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Affective Statement Analysis

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Affective statements. Affective statements are a primary practice used school-wide and

according to Mirsky (2011) are the practice that “underpins all of the Whole-School Change

elements” (p. ##). The International Institute for Restorative Practices [IIRP] (2010) define

affective statements as “personal expressions of feeling in response to specific positive or

negative behaviors of others” (p. 6). Teachers, staff, and students can use these statements to

humanize themselves and to create an open and welcoming school environment (Mirsky, 2011).

Circles. Circles are a secondary practice and used to target specific circumstances or

relationships and can involve both staff and students (Mirsky, 2011) Whole-School Change

centers …show more content…

Two basic circle types exist in the SaferSanerSchools model: proactive and responsive

(Mirsky, 2011). Teachers participate in circles, which helps to humanize them to students

(Mirsky, 2011). Proactive circles build trust, relationships, and create shared values and

understanding (Mirsky, 2011). These circles start as light and build in depth (Mirsky, 2011).

Examples of initial topics for a proactive circle could include helping students with academic

planning or setting ground rules for class expectations. Practice with proactive circles scaffolds a

student’s readiness for responsive circles. Proactive circles manage tension and conflict within a

group or class and aim to repair damage (Mirsky, 2011). These circles are used for moderate

issues or repeated behavior affecting the group (Mirsky, 2011).

The restorative conference. The restorative conference is a tertiary practice that is

intensive in nature, being used for only the most serious of cases (Mirsky, 2011). According to

Mirsky (2011), this practice is the one that takes the most planning. “Led by a trained facilitator,

40THE CASE OF ALGONQUIN HIGH SCHOOL

a restorative conference brings together those involved to explore what happened, who

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