Community Conferencing / ‘Circle Time’
Community Conferencing is a process in which a group of people meet to address a common concern. The process is most often used with a
Relationship based Education is a philosophy of education that puts relationships at the centre.
It is a tool for long-term culture change and for addressing challenges.
The key messages are:
Parents Victoria has 100 years’ experience when it comes to listening to parents and educators at Victorian public schools. We know that things don’t always run smoothly; misunderstandings and conflicts occur between teachers and students, between school and home, and we’ve helped to resolve many of them. We believe that quality relationships are the key to quality education for our children. These pages provide empirical evidence, a philosophical background, practical advice and examples to support our belief that relationships are central to learning.
The resources on these pages are intended for educators and parents.
Staff and parents at Victorian public schools can contact us by clicking the button below.
Want a brief summary of Relationship based Education to share with colleagues and friends?
Download our 2-page flyer with a basic rundown of the program and philosophy behind it, success stories from school leaders and contact details.
If you want a little more detail, this collection of articles by John Hendry OAM and David Moore explore the issues of a kind/resilient culture, the ‘me first/we first’ distinction, and restorative practices.
Our 2022 Annual Conference focused on RbE, and all the presentations are available on video. We looked at the What and Why of RbE with John Hendry OAM (originator of RbE) and Kristin Reimer PhD from Monash University. We also learned a lot about the How from two schools that have implemented RbE: Ocean Grove Primary School and Prahran High School. Their stories are inspiring!
Community Conferencing is a process in which a group of people meet to address a common concern. The process is most often used with a
This article by Vicki Zakrzewski, from The Blue Dot (published by UNESCO), outlines practical and positive actions for schools to model and encourage kindness and
This article from the US Education Week website provides research evidence that relationship-focused communication between families and schools can mitigate some of the frustrations of
Sometimes conversations can get out of hand—emotions run high, hurtful words are used, past mistakes brought up. However, it’s never too late to turn a
These two newspaper articles explore alternative approaches to suspending students as a disciplinary measure. “Help disruptive students, don’t just suspend them” This article from The
Everyone must feel safe at all times, so keep in mind the CPR rule for all your interactions: Connect Protect Respect Bring them together Once
Repairing the relationship Restorative practices need to be fashioned carefully to focus on the relationship dislocation and the obligations one has within relationships to repair
“A Positive Learner’s Mindset requires a positive, trusting relationship between teacher and student. This is the art of great teaching: to reframe tasks, create support
“First do no harm.” (Hippocratic oath). No one has a licence to harm another. Retribution and harm Behaviour that is harming another is also harming
Punitive discipline or relationship management Schools are complex organisations. Their primary task is to provide an environment where students can learn. School authorities are legally
Community Conferencing is a process in which a group of people meet to address a common concern. The process is most often used with a group of people affected by interpersonal conflict. Participants in a
This article by Vicki Zakrzewski, from The Blue Dot (published by UNESCO), outlines practical and positive actions for schools to model and encourage kindness and helpfulness. “Sometimes… the most powerful learning happens when students are
This article from the US Education Week website provides research evidence that relationship-focused communication between families and schools can mitigate some of the frustrations of pandemic-induced educational disruptions. We think the benefits are just as
Sometimes conversations can get out of hand—emotions run high, hurtful words are used, past mistakes brought up. However, it’s never too late to turn a conflict around. This article from Psychology Today provides six tips
These two newspaper articles explore alternative approaches to suspending students as a disciplinary measure. “Help disruptive students, don’t just suspend them” This article from The Conversation quotes extensive research that shows suspension doesn’t work in
Everyone must feel safe at all times, so keep in mind the CPR rule for all your interactions: Connect Protect Respect Bring them together Once this is done the parties can be constructively brought together
Repairing the relationship Restorative practices need to be fashioned carefully to focus on the relationship dislocation and the obligations one has within relationships to repair damage or dislocation. Where there has been an incident of
“A Positive Learner’s Mindset requires a positive, trusting relationship between teacher and student. This is the art of great teaching: to reframe tasks, create support that overrides fear, develop a sense of success, encourage the
“First do no harm.” (Hippocratic oath). No one has a licence to harm another. Retribution and harm Behaviour that is harming another is also harming the person so behaving. It is essential to arrest that
Punitive discipline or relationship management Schools are complex organisations. Their primary task is to provide an environment where students can learn. School authorities are legally and morally (and pragmatically) responsible for maintaining an appropriate degree
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