, so it is often difficult to talk to students in a group setting outside of s strictly academic classroom setting; but I would like to explore the possibility of holding a community-building circle once or twice a week during lunch with a small group of students. I think having a circle group activity would be invaluable for students to share their thoughts and feelings with each other in a safe and productive way so that students know that they may not be alone with those feelings and find comfort and community knowing that someone else may share those feelings too.

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Karen Rivera : Reflection Prompt Response

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Karen Rivera : Reflection Prompt Response

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1) What stood out to me the most while watching the video is how as everyone is in a circle a student selected a talking piece and the selected questions for students to talk about they were open with each other. The interesting part of this whole ice breaker is that they talked about life questions which gave students a time to be honest with their responses. I also admired how the participation was like in this activity because in activities like these many students tend to not be this open which is was also a thing that stood out to me the most. 2) The way I might incorporate this type of practice in my classroom is by sitting in this type of setting with my homeroom class on fridays the end of the school week for my students and talk about anything that doesn't necessarily have to do with academics. Connecting with them as human beings to help them feel better in school. The impact I think this would have on my students is having them be more comfortable with me as their teacher and with each other. This will create a safe and healthy classroom environment which will lead them to be open with each other and not feel afraid to speak up on something they might be dealing with. Therefore this can have a positive impact of bringing closer a community within the class and educators.

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1. While watching the video, two things that stood out the most to me were the fact that the community circle was student-led along with the significance of teacher participance. In the first factor, I believe that it can be very difficult for conversations to be led by students, especially in personal topics that take risk to open up about. I loved seeing students feel so open in sharing how they felt with each other, about the space, and beyond, knowing that it took lots of effort and community support to get there. This ties into the next factor of teacher participation as though they were a student themselves, and how they ensured that they were vulnerable about themselves in order to pursue comfort amongst their students. I found that to be such a powerful act around growing children who are still learning to comprehend their emotions.

2. I believe something I can absolutely include within my own community circles in class is having my own vulnerability be placed within it. Helping students understand that it's okay to be honest about the way they feel by sharing my own honesty can show huge gains in their emotional development.

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The part of the video that stood out to me the most was when the teacher explained how the circle oscillates from sadness to laughter. I liked how the teacher stamped that it is ok for the group to laugh together, in addition to sharing negative emotions. I think this duality is really powerful. Feeling comfortable to open up about personal hardship is one aspect of vulnerability, but another important part of vulnerability is feeling comfortable enough to let your guard down and be silly. These restorative circles seem to have a great balance between seriousness and lightheartedness.

Although I teach 3rd grade, I could definitely incorporate a practice like this in my own classroom. These restorative circles remind me of our morning circles, during which we discuss feelings and emotions. However, we typically do not have time for full explanations beyond a few words. In order to give students more time to share their feelings, I could incorporate circle time during our Friday SEL blocks. Not only would it build a stronger sense of community in our classroom, but it would also make our SEL lessons more interactive.

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As I was watching the video, I noticed the teacher said, "You are exactly as you are in the circle...someone who she doesn't usually get to be all of the time." This moment stood out to me, because the student the teacher was referring to has struggled with behavior regulation. The circle gave that student an opportunity to transcend who they think they are/need to be in the classroom, and who others see them as, and become a more authentic version of themselves. Students were not limited by themselves, and they did not have to conform to fit in-- everyone was welcome.

In my classroom, I can see how something like this might make a big difference. We often have a few minutes at the end of the day as students are packing up that would be perfect for this sort of activity. I think that if my coteacher and I were to provide our students space to be their authentic selves, it might limit some of the issues that we have seen in class. For example, there is often a lot of fighting between the girls, but if they were able to truly relate to one another and break down their walls, these issues may lessen overtime. I’ve realized some of the girls seem to have misconceptions about each other and in the moments where they have been able to see each other who who they truly are, their relationships became stronger.

I also think forming these connections between students, and between teacher and student, can help foster an overall environment of comfort and understanding. As teachers, it is easy to be swept up in all of the issues in the classroom, and to be reactive rather than responsive. Giving students time to show us as educators who they really are can help us address student needs in order to cultivate a healthier classroom.

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My classroom has morning meeting and closing circle. We also have restorative circles. What resonates most with me, maybe just because it's first grade is that they happen A LOT. They aren't just one time things. This honestly reminded me of group therapy. I loved hearing the older students in the video share and take care of one another. When my students have asked me why I teach, I always say because I want to see you all learn how to be kind to one another. My plan is actually to be even more intentional with closing circle. We always have shoutouts, but they're rushed and there's no way to ensure every student gets one every day. Which they should. Maybe once a month or every other week we can try to end playtime early with like 20-30mins to spare. Put all names in the basket and go around. Will talk to my co-teacher about it.

