Relationship Dynamics - Power Role section (3:15)

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When we think of “power”, we often think of strength and influence. In your role managing a group of youth, you are being given a position of power. This is a lot of responsibility, but it does not have to be intimidating. With some thought and understanding of what power looks like in action, you can start to think about the type of leader you want to be, and how you will use your power - as well as give power to others. It is important to remember that just because you are “in charge”, it’s rare for a single individual to wield all the power in the room! 

There are four main categories of power dynamics:

• Referent Power: Participants behave as the instructor wishes because they like the instructor as a person and feel that the instructor cares about them. 
• Expert Power: Participants view the instructor as a good, knowledgeable teacher who can help them learn.
• Legitimate Power: Participants behave because the instructor is the instructor; inherent in that role is a certain authority and power.
• Reward & Coercive Power: Participants behave to avoid punishment or to gain a predetermined reward.

For each type of power dynamic, think about a situation where you have seen someone in your life illustrate this type of power in action. Parents, relatives, coaches, teachers, and other adults in your life have likely shown all of these different power dynamics at different times. Some of these might seem like better or worse choices to you, depending on the situation.

In your Classroom Management workbook or in a personal notebook fill out the chart below and then complete the reflection questions that follow. You will use the chart to help you frame your thinking and analyze each of the power dynamics discussed above. Think about the pros and cons for each one - ask yourself, when might they be more or less successful? For the reflection questions, you should think about how you respond to power dynamics, and reflect on some situations where you may have seen these being employed by individuals holding positions of power in your life. 

Reflection Questions:

• Of these types of power dynamics, which do you believe to be the most effective and when/why? 
• What sort of power do you best respond to as a student? Employee? 
• As an instructor (or if you have worked with youth in another context in the past), which type of power dynamic do you find yourself using most often? Which one do you feel the least comfortable employing, and why? 
• If possible, discuss with a partner or your team what sort of struggles you think an instructor may encounter with each type of power dynamic. Have you encountered any situations that illustrate each of these power dynamics in action? What happened?

Restorative Practices and Redirection (3:18)

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You’ve just explored four different types of power dynamics. Another way of approaching Classroom Management is through restorative practices and redirection. In this model, the participant is empowered to take responsibility for their behaviour and work collaboratively with instructors. Both the instructor and the participant should feel confident in their ability to control behaviour. If we make participants aware of their ability to self-regulate, we empower them to do so. Providing participants with positive choices gives them the chance to exercise this ability in a “scaffolded” way. We want our participants to feel successful; structure allows for this.

Ted Wachtel from the International Institute for Restorative Practices, says the following: People are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes when those in authority do things WITH them, rather than TO them or FOR them. Think about these words. How do you feel when you hear them - and do you agree with this sentiment? How have you felt when others in authority have done things to you or for you, versus with you?  

Restorative practices require that the student take ownership for their actions, and become aware of its effects on others. When we take a restorative approach, we move from a position of punishment or blame to one where people work together to arrive at positive solutions. Part of this process is asking questions in a way that promotes restorative practices. For example, as an instructor you could try saying, “Who is being affected by your behaviour?” and have them share their thoughts - rather than saying, “I get upset when you talk when I am teaching.” Another example is - rather than saying, “I think you should apologize”, you can say, “What do you think you need to do to make things right?” - and help participants arrive at healthy solutions that they are a part of. Can you think of other examples? 

The extent to which you can expect participants to self-regulate and control their behaviour changes with a variety of circumstances, including their age, ability, and previous experience with this type of approach. You will need to adjust your expectations when you are dealing with a five-year-old versus a fifteen-year-old. However, restorative practices can have a place in your learning environment no matter the youth you are working with. 

Note that restorative practices are only helpful when we provide students with the support to make good choices. If we don’t replace the behaviour with a desirable behaviour, we haven’t made change. In the next Reflective Activity, you will be asked to think about how you can offer this type of support to help participants make good choices - rather than just scolding or saying “don’t”. Then, you will do a Group Activity to put restorative practices into action.

For each of the phrases below, give at least one suggestion of how you might rephrase it so as to provide a positive alternative while redirecting participants to the desired behaviour. 

The first phrase has been completed as an example. A few additional blank rows have been added at the bottom for you to work with a partner or your team to come up with common phrases that you have heard in your context, and possible redirections you might try.

Complete the chart:

If you are completing this training with your team in-person, try out this group activity, or next time you have a staff meeting consider doing this exercise together.

Working with a partner or in a group, select one potential conflict situation to try some reframing questions with. Sample situations include:

• A participant takes material from another participant without permission
• Someone is bullying another participant
• A participant leaves the instruction area without permission 
• Two participants are yelling at each other 

Have one person take on role-playing the instructor, and the other person (or people) role pay the participant(s). If there are additional individuals present, they can be observers and provide feedback. 

Your job as an instructor is to ask reframing questions to redirect the conflict situation and work towards resolution. The participants will attempt to respond in character. After each scenario, work as a group to debrief on what questions worked and why, if any questions did not work and why not, and how this approach felt for everyone involved. 

Possible reframing questions (for the participant(s) in conflict and/or those affected):

• What happened? 
• What were you thinking at the time? 
• What have you thought about since?
• Who has been affected by what you have done, and in what way? 
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?