Relationship Treatment Agreement Template

Students Treating Students Students Treating the Teacher

Teacher Treating the Students Everyone Treating the Facilities

 TEXRP Circle Planning Guide

What is the Purpose of the Circle? (Community Building, Check-in, Classroom Issue, Content, etc.)

Circle Introduction: (How will you Introduce and convey the reason for the circle to the participants?)

What is your Talking Piece? (Is there a specific meaning behind choosing this talking piece?)

What is the Center Piece? (Is there a specific meaning behind choosing this center piece?)

Circle Opening/Check-in: (Poem, quote, video, story, etc. or use a scale 1-5 or weather report to
check-in with students in the present moment)

Establishing Core Guidelines: (What are the core guidelines you would like to introduce to the
participants? What additional questions will you ask to create shared guidelines and values? Do you have
them written down for all to see? *See Business Card)

Circle Value Round: (How will you establish Values with the participants?)

Circle Discussion Rounds: (Getting acquainted, building relationships, addressing issues/take action)
How many rounds will you attempt? Where in the pool do your questions potentially place
participants?)

Circle Closing/Check-out: (What question do you want to present to bring closure to the circle? ex: how
are people feeling right now at the end? How will you close the circle? ex: praise and celebration, poem,
quote, song, breathing, story, etc.)
 TEXRP Circle Checklist

Components

Circle Lesson Plan Completed

Alternate Lesson Plan/Alternate Placement Prepared

Review Circle Guidelines

(to determine if students are ready to circle)
Review the Pass

Redirect Any Student that is not ready to Circle to Alternate Assignment or

Alternate Classroom
Invite Students to Circle
Physically Move into the Circle
(Once Seated)
Welcome/Thank Participants to Circle
Review Three Ways to Actively Participate in the Circle
Focus on Not Speaking without the Talking Piece by:
Be an Active Listener
Raise Hand for Clarifying Questions (3)
Thumbs up/Thumbs down
Introduce Talking Piece/Center Piece (Meanings)

Circle Opening

Establish or Review Values (Optional)

Discussion Round -
Pause/Give Think Time
Pass Talking Piece Right or Left
Dont Teach/Judge Responses
Only Interrupt if Violations of Guidelines Occur
Repeat Discussion Rounds as Necessary

Circle Closing
 TEXRP Intentional Weekly
Classroom Plan
Head and Heart - Building Relationships in Increments

Every Monday have students complete the slips of papers with topics/themes/
questions they want to talk about - What is on their head and their heart?
Collect paper (student voice) and place them in a creative container

Intentionally build in time during transitions/end of class to have students stand

up and form a classroom circle.
Pick a paper (student voice) and have students voluntarily participate in
answering
Repeat with next paper, if times permits

We encourage educators to examine ALL students submissions to gain a better

understanding of what is on their head and their heart?
*Possible consider building your next community building circle surrounding your
student responses.

Keep the Respect Agreement Alive by Setting a Respect Goal

Every Monday have students review (do not read) the Respect Agreement to
determine what is ONE aspect in regards to respect that we struggled with last
week and want to get better at?
Students collaborate to determine ONE respect goal for the week.

Teacher leads classroom discussion to determine the ONE classroom respect goal
for the week
Place Respect Goal in a visible space in the classroom

Intentionally create opportunities to check in, check up and check out and
readdress violations at anytime during class time
Assist students with finding replacement and strategies to address the changes
necessary to meet the Respect Goal
*Possible consider having a respect goal for the adult(s) in the classroom

*Confirm that ALL students (including new students) have signatures associated
with the Respect Agreement in order to help increase accountability amongst
students
Why We Circle.?