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1. While watching the video the thing that stood out most to me was how the teacher spoke about how she wants to get vulnerable and deep right away, to ensure that her students will be able to get vulnerable and deep. To me, this stuck out because even though I do get deep and vulnerable with my students, I have never noticed the affects that it can have on the students and how they are willing to respond. This video taught me that being vulnerable right off the bat, can effect in a class community that is safe and has lots of trust.

2. In my own classroom, I would like to incorporate more circle time, but on a deeper level. I think the questions should be more personable and really give the students the opportunity to open up. I also loved how the class values were written on paper plates and hung up. I would incorporate an activity like this where students can write their own idea for a class value and they will all be hung up.

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Anisah Anif - Restorative Practice Reflection 

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Anisah Anif - Restorative Practice Reflection 

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Part 1.

What stood out most to me after watching the video is when Kaliyah, the student who was facilitating the meeting talked about real life issues that affect her and her peers, like stress from home, being preoccupied with school work, not focusing on their feelings, which is really powerful because this meeting is concerned with each student as a complex human being and it invites students to be fully themselves at a time when, like another person says, the instinct is to hide what’s happening, which can lead to poor choices and behaviors. I think having a circle like this can air out a lot of concerns and fears, make students feel cared for and supported, like they have a voice and a community, and can bring them back to what’s ultimately their goal, which is to contribute and strive toward the next part of their lives, whether that’s a career or a college education.

In my school, our advisory culture block is scripted for us and often focused on learning about cultural holidays and they can feel quite academic rather than supportive of Social Emotional Learning.  Recently we were talking about why hard work is important. The students weren’t engaging much, so I went off-script, and talked to them seriously about the power they have to achieve what they want, and how middle school affects high school placement as well as their choices later on. As I was lecturing, which I don’t do often because time is often spent on the lesson,, I thought to myself, they’re ten years old. Maybe this isn’t the right time for this discussion. Later that day, as we were getting ready for dismissal, a group of my students came up to me and one of them said, “Ms. Anif. I never saw you look so serious before. It inspired me. It made me feel like you care. It made me want to work harder.” I was stunned as the rest of the kids nodded along that they appreciated hearing me push them to meet higher expectations, not for me, but for their own future success.. It gave me something to reflect on; that when you speak to students from a genuine place, it reaches them. I think sometimes I can assume because of their young age, that I need to be soft to make sure I never scare or leave my students with trauma, but I think becoming a more stern teacher, who holds higher expectations is something I can strive for as well. It’s about finding that balance. I’m realizing that students are searching for real meaning and real conversations and these kinds of circles lend well to that.

Part 2.

I’ve been talking to my dean about incorporating more community activities into our school and more restorative practices because while the 5th graders I teach are innocent, rule-following, and pleasant, I have met the 6th and 7th graders who rebel against our school’s systems. I believe the school is too hard on behavior and doesn’t do enough to build community. As my school is fairly new and still figuring their systems out, they are open to trying new things. I keep making suggestions to my dean who has a background in social work and she takes notes so it’s my hope that Advisory Culture Block will become more geared towards giving students space to have more SEL and that we can incorporate more holistic practices to help students come back from poor behaviors and reintegrate into the school community as well as building more community in general. I think taking time to do these circles with students where I sit down and speak from the heart while allowing them the time and space to share from their hearts would be a great practice for us all and could lead to a more positive impact. We’re pushed to move so fast, to meet deadlines, and get kids ready for exams so schools can get the funding they need to keep running. There needs to be balance because I think if students were more supported overall, then naturally they would be able to focus on academics as well.

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1. What stood out to you the most while watching the video?

What stood out most while watching the video was how vulnerable and open these students were while sharing. One of the 9th grade co-facilitators, Kaliyah, shared what sounded like a poem. It sounded honest and raw, which is difficult for students at this age to feel comfortable doing with their peers. I am very impressed with how the community-building circles have obviously progressed as students become more comfortable with each other. I also loved that there is such a large student-led aspect of this group, through student facilitators.

2. How might you incorporate a practice like this in your own classroom? What impact do you think it would have?

I would love to incorporate more circle time into my classroom. In elementary school, there often are many times when students are in a circle throughout the week. I find sometimes in older elementary grades, such as grades 3-5, the circles begin to lessen in occurrence. After seeing how important this circle is for students even older than that, I would love to continue circles into the older elementary grades.

