Using Circles

Returning staff and students to a healthy learning community

What is a Circle: Intentionally creating a space that lifts barriers between people, circles open the possibility for connection, collaboration, and mutual understanding.

When to use a circle

Anytime Circles: (adopted from the Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools)
Circles can be used at any point when tensions or problems have arisen, or when decisions need to be made. They provide a problem-solving forum that teaches values such as honesty, accountability, responsibility, and compassion.
Curriculum: enhance learning by providing an interactive forum for students to participate in the learning process. Examples include, content review, reading debriefs, topic discussions, goal setting, news articles, current events, books, controversial topics.
Having fun: or doing cooperative activities such as telling jokes and storytelling. Engaging in student-chosen discussion topics. Examples
Student/Family/Parent Support/Staff Support: truancy, IEP, suspension reentry, peace circles, parent meetings, staff meetings...etc.

End-of-day circles: (adopted from the Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools) Circles are often used at the end of the day for purposes such as these:

To share something that happened to each participant that day.
To address a problem or conflict hat has arisen during the day
To address feelings and tensions that may have developed inside the classroom, in other areas of the school, or even in the outside world (ex. Disturbing events in the news).

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Why Circles?

The circle process allows people to tell their stories and offer their own perspectives (Pranis, 2005). The circle has a wide variety of purposes:

conflict resolution, healing, support, decision making, information exchange and relationship development. Circles offer an alternative to contemporary meeting processes that often rely on hierarchy, win-lose positioning and argument (Roca, Inc., n.d.).

Benefits of a Circle

Peer support
Everyone is equal- no person is more important than anyone else
Promotes social skill building
Listening
Communication
Expression of feelings, thoughts, ideas
Problem solving
Creates connection and bonds
Equalizes power
Builds trust (there is vulnerability in sharing)
Exploration of impact

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Who?

Staff & Staff

Staff & Students

Staff & Families

Students & Students

Staff & Community/Providers

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Where?

Staff Meetings: PLC, Whole Staff, Leadership

Classroom/Campus and school related functions

Parent Teacher Meetings/PTA

Student Council Meetings

Community Meetings

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How?

Be prepared and know that some of the circle prompts may bring up a lot of emotions for the circle members. Circle Lesson Plan

Typical Circle Structure

1. Create a circle where there aren’t any distractions in the middle of the circle. Participants may stand or be in a seated position.

2. The facilitator is called the “keeper”, and leads the meeting (may possibly be lead by a student)

3. The keeper makes introductory comments, often including a discussion of the values that guide the success of the process, an

4. The keeper poses a question or topic (of which depends on the purpose of the circle)

5. A talking piece is introduced and passed, usually clockwise around the circle

6. The only person authorized to speak is the person holding the

talking piece (one person at a time), participants may choose not to speak if they wish

7. When a person is finished speaking, they pass the talking piece onwards to the next person

8. The process of passing the talking piece around the circle may continue for a number of rounds. Since only one person speaks at a time, it’s important to offer participants a chance to reflect on what the others are saying in the circle.

Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

Please note: It is always important to carefully select which questions or topics to pose to the group depending on the needs of the group. The health of each member of the circle is always to be strongly considered.

Getting Reacquainted with students

If you had an unexpected free day, what would you like to do?

Name two things or people who always make you laugh.

I feel happy when...

Sunshine makes me feel...

The best thing that has happened...

Today I feel…..

If I were a famous athlete, if would be…

If I were a famous actor, I would be….

I can’t wait until….

Getting Reacquainted with staff

Name two things or people who always make you laugh.

I feel happy when...

I feel sad when…

I feel supported when…

Tell us about an important teacher or mentor in your life and the gift from that person.
Why did you choose to become an educator?
What values do you hope guide your interaction with young people?
Tell us about a proud moment in your career.
What is hard in your work as an educator?
What strength do you draw on to continue your work as an educator?
How can we support one another in our original vision of why we became educators?

Exploring Values with students

What are you passionate about?

What touches your heart?

What gives you hope?

What changes would you like to see made in your community?

What is one thing you do when you feel nervous or worried?

Exploring Values with staff

What do you keep returning to in life?

What are you passionate about?

What touches your heart?

What gives you hope?

Who do you lean on when things get tough?

Stories from students lives: Invite participants to share:
A time when you were outside your comfort zone.

Using Circles

Returning staff and students to a healthy learning community

What is a Circle: Intentionally creating a space that lifts barriers between people, circles open the possibility for connection, collaboration, and mutual understanding.

When to use a circle

Why Circles?

Who?

Where?

How?

Typical Circle Structure

Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

Please note: It is always important to carefully select which questions or topics to pose to the group depending on the needs of the group. The health of each member of the circle is always to be strongly considered.

Kindergarten teacher facilitating community building circle:

5th grade teacher facilitating community building and end-of-year circle:

High School students facilitating a community building circle in homeroom:

Classroom Fishbowl:

Created with

Communicate quickly and effectively with interactive newsletters.

Using Circles

Returning staff and students to a healthy learning community

When to use a circle

Why Circles?

Who?

Where?

How?

Typical Circle Structure

Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

Please note: It is always important to carefully select which questions or topics to pose to the group depending on the needs of the group. The health of each member of the circle is always to be strongly considered.

Kindergarten teacher facilitating community building circle: Kindergarten teacher facilitating community building circle:

5th grade teacher facilitating community building and end-of-year circle: 5th grade teacher facilitating community building and end-of-year circle:

High School students facilitating a community building circle in homeroom: High School students facilitating a community building circle in homeroom:

Classroom Fishbowl: Classroom Fishbowl:

Created with

Communicate quickly and effectively with interactive newsletters.

Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

Kindergarten teacher facilitating community building circle:

5th grade teacher facilitating community building and end-of-year circle:

High School students facilitating a community building circle in homeroom:

Classroom Fishbowl: