Trust I: The Marble Jar

We use the marble jar as a metaphor for teaching that trust is built slowly, over time, and in small moments. This metaphor is based on a story about Brené’s daughter, Ellen, and a difficult experience she had related to trust with her classmates in elementary school. After learning about the marble jar metaphor, students can start to identify what specific behaviors build trust and what behaviors might break trust or empty the marble jar.

This resource is part of a collection of courage-building concepts and tools that can be integrated into the classroom. You can explore more of these resources here.