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Melanie Moore - Restorative Justice Resonse

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Melanie Moore - Restorative Justice Resonse

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1. While watching this video, I was most struck by how vulnerable these teenagers were able to be with each other. This quality is so difficult to demonstrate for people of any age, but especially for high schoolers. Despite perhaps having some initial difficulty or discomfort - they also really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Much of the positive experience may have come from the teacher modeling an important and vulnerable share. Striking a balance between serious and light is hard but so important for making this a continuous, productive practice.

2. Something I'd like to implement more in my classroom is, like this teacher, being more vulnerable with my students and sharing more lessons from my own life with them. However I also admire how much the teacher in the video is able to step back to make space for the students to lead this circle. This shows trust and high expectations, and these students clearly rise to the occasion. I am always looking for ways to make our class discussions more student-led and I think something personal like this is a great opportunity.

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Katrina Balanay Eucker - Restorative Justice Response

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Katrina Balanay Eucker - Restorative Justice Response

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The part of the video that stood out to me the most was that they make an effort to let the group be balanced between serious and lighthearted. It is important to have this balance, because it keeps the group from being too heavy and encourages the group to feel comfortable and safe to share their thoughts with their peers. Having an ice breaker at the beginning of the meeting is a good way to start the circle off on a light note. Friendship and connection are important to be established at the core of these meetings in order to get the most out of them. It paves the way for its members to be fully transparent and honest in their responses.

My school has a practice very similar to this which we call "seminar." At least once or twice a month, the staff are divided into small groups of 6. We are given 20 minutes to journal on a prompt, and then sit in a circle to read what we wrote. Then, the rest of the group responds to the journal and provides feedback, and the person sharing is not allowed to respond. I have had deep discussions with my co-workers about our experiences with race, immigration, self-esteem, mental health, family struggles, goals, and more through these seminars. They have helped us find a common ground, and I've often been surprised at how much I have in common with others. I have been placed in groups with not just other teachers, but also staff on the support team, and even with my supervisors and the school directors, which removes the fear of "work and performance" and brings us down to remember that we are all still humans with our individual lives. We are able to practice sympathy and empathy for those who we may have not expected to. We also hold these seminar style meetings with parents and families, and a separate one with students once every other week (which is made to be age appropriate depending on the grade level). This is a wonderful practice and I feel lucky to be in a school that embraces honesty. It teaches students, parents, and teachers that their emotions are valid and that they should advocate for their needs or fears.

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Tory Watnick - Restorative Practice Response 

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Tory Watnick - Restorative Practice Response 

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The fact that students, in the video, were facilitating the discussion stood out to me. First and foremost, I think it is super empowering for the students to lead the conversation. In addition, having a teacher always lead and facilitate perpetuates a power dynamic between teachers and students. I appreciated that the teacher in the video sat in the circle just like all the other students which also helped break down any power dynamics. In the video, the teacher was engaging and interacting just like all the students in which she shared her own personal experiences. She mentioned that this encourages students that this is a safe space. The layout of the advisory circles with the students facilitating and everyone sitting in a circle, in addition to the discussion topics helped create a sense of relatability amongst all group members.

The students in the video highlighted the value they see in the advisory program.  Specifically, one student stated that he has dealt with police brutality and other issues in his personal life, yet this advisory program offers him an outlet to deal with his emotions in a small group setting.

Similarly, I noticed that the advisory circles were small groups and what looked like part of a class and this, to me, seems crucial. I co-teach advisory with my middle schoolers and my co-teachers and I always point out that it is not the most effective advisory setup because our advisory is 25 plus students. In a perfect world we could have it so homerooms were split up into small groups. Perhaps, a short term solution is to do some parallel teaching in advisory, every so often so that students are getting similar advisory benefits as the students in the video.

I think that if we could implement small groups next year it would help with the student culture at my school. This is because as a teacher it is easier to cultivate a healthy environment and manage a smaller number of students to help make everyone feel heard. In turn, these small groups would help offer every student a safe space at my school who they could look to for support about home or school life.

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Mellissa Richmond - Restorative Justice Practices

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Mellissa Richmond - Restorative Justice Practices

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The fact that students were not only sharing in the circle but also reflecting on how doing this has helped them/provided a safe space for them to connect with others, reflect on their actions and choices, etc., has awed me. It shows how these circles have long-lasting effects that can last a lifetime. And what more do we want as teachers than to positively influence our students' lives so that they can make positive choices now and later in their lives?

