Unit 4: Facilitating Academic Circles
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.
The lessons are as follows:
Lesson 1: Promoting Critical Thinking for Meaningful Circles
Lesson 2: Creating Academic Circles
Lesson 1: Promoting Critical Thinking for Meaningful Circles
What are academic circles, what makes them unique?
In this lesson we will look at different strategies to incorporate lessons in a circle and how to create questions that promote critical thinking.
Once circles are established as a practice in the classroom, teachers can begin to introduce using them for academic purposes. These types of circles can assist teachers in creating a safe space for learning and create a foundation for academic achievement.
Academic circles are structured the same as a community building circle. They can go through all of the opening steps: the ceremony, introducing the talking piece, check-ins, reviewing guidelines. If there is a limit on time, the icebreaker can be removed to focus on the discussion. Our focus for this lesson will be on the discussion part of the circle.
In order to create a lesson using a circle, the teacher must identify what they want the students to do and know during the circle. Below are a list of learning concepts that can be utilized with circles:
- Text analysis
- Concept review
- Symbolism
- Career Exploration
- Specific Skills
- Access Prior Knowledge
- Review
Once the teacher has identified what concept they want to address, the next step is to create questions that will drive the lesson.
Questions for Academic Circles should be:
- High Quality
- Prompting
- Relevant to Student Lives
- Clear
- Open ended
One of the most effective ways to ask students higher level and critical thinking questions is to ensure that they are open ended.
| Sample Scenario: Should students have homework? |
| Close ended question: Do you like homework? |
| Open ended question: How does homework impact your learning? |
Notice the difference in how the open ended question leaves room for the student to express their thoughts and is relevant to their lives. The first question only allows space for a “yes” or “no” answer.
Here are some strategies for asking open ended and creating a space for critical thinking:
Ask “How” or “why” instead of “What” and “does”
Making these changes in how you structure a question can encourage exploration and more engaging dialogue. This will allow children to improve their critical thinking skills and share their ideas.
Incorporate opinion or reflection:
Lessons using the circle method are most effective when questions are reflective and students can speak from their experience.
Make questions personal or imaginative:
Ask students questions where they are able to make predictions.
Create what if scenarios:
These type of questions allow for critical thinking beyond current reality.
Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of open ended questions and how to implement them into your circles.
The Power of Open Ended Questions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SP5Lz28fVM)
Questions to reflect on as you watch. Add your responses to Padlet Academic Circles Discussion. (http s://padlet.com/travereileen/after-watching-the-video-respond-to-these-two-questions-1-ho-qcn6xkv 0zitb0p9t)
Lesson 2: Creating Academic Circles
This lesson will give you the chance to practice designing critical thinking questions for an academic circle.
Step 1: Choose a subject or activity that you have recently done with your class or one that you would like to do with your class. You may use this list to help decide which learning concepts your circle will focus on:
- Text analysis
- Concept review
- Symbolism
- Career Exploration
- Specific Skills
- Access Prior Knowledge
- Review
Step 2: Once you have decided on an activity that follows one of the learning strategies above, you will create 3 discussion questions that promote critical thinking.
Remember, your questions should be:
- High Quality
- Prompting
- Relevant to Student Lives
- Clear
- Open ended
Review Lesson 1: Promoting Critical Thinking for Meaningful Circles to help create your questions.
Step 3: Share your questions on a google slide. Check out this example! Academic Circle Questions (h ttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SK0Jx4vUuGVjX5B33MPoxR9GmnLZytfrLay0dSN3-3w/ed it?usp=sharing)
Use the rubric below to grade your discussion questions:
Critical Thinking Question Development Rubric
| Criteria | Exemplary (3 points) | Developing (2 points) | Beginning (1 point) |
| Question Complexity | Question demonstrates deep thinking, requires sophisticated reasoning and multiple perspectives | Question shows moderate complexity, requires some critical analysis | Question remains surface-level, lacks depth of critical thinking |
| Relevance to Student Experience | Question directly connects to student lives, personal experiences, and current social contexts | Question has partial connection to student experiences | Question appears disconnected from student's lived experiences |
| Clarity and Precision | Question is clear and immediately understandable without additional explanation | Question has moderate clarity with some potential ambiguity | Question is vague, confusing, or poorly constructed |
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Question cannot be answered with a simple yes/no, demands extensive exploration and multiple potential responses | Question allows for some interpretation but has limited response range | Question is too narrow, leading to limited or predictable responses |
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Question challenges existing assumptions, stimulates deep reflection, and encourages transformative thinking | Question prompts moderate intellectual engagement | Question fails to stimulate meaningful intellectual discourse |
Congratulations, you have completed this course! You are now able to implement Classroom circles with your students.