Eileen Traver's mini-course: Classroom Circles

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Overview and Purpose

In a traditional classroom, student engagement can often be a challenge. Many students feel as though school is not a safe space for expressing their thoughts which can lead to a lack of participation. Embarrassment, fear, or disengagement are often the reason students do not share out in class. Even if students want to contribute, the common practice of the teacher calling on one student at a time limits the opportunity for meaningful participation and leaves many voices unheard.

This course offers an introduction to Classroom Circles as a powerful method to enhance student engagement, support social-emotional learning, and positively address conflicts. Designed for K-12 educators, this course provides the tools and strategies to effectively implement circles into their own classrooms and transform student participation into an inclusive and dynamic experience for all students.

Needs Assessment

Traditional classrooms often fail to engage all voices, leading to feelings of exclusion, disengagement, and lack meaningful communication among students. These issues can result in misunderstandings and conflicts that disrupt the learning process. Classroom circles offer an equitable communication method that builds community and provides a safe space for all voices. Parker and Bickmore (2020) highlight how circles foster inclusivity and give students a platform to be heard.

While there are many strategies for creating supportive classroom communities, educators often lack the training to effectively implement community building practices. This mini-course is designed to address this gap, providing a framework to enhance communication, foster social-emotional learning, and maximize the benefits of classroom circles.

Performance Objectives

Understand the purpose of classroom circles and their significance in fostering community and collaboration.

Facilitate a classroom circle by demonstrating effective techniques for leading a structured discussion and promoting participation and open dialogue.

Design a framework for implementing classroom circles by outlining procedures and objectives to ensure an impactful circle experience.

Develop criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of restorative and academic circles by collecting feedback from other participants and reflecting on the outcome of the circle.

Course Units

Before taking this course, the learner:

Should have a background of community building and creating inclusive classrooms.
Understand restorative practices and their importance in building relationships and resolving conflict.
Have experience in facilitating activities and group discussions.

Unit 1: Introduction to Classroom Circles

Participants will gain a foundational understanding of classroom circles and their importance in building positive relationships and community. Participants will reflect on their own learning experiences while exploring the purpose, benefits, and historical roots of circles as a restorative practice. They will learn the components that are necessary for successfully implementing classroom circles.

In this unit, participants will:

Define the purpose and benefits of classroom circles.
Identify the goals of a classroom circle and distinguish different types of circles.
Identify the key components of a classroom circle including the opening, discussion, and closing phase.

Unit 2: Developing Safe and Inclusive Circle Spaces

Participants will explore the principles and practices needed to create a safe and inclusive classroom. The focus of these lessons will be building trust, fostering respect, and that all members of a circle feel valued and heard.

In this unit, participants will:

Apply strategies for establishing expectations and agreements that promote trust, respect, and participation.
Design a safe emotional and physical environment through seating arrangement and boundary setting.
Model positive communication skills such as active listening and validating contributions to foster inclusivity.
Identify and mitigate potential challenges that may impact effectiveness of a circle.

Unit 3: Facilitating Restorative Circles for Community Building

Participants will learn how to utilize classroom circles as a strategy for building community and discover strategies for improving relationships, trust, and resolving conflict within the classroom.

In this unit, participants will:

Develop a restorative circle that is focused on relationship building and creating a supportive classroom environment.
Demonstrate skills for managing challenging dynamics and potential conflicts within restorative circles.
Apply restorative questioning and techniques that promote open communication, empathy, and respect.

Unit 4: Facilitating Academic Circles

This unit is designed to provide educators with the skills and strategies needed to implement academic circles in the classroom. Academic circles can improve collaboration, critical thinking skills, and meaningful discussions among students.

In this unit, participants will:

Design academic circles tailored to different learning objectives, subjects, and student needs.
Utilize questioning, prompting, and feedback techniques to engage students in meaningful discussions and critical thinking.
Provide constructive feedback to guide students as they make connections to course content and learn collaboratively.