Circle Forum

Circle Forum

By Stan BakerEducation
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Circle Forum episodes

  • If it's good for the students, it's good for the staff!

    If learning in a school or district is symmetrical for students and adults, then you’ll want to hear more about that from our guest this week, Perry Smith is the Director of Instruction for Curriculum with the Abbotsford School District in British Columbia. Implementation and embedding indigenous worldview, content and competencies is best done by address the heart, then the head of the educators. The silos and structures set up for adults in our schools and districts need the same level of differentiation that we apply to meeting diverse learning needs in the classroom.

    Restorative practice suggestions:

    1. The opportunity to experience something new like an indigenous worldview leads a change in practice.
    2. Look at the structures in schools and districts no matter how benign these appear to leaders.
    3. Who does the structure serve?
    4. Since relationships are the foundation for collaboration, look at the relationships that need to be built between the adults in school, between the students in the school and between the adults and the students in school.

      5. How deeper learning can Transform Schools a project with Harvard Graduate School of Education

      Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

      Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

      Free practical tools and restorative resources for teachers on restorative.ca

      Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay

      16 min
    5. Mind the gap between the vision for indigenous education and its implementation

      The gap between a school’s vision and the implementation of that vision is the problem of practice being studied by our guest this week, Perry Smith, Director of Instruction for Curriculum at the Abbotsford School District. Our conversation is led by how to implement and embed indigenous worldview, content and competencies. Teacher practice is impeded by concerns about time needed to change, adequate resources, lack of knowledge, felt need to have indigenous persons lead class conversations and a fear of making a mistake and getting into trouble. We are reminded again this week that educators can make changes when things are done with a good mind, a good heart and common sense. Equity and inequity is structural and schools and student benefit when leaders look at even the most benign things like school calendars, bell schedules and school days. Asking who is served by the structure can lead to undoing and change that engages students. We had such a great conversation that we have to continue with Part 2 in next week’s podcast.

      How deeper learning can Transform Schools a project with Harvard Graduate School of Education

      Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

      Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

      Free practical tools and restorative resources for teachers on restorative.ca

      Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay

      25 min
    6. Changing the structure of conversations engages parents, even the frustrated ones!

      In these traumatic and pandemic times, there are many conversations to be had with frustrated parents. How school leaders structure the conversations can make all the difference. A restorative mindset  allows leaders and school staff to prepare for the inevitable difficult conversations with parents, ask non-blaming questions during the conversation and follow up on any actions arising from the conversation.

      Restorative practice suggestions:

      1. As a school leader, give yourself the grace to see that you don’t have to have all the answers.
      2. Know when to step back from a conversation with parents in order to manage your own stress levels.
      3. Check in with staff to find out how they are coping.
      4. Prepare for the conversations beforehand with the restorative questions.
      5. Reflect on the conversations afterwards by asking yourself things like:

        6. How did that conversation go?

        What was I thinking at the time? And since then?

        How did that impact me and the parents?

        What was the hardest thing for me? For the parents?

        What do I think I need to do to have the most successful conversation possible?


        Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

        Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

        Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay

        21 min
      6. Good intentions can have a harmful impact so listen first when confronted

        Know your students and let them know you care. Sound advice whether it in-person or remote learning according to our guest this week, Cathy Abrahams, President of the Ontario Public School Board Association and Trustee with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. Language matters and can inhibit student engagement. Cathy share a story that has stuck with her about the impact of her teacher telling her “girls have a hard time doing math.” The Pandemic has impacted the mental health of students and teachers and that will inhibit student engagement.

        Restorative practice suggestions:

        1. Find a way to meet kids where they are at and talk with them.
        2. Use technology to connect with students on the margins.
        3. Take a step back and listen when confronted with the impact of our actions or words.
        4. Ask open ended questions in situations where someone’s been harmed or impacted by decisions.

          5. Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

          Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

          Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay

          32 min
        5. Student engagement: what are the structures that inhibit or enhance in district, school, classroom? Season 3 focus

          A new year and a new season of Circle Forum starts with our guest, Amina Abdulle , teacher consultant for equity and Co-Founder:Black Staff Equity Alliance with the Greater Essex County District School Board in Ontario. This season’s focus will be on structures that enhance or inhibit student engagement in our districts, schools and classrooms. Our discussion this week points out that rigid structures at any level inhibit student engagement. Transparency about values at every level is essential to students engaging.

          Restorative practice suggestions:

          1. Give yourself some grace when dealing with the hurt that comes with thinking about things differently.
          2. Care for you own mental health as a teacher.
          3. A culturally responsive approach needs to start not be debated.
          4. Value the identity of the students who show up and engage at school.