I might incorporate this practice firstly as a means of having students reflect on everyday actions and think about positive actions that can contribute to a more supportive and respectful environment. I can have students think and share about how their choices might affect others, how some choices have affected them positively and negatively, and what actions might they take to attract better results.

This will push students to reflect on their actions, consider the needs of others and their own needs, and develop ways of doing that are supportive.

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Jacob Turner - Restorative Justice Response

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Jacob Turner - Restorative Justice Response

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Restorative justice cirles were something I studied in college, but never in the context of a classroom. As such, I was excited to watch this video and see how this system could be employed within a school setting. While the whole video was interesting, I loved the practice of a positive affirmation about each person at the conclusion of the circle. This practice involved students picking a name at random and recognizing their unique values and contributions to the circle one at a time. I think this is a great way of forging community and respect among a group, particularly in the high school setting where there is commonly a high degree of division. In addition, I appreciated that the names were chosen at random. This ensured that each student received a compliment and that each person would appreciate different people. A circle based system is already implemented within my classroom, however this video made me realize that with some changes it could embody the spirit of a restorative justice circle. This meeting occurs daily in our morning block where students answer a daily question. If I were to add the postitive affirmation idea and a unifying start tot he circle it could help foster community and understanding in my room. This would also provide a strong start to the morning.

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Alessandro Lopes - Restorative Justice Response

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Alessandro Lopes - Restorative Justice Response

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What I love is that as soon as the video begins, the class circle looks like a place of enjoyment and belonging. The 9th graders not only see it as a safe space to share, but it’s a place to learn about one another. It helps lift the stress of home, school and any struggles the students may have and bring it to a place to decompress. As the teacher said in the video you can be your own self, especially when it is hard to be your own self. It’s not a place where the teacher asks questions but where the students bring questions, share what they are going through and spread love to one another. Incorporating this into my classroom can drastically change not only the student to student relationship but also the teacher student relationship. I have learned so much just by listening to my students, who they are, how they are feeling, and what they need. I told me principal during a PD that, as teachers, we see our style as working and positive but the students may see it differently. These circles are a great way to find a middle ground for my relationship with these students.

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Haley Resnick - Restorative Justice Response

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Haley Resnick - Restorative Justice Response

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It was surprising to see how student-led the community building circle was and how the student participation and motivation was entirely intrinsic to the student rather than forced upon them by the teacher. The reputation about nearly all high schoolers is that they don’t want to be in class and certainly would not want to be in a small circle where they are forced to talk about their feelings. However, this video proved how that notion of high schoolers, and students in general, is not set in stone. Students are also human beings who, if treated respectfully, will want to engage. While I would normally steer away from employing a restorative justice circle in fear of student resentment, this video reminded me to believe in my students and believe that they can strive can for excellence, especially with a vulnerable teacher at their side.

A quality the teacher in the video inherited that I would need to incorporate into my own classroom is vulnerability. The teacher understood that her students would mimic her behavior. If she wanted them to be comfortable and open up, the teacher had to do the same. Even if I do not employ the circles exactly as shown, I can work on being more vulnerable with my students, explaining my emotions and difficulties. Subsequently, as much as the teacher was open, she was also good at stepping back and letting the space be one for the students, not for her. Often times, I find myself speaking for my students, trying to control their socio-emotional learning,. However, I know the students will acquire significantly more meaning if they arrive at realizations themselves and see the classmates as a “family” rather than students they are forced to work with. Ultimately, taking any of the steps displayed in the community circle can go a long way in my class towards developing student agency, inter-student respect, and creating a school environment that students feel comfortable stepping into.

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Something that stood out to me the most while watching this video is how powerful a restorative justice circle is. Having these high school students who are focused on work and grades take mindful time to connect with one another and discuss shared values can be really powerful for helping ones mental health and forming meaningful connections with peers. This builds a sense of community among students and that really stood out as well. I would incorporate this into my practice by doing more meaningful activities during morning meeting time to help students build more valuable connections with one another. I also like the game they played "The wind blows" and have played this with my students before. It is a great way for students to find shared interests or experiences. This allows for students to share and to hear if other students might be going through something similar. It shows students they are not alone in their feelings. I want to give more time for students to have the floor and share how they are feeling each day either in a morning circle or start a closing circle to discuss about the day. I think this can be a powerful time where students connect and build relationships, which would have a positive impact and a greater sense of classroom understanding and community.

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Create a post (including your name) responding to the following questions:

1. What stood out to you the most while watching the video?

2. How might you incorporate a practice like this in your own classroom? What impact do you think it would have?