Practice the Peace Facilitator Guide Practice the Peace
Facilitator Guide • Grade 4
45 Minutes
Restorative Circle
Why This Matters
Restorative circles foster trust, empower student voice, and support conflict resolution. By engaging in this structured practice, students learn that their perspectives matter and that accountability is a pathway to growth. SMART goals and reflection reinforce a growth mindset and self-awareness, turning classroom culture into a living project.
Learning Objective
Guide students through a structured circle, SMART goal creation, and assessment to build communication, empathy, and accountability.
The Approach
Restorative Circle → Goal Setting → Survey → Celebration
Preparation
Setup Time: 10 minutes
Review facilitators’ steps and roles in this guide.
Familiarize yourself with the Restorative Flow and SMART Goals slide deck.
Print or share digitally the Group Peace Playbook and Post-Assessment Likert Survey .
Have the Restorative Participation Rubric and Growth Report Template ready for quick reference.
The Peaceful Pathway: Step-by-Step
1
Opening & Agreements
5 MIN
Welcome students and briefly restate the objective.
Review or co-create group agreements (e.g., listen actively, speak respectfully).
Introduce the talking piece and circle seating format.
2
Restorative Circle Practice
20 MIN
Introduce roles: facilitator , speaker , and listeners .
Prompt 1: “What happened?” (Use a neutral scenario or real incident.)Pass the talking piece; each speaker shares their perspective (1–2 minutes each).
Prompt 2: “Who was affected and how?”Prompt 3: “What can we do to make things right?”Listeners reflect and ask clarifying questions only when the talking piece is passed to them.
Conclude with a group summary of agreements and next steps.
3
SMART Goal Creation
10 MIN
Display SMART goal criteria using the Restorative Flow and SMART Goals slide deck.
Instruct students to identify one personal action they’ll take (e.g., “I will use ‘I’ statements during conflicts”).
Students write their goal in the Group Peace Playbook using the SMART format.
Prompt volunteers to share their draft goals for peer feedback.
4
Post-Assessment Likert Survey
5 MIN
Distribute the Post-Assessment Likert Survey .
Students rate their confidence and skill improvement (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree) on communication, empathy, and problem-solving.
Collect surveys for teacher review against the Restorative Participation Rubric .
5
Celebration & Closing
5 MIN
Invite students to acknowledge peers (“I noticed when…”) to highlight positive behaviors.
Share one strength from each student using the Growth Report Template .
Reinforce next steps: display SMART goals in class and plan a check-in in two weeks.
End with a brief breathing or gratitude exercise to close.
Restorative Flow and SMART Goals Slides Peaceful Pathways
Using restorative practices to build communication, empathy, and accountability in our classroom.
Welcome students. Introduce the purpose of this slide deck: to guide us through a restorative circle process and then create SMART goals for continued growth. Emphasize that participation and respect are key.
What Is a Restorative Circle?
A safe, structured space for sharing perspectives.
Everyone takes turns speaking and listening.
Focuses on understanding impact and repairing harm.
Explain that restorative circles are structured conversations where everyone has a chance to speak and listen. Highlight how this builds trust and helps resolve conflicts constructively.
Circle Roles
Facilitator
Guides the circle and keeps time.
Speaker
Holds the talking piece and shares perspective.
Listeners
Offer respectful attention and ask questions when invited.
Review each role. The facilitator guides the process, speakers share their views, and listeners practice active listening without interrupting.
The Big Questions
01
What happened?
02
Who was affected and how?
03
What can we do to make things right?
Present these prompts one at a time during the circle. Pause between prompts to let students reflect and share.
Talking Piece Guidelines
One speaker at a time
Speak respectfully and honestly
Listen without interrupting
Use “I” statements to share feelings
Model how to pass the talking piece and remind students to speak only when holding it. Emphasize speaking from your own experience using “I” statements.
What Are SMART Goals?
SMART goals help us turn ideas into action by making our goals:
S
Specific
M
Measurable
A
Achievable
R
Relevant
T
Time-bound
Transition to goal setting. Explain that after reflecting together, each student will set a personal goal to keep building these skills.
