Restorative Circles: Transitioning from Advisory to Academic Classrooms

Many schools relegate restorative circles to morning advisories or SEL blocks. While valuable, this segregation sends a subtle message: emotional connection is separate from learning. To maximize the power of restorative practices, we must integrate circles directly into academic instruction.

Transitioning Your circles

An academic circle can be used to introduce a unit, check for understanding, or reflect on a lesson. By sitting in a circle to discuss literature, science, or history, students learn that everyone's voice has value in academic inquiry.