            5. Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

            Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

            Music by ZakharValaha from Pixabay

            24 min
          5. 3 key predictors of secondary completion apparent in elementary data, Canadian study shows

            Our guest this week is Robert Brown, a researcher on the Canadian study Redefining Risk: Human rights and elementary school factors predicting post-secondary access. Look for these risk indicators early:

            1. A single year of elementary education with 10% absenteeism rate or higher.
            2. A suspension for an elementary student
            3. Attending an aggregated special needs classroom.

              4. Restorative practices suggestions:

              1. Look at student absenteeism data as an indicator.
              2. The earlier you look at this data the better.
              3. Using the attendance data as an indicator, look into the story behind the data to address the reasons for absenteeism.

                4. Redefining Risk: Human rights and elementary school factors predicting post-secondary access Brown, Robert and Kelly Gallagher-Mckay and Gillian Parekh Feb. 2020

                Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

                Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

                Music - Scott Holmes Music - Upbeat Party

                18 min
              4. Connect the dots on absenteeism and ask what else is going on

                Risk factors can predict concerns with chronic absenteeism. Educators can connect the dots between risk factors like mobility, history of absenteeism, student behaviours, declining student achievement or health. Noticing a change is one thing. Acting on it by telling someone else is another.

                Restorative suggestions:

                1. Know that there are many little things that you can do as a teacher when observing risk factors related to absenteeism.
                2. Know that you can talk to others in schools, districts and communities who can help.
                3. Establish a connection base through the relationships with students and families in order to be able to make a caring response to students.

                  4. Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

                  Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

                  Music - Scott Holmes Music - Upbeat Party

                  27 min
                4. Trusted, caring adult is a protective factor for student attendance

                  Taking a strengths-based approach, individual educators can make a difference in the lives of students at risk of chronic absenteeism. There are so many protective factors that educators can control and influence in order to improve student attendance and engagement.

                  Restorative suggestions:

                  1. Reflect on your practice regularly using the restorative questions.
                  2. Adults who are firm and fair give students structure and support to attend school.
                  3. Ask questions to parents that build up strengths rather than blame parents.

                    4. Checklist of Attendance Protective Factors

                    Some of the  protective factors that can mitigate and address absenteeism:

                    (Adapted from CHECK & CONNECT Protective Factors associated with school dropout, Regents of University of Minnesota, 2017)

                    student completes homework
                    student comes to class prepared
                    student has high locus of control
                    student has good self-concept
                    student has expectations for school completion
                    family- academic support for learning(e.g. help with homework)
                    family - motivational support for learning(e.g. high expectations for learning)
                    family - availability of educational resources
                    family - parental monitoring
                    school - orderly school environment
                    school - committed, caring teachers
                    school - fair discipline policies
                    school - relationship with one caring adult
                    school - opportunities for participation

                    Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

                    Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

                    Music - Scott Holmes Music - Upbeat Party

                    21 min
                  4. Build students' engagement and connection by knowing their names and saying "Hi"

                    Our guest this week is Nathan Ngieng, Assistant Superintendent of Abbotsford School District in British Columbia. Heading into the pandemic, the leadership decided to make student health and well-being a priority along with staff health and well-being. That vision helped to create safe spaces and hold space for belonging and connection.

                    Restorative suggestions:

                    1. Take the opportunity to listen in order to understand not to respond regardless of your role in the school district.
                    2. Every person has a role to play in implementing a common goal like health and well-being.
                    3. Give yourself permission to check and connect with students and colleagues and find out how they’re doing.
                    4. Participation in circles can develop the symmetry of adult learning and student learning.

                      5. How deeper learning can Transform Schools a project with Harvard Graduate School of Education

                      Street Data by Shane Safir and Jamila Dugan

                      Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

                      Visit CircleForum for more information about attending to student absenteeism.

                      Music - Scott Holmes Music - Upbeat Party

                      30 min
                    5. Classroom connections of Treaties of Peace and Friendship, French and Restorative Practices

                      Our guest this week is Jared Baker, a grade 5/6 French Immersion teacher, who talks about his daily practice. He has some great stories to share about how circles work in his classroom in French. Jared makes some excellent connections between restorative practices, Treaties of Peace and Friendship and setting up his classroom norms.

                      Restorative suggestions:

                      1. Incorporate restorative practices into your daily practice, the way you teach.
                      2. Don’t be afraid to pause a conversation and get back to it later.
                      3. Give circles a try and keep at it.

                        4. Order Steve’s book The Restorative Principal Leading in Education with Restorative Practices

                        Visit CircleForum for more information about our online trainings in restorative practices

                        Music - Scott Holmes Music - Upbeat Party

                        31 min

                      About Circle Forum

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                      Leading a school in today’s educational landscape is both rewarding and complex. This podcast equips elementary and secondary school principals with proven strategies to tackle challenges they face…