SMART Criteria Explained
S
Specific: What exactly will I do?
M
Measurable: How will I track progress?
Group Peace Playbook Project Group Peace Playbook
Name
Date
1
Group Agreements
As a group, work together to create 3–5 agreements that will help us keep our circle safe and respectful. Write each agreement below.
4. (Optional)
5. (Optional)
2
Your SMART Goal
Use the SMART criteria to write one personal goal. Fill in each part below to build a strong plan for growth.
S Specific: What exactly will I do?
M Measurable: How will I know I'm making progress?
A Achievable: Is it realistic?
R Relevant: Why does it matter?
T Time-bound: By when will I accomplish this?
My SMART Goal (Combine all parts):
3
Reflection Prompts
1. What went well for me during the circle?
2. What was challenging for me?
3. What can I do differently or improve next time?
4. One thing I want to remember from today:
"Keep this playbook in a safe place. We will revisit our intentions in our next circle!"
Restorative Participation Rubric Restorative Participation Rubric
Teacher Resource • Grade 4
Purpose
Use this rubric to assess each student’s engagement and skill demonstration during the restorative circle and SMART goal creation. This tool helps monitor progress in social-emotional learning and communication.
Criteria 1 – Beginning 2 – Developing 3 – Proficient 4 – Exemplary Circle Participation Rarely speaks or stays off-topic in discussions. Contributes only when prompted; comments lack depth. Regularly shares relevant ideas and perspectives. Consistently offers thoughtful insights that build the discussion. Active Listening Often interrupts or shows distraction. Sometimes listens; needs reminders to focus. Listens respectfully; waits for talking piece to speak. Demonstrates attentive listening; asks clarifying, respectful questions. Empathy & Respect Shows minimal regard for others’ feelings. Occasionally acknowledges peers’ perspectives. Shows understanding of peers’ feelings and viewpoints. Actively affirms and validates others; fosters a safe space. SMART Goal Quality Goal is vague or missing key SMART elements. Goal includes some SMART elements but lacks clarity. Goal meets all SMART criteria; clear and realistic. Goal is exceptionally specific with strong alignment to growth.
Scoring Instructions
Assign each student a level (1–4) per criterion.
Sum across criteria (Maximum 16 points).
Use totals to guide feedback and monitor progress.
Next Steps
Integrate these findings into the Growth Report Template to provide personalized feedback for each student at the conclusion of the unit.
Class Observation Quick-Log
Student Name Part. List. Emp. Goal Teacher Notes
Post-Assessment Likert Survey My Circle Reflection
Post-Assessment Survey • Grade 4
My Name
Today's Date
Think about today's restorative circle and your goals. Circle the number that matches how you feel!
Strongly Disagree Neutral Strongly Agree
I feel confident expressing my thoughts and feelings clearly during the restorative circle.
1
2
3
4
5
I actively listened to others and respected their perspectives during the restorative circle.
1
2
3
4
5
I showed empathy by understanding how my classmates felt during the restorative circle.
1
2
3
4
5
I used problem-solving strategies to suggest fair and constructive solutions.
1
2
3
4
5
I am confident I can apply the SMART goal I set today to keep improving my skills.
1
2
3
4
5
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Growth Report Template Growth Report Template
Teacher Resource • Student Feedback
Student Name
Date
1. Strengths Observed
Communication:
Active Listening:
Empathy & Respect:
SMART Goal Quality:
2. Evidence & Examples
3. Areas to Grow
4. Action Steps
5. SMART Goal Follow-Up
Teacher Quick-Ref: Sample Feedback
“You communicated your perspective clearly using ‘I’ statements—this helped everyone understand how you felt.”
“I noticed you waited patiently and listened to your classmates without interrupting—that’s strong active listening.”
“Your SMART goal is specific and time-bound. Next, let’s add a weekly check-in to track your progress.”
Teacher Reflection & Follow-Up: 
