Circle Up with Community Circles

Welcome Message

� During this session we are going to talk about Community Circles. We will explore how they can help build community in a classroom, resolve conflicts, solve problems, and connect to the curriculum. This strategy can become one of the most effective used in your classroom. Community Circle provides an opportunity for students to ask questions and share in a safe environment while the teacher observes social interactions and academic skill levels.

Agenda

�Purpose of Circle Up

�Process for successful Circle-Up

�How to build inclusion and relationships

�How to teach/process behavior

�How to solve problems

�How to process curriculum

�How to mash Circle up with other collaborative structures for student processing

“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like somebody.”

Brandie Oliver

Stages of Building Community

� Inclusion – Students must believe that they are cared for and important. Students get to know each other and learn to accept one another.

� Influence – Trust has been established and students are safe sharing their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.

� Community – Students begin solving their own problems and making decisions. Each student feels like a part of the group.

“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder."

Rumi

�A Community Circle is a group-sharing and discussion activity that gives each student an opportunity to:

�express his or her opinions and beliefs

�share in problem-solving

�see the relationship of curriculum to the real world.

Creating a Community Circle

�Have students sit in a circle on the floor or in chairs.

�Create a Community Circle Procedure together.

�Remind everyone not to interrupt during the circle.

�Avoid repeating, paraphrasing, or commenting.

�Keep things moving. Use a timer if necessary.

�Ask follow-up questions at the end.

�Address problems as they arise.

�Choose a behavior or social skill to discuss and practice each day.

�Identify ways to determine whose turn it is to talk. (use an object whoever has it gets to speak)

�Allow students to take a leadership role in conducting the circle.

�Address putdowns immediately.

�Use the circle to solve problems.

Step 1: Set Expectations

Primary: Tell them that they are going to make a circle on the floor. Explain the procedure. Rhymes and songs are often used to get students into the circle.

Intermediate: Tell them what you are going to be doing. Ask them to give ideas for what is “the right things to do”. Write their ideas on a chart or dry erase board. Create a Community Circle Procedure from their ideas.

Secondary: Explain what a circle is. Ask them if they would be interested in giving it a try. Ask them what kind of a procedure should be used so everyone can feels safe and respected. Create a procedure using their ideas. Combine ideas for multiple classes to complete one Community Circle Procedure.

Community Circle Procedures

�Listen actively.

�Be patient and take turns.

�Pass if you do not wish to talk.

�Use the LIFE GOALS at all times.

�Be respectful to others and their ideas.

Respect

Community Circle Procedures

Do the Right Thing!

1.Use common sense, and move quietly to the circle area.

2. Be organized and bring everything you need.

Treat People Right!

1. Practice caring by encouraging everyone.

2.Wait patiently for your turn to share.

3.Use your courage and share your ideas with confidence.

Step 2: Skills to Reinforce

Getting Started

� take turns

� use first names

� brainstorm ideas

� active listening

� use put ups

� stay on topic

Advanced Skills

� summarize

� be respectful even if not participating

� challenge ideas, not people

� acknowledge creative, innovative thinking

Incorporating a social/behavioral skill in Community Circle

1. Explain the purpose of the Circle. Announce the skill that will be practiced. “I’ve noticed that several of us have been interrupting one another so we are going to practice taking turns talking.”

2. Whenever inappropriate behaviors are occurring call a quick CC to address it promptly. “What has been going wrong? What have you noticed about how we are treating each other? In what area have we not done the right thing?”

3. Proceed with the purpose of the circle.

4. Reflect after the circle is finished. “How did we do?”

Step 3: Choosing the Purpose

Three Uses of Community Circle:

1. Building inclusion – first two weeks and then once a week thereafter or as needed

� Solving problems - whenever needed

� Connection to curriculum - as often as possible

Activities to Build Inclusion

• My Favorites Wheel

• I Like That Too

• To Tell the Truth

• I’m Unique

• If Bag

I’m Unique Bag

� Find a gift bag and put objects in it that tell who you are.

� Read We’re All Special by Arlene Maguire.

� Show the bag and remove items one at a time talking about each one.

� Have students draw or actually create an I’m Unique bag.

� Do a Community Circle and have the students share what they put in their bags.