Teachers

1. Relationships, Relationships, Relationships. Circle is a designated platform that serves as

the platform to proactively build, and reaffirm relationships.
2. Circle Time is an investment, designed to cultivate relationships, and build a strong sense of
community in the classroom.
3. Circle allows the teacher to become an active listener, while also increasing vulnerability,
and genuine empathetic moments.
4. Circle can be used to teach the soft skills. Listening, Reflecting, and Understanding are
natural bi-products of circle when done correctly, regularly, and with fidelity.
5. Circle can be used as a creative way to teach content.
6. Using Circle to Check-in, Check-up, and Check out, allows the teacher to have an in depth
understanding of the student perspective.
7. Relationships built during circle, and engaging lessons can potentially result in better
classroom management.
8. Circle time creates a safe, nonjudgmental space, for teachers to value student perspective
and create a sense of belonging.
9. Circle can be used to connect quickly using the Two-minute connection.
10. Circle can be used to talk with student not to students.

Students

1. VOICE - Circle gives every student the opportunity to share and have a voice.
2. Circle allows students to build relationships with one another
3. Circle increases awareness, of circumstances and appreciation.
4. Circle is fun! Circle is a safe place for students to share their perspective and learn from
each other.
5. Circle allows students to know more about their teachers and administrators.
6. Circle builds strong bonds and trust.
7. Circle can be a segway to friendships.
8. Circle can be used to help solve conflict.
9. Circle can be used to reintegrate a student who is coming back to campus for a variety of
reasons
10. Circle helps students talk with adults.
What Circle is Not

Teachers

1. Circle does not substitute classroom management. If anything circle will either confirm or
expose whether a teacher can suitably manage their classes.
2. Circle is not therapy. Although at times it can be therapeutic it is not designed to get to a
students deep dark secrets.
3. Circle is not counseling. Circle only becomes counseling when the teacher wears the hat of
counselor rather than facilitator.
4. Circle is not a time to evaluate a students response to an answer, or coach a student
through a question.
5. Circle is not conducted to make students cry. The success of a circle cannot be determined
by its depth or brevity.
6. A circle is not a quick fix. Circle is a process, that may require more time in certain
situations
7. Circle is not a substitute for being unprepared. Teachers must treat circle like a lesson and
have a plan when facilitating a circle.
8. Circles should not be solely used reactively.
9. Circle does not have a formulated outcome, each circle is unique and takes its own shape.
10. Circle is not an expenditure of time, it is an investment.

Students

1. Circle is not a time to be on stage or be silly.

2. Circle is not mandatory, a student can opt out and not want to participate.
3. Circle may not be a time to share things that are confidential or serious in nature.
4. Circle is not all about solving problems.
5. Circle is not a time to judge other students responses.
6. Circle is not an excuse to miss classes.
7. Circle is not always teacher led.
8. Circle is not a scary process, Students get to choose what questions or topics they would
like to answer depending on their own level of comfort trusting the process.
9. Circle is not always for students that are in trouble.
10. Circle is not an assignment, teachers should not be judging or grading responses or
reluctancy to participate.
Needs
Map
Teacher: ____________________ Shepherding Protocol Student: ____________________
Reflection What can I already say about this child? How have your responses changed since
(complete before meeting with the student) the first time you reflected? (complete
Questions after meeting with this student)
What do you find
challenging about
this student?
What reaction does
this student typically
get from you?
What does this child
value? What is
important is his/her
life?
What does this child
struggle with and
what are some
challenges this child
has in life?
What is this child
proud of?
 Strategies for Outcomes/Needs
Needs Strategy
What does this student need from you/ Before you decide on a strategy, be careful
others? (Clarity about boundaries and limits, about your thinking: if you dont take time to
explanation of decisions, support to be on hand, consider the outcome questions, the
space to be heard, a role model, consistency, consequences or strategy you choose may be
invitation to help solve problem) counterproductive. Taking the time to identify
the desired outcomes means you can select a
strategy that will deliver them.
Outcome
Who are the people you need to consider in
terms of these outcomes? (Victims,
bystanders, educators, parents)
What do you want for each of them? (Feel
safe, have materials replaced, meet obligations,
take responsibility, learn from experience)