If Bag

Use a gift bag. Add the word “If”. Write questions on slips of

paper and place them in the bag. Pick one “If question”

every so often or children can draw from the bag.

� If you could eat with a famous person who would you choose?

� If you could spend $100 in any store which one would you pick?

� If you could have a supernatural ability, what would you like to be able to do?

� If you could play any sport very well, what sport would you choose?

IF

Use Circle-Up to Solve a Problem

We may not know exactly what to do when kids are disruptive or disrespectful, but we can certainly use this as an opportunity to

problem solve with our students:

� How can we work with the students to solve this problem? How can we turn this

into a learning opportunity?

Community Circle Discussion

� Celebrations

� Individual problems (anonymous)

�Ways we can improve as a class

� Responsibilities

� Future plans

� Classroom behavior problems

Be Proactive!

Proactive Strategies

� Pass an object around the circle to determine whose turn it is to talk to focus listening.

� Review Circle Procedures when necessary.

� Use non-verbal cues whenever possible.

� Give students time to think, write or draw something before coming to circle as a way to avoid passing or copycat sharing.

� Allow students to take a leadership role in conducting the circle.

� Address putdowns immediately.

� Use the circle to solve problems that happen in the circle.

Specific Challenges

�Present the issue and discuss why this behavior is a problem to the class community.

�Have students share ideas for a solution for the problem.

�Record or let student record the suggestions.

�From the student-generated list choose the best plan and begin implementation.

�Revisit a week later to see how their plan is working.

Community Circles & Curriculum

Language Arts:

�Conduct a mini lesson

�Discuss the character you like the best and why

�Identify words that begin with a certain consonant.

�List adjectives that would describe a character

�Describe a favorite part of a chapter or book

�Identify a part of the story you might change

�Create another setting for this story

�Describe the theme of this story

Community Circles & LA Standards

First – Share something that happened that you might write about during writing time.

Second – Create a list of things in a grocery that you would like to buy. (commas in a series)

Fourth – Think of one adjective to describe yourself. Add three synonyms for that word. Share your word and 1-2 synonyms.

Eighth – In your autobiography what would be one thing in your childhood that you would have to include because it had an impact on your life?

Community Circles & Science Standards

Kindergarten – Name something made of cloth, clay, or paper.

Second - Describe an animal and explain how it protects itself using its body features.

Third - Think of one tool or machine that has helped people to live better.

Fifth - Describe one job that is related to science.

Seventh– Name one animal that lives in our habitat and describe two adaptations that it has.

Community Circles & Social Studies

First - Identify one talent, interest, or hobby that you have.

Third – Identify a song, story, or symbol of the United States that is your favorite.

Fifth - Decribe one good or service that you would like to have that you can not afford. Explain how you might earn the money to buy it.

Eighth– Describe one responsibility or one right of a citizen.

Community Circles & Math

Kindergarten – Find something in this room that is the shape of a circle or a rectangle.

Second – Describe objects in the room that consist of an odd number.

Fourth – Describe an object in this room that is a quadrilateral.

Seventh – Name one rational number written as a fraction that is connected to your life.

Circle-Up and Collaborative Structures

Triangle Talk – Students given a triangle shape to write in. The teacher instructs them to write down one thing in each corner. Students then share one or more of their corners with classmates while the teacher listens to check for understanding.

Circle-Up and Collaborative Structures

Your Number is Up –Small groups of students are numbered off at tables. They are to discuss a topic or make sure everyone at the table knows the answer to a question or are able to complete a process. The teacher calls numbers from each table to answer parts of a question.

Circle-Up and Collaborative Structures

Circle in Circle Out – Creates Partners

Community Circles Resources

• Classbuilding and Teambuilding, Dr. Spencer Kagan, 1-800-wee coop

• Esteem Builders, Dr. Michelle Borba, Jalmar Press, 213-547-1240, ISBN 0-913190-53-2

• Self-Awareness Growth Activities for Grades 7-12, V. Alex Kehayan, Jalmar Press, 800-662-9662, ISBN 0-015190-3

• Tribes, Jeanne Gibbs, Center Source Publications, 707-577-8233, ISBN 0-032762-09-3

• The Winner’s Circle, Self Esteem Lessons for the Secondary Classroom, Clare La Meres, 714-854-2683