A Complete Circle Consists of Multiple Stages That Create a Unique Environment That Lifts

Circle Design

A complete circle consists of multiple stages that create a unique environment that lifts barriers between people, circles open the possibility for connection, collaboration, and mutual understanding.

Circle Format: 1. Introducing the Circle: to clearly introduce the purpose of the circle so participants know what to expect. The circle keeper speaks from their heart expressing the importance of the circle and reason for coming together. The framing of the circle to the participants strongly influence their openness to the experience. 2. Circle Opening: to communicate that the circle has officially begun. The circle opening helps to ground everyone and set a positive tone for participants to transition into the circle process. Can be a reading, poem, quote, and guided meditation or breathing exercise. 3. Guidelines / Values: to allow participants to identify values and agree upon shared guidelines for the circle. It’s very important to convey the importance of and hold participants accountable to the guidelines as they directly impact the success of the circle. Circle guidelines:  Respect the talking piece: Everyone listens; everyone has a turn  Speak from the heart: Your truth, your perspectives, and your experiences  Listen from the heart: Let go of stories that make it hard to hear each other  Trust that you will know what to say: No need to rehearse  Say just enough: Without feeling rushed, be concise and considerate of the time of others. 4. Introduction of Talking Piece: to create an equitable environment for sharing. Everyone gets a chance to speak or have the right to pass. For those that do not have the talking piece, it is an opportunity to actively listen to the speaker. Sometimes the talking piece may be suspended to encourage spontaneous sharing or brainstorming. 5. Check-In/ Connection Round: to invite participants to briefly check in with another about how they are doing/feeling on physical, mental or emotional levels at the moment. This is also an opportunity for participants to get to know one another better. 6. Main Activity: Content Rounds: Can be a single question or a series of questions that are directly related to the purpose of the circle. What to Consider when Crafting Questions:  Questions are driven by the purpose of the dialogue.  How much time is available?  What outcomes are you looking for?  What is the best sequence of questions?  Understand the needs of participants, including safety concerns.  Try to create questions that are inclusive, challenging and inviting, and open-ended (avoid questions with yes/no answers). 7. Reflection/Check out: to invite participants to express how they are feeling as the circle is about to end, what they are taking with them from the circle experience, or how they did honoring the guidelines/values 8. Closing: to close the circle with intention and allow participants a smooth transition out of the circle. Can be a reading, poem, one word response, physical movement…etc. Circle Planning Guide

1. What is the purpose or goal of your circle (ex. Community building, check-in, goal setting, values, celebrations, topics of interest, class progress, curriculum/content…etc.) ______

2. Circle Introduction: (How will you introduce and convey the reason for the circle to the participants?) ______

3. Opening (How will you open the circle? A poem, quote, song, breathing, story…?) ______

4. Circle guidelines, Agreements & Values: (Introduce the core circle guidelines. What additional questions will you ask to establish shared guidelines and values? Do you have them written on a poster board for all to see?) ______

5. Introduction of Talking Piece: (What object are you selecting and why? Consider having the students/staff contribute meaningful talking pieces or participate in the decision making around what talking pieces will be used and why.) ______

6. Check-In/Connection/Story Telling Round: What question will you ask for the initial check- in /connection round? ______

7. Discussion/Content/Exploring Issues Rounds: According to the purpose of the circle, select circle questions/prompts that relate to the topic. This stage can consist of one question or a series of circle prompts. To consider: How many circle rounds do you have time for?, Are the questions you are asking high or low risk?, Does the question directly or indirectly address the goal and purpose for the circle? What are some potential challenges that may surface? How will you handle them? ______

8. Check out/Reflection: What question do you want to present to bring closure to the circle? ex. What is one takeaway from our circle today? State one word that captures how you are feeling right now as a result of our circle. ______

9. Circle Closing: How will you close the circle and celebrate the participation of the circle members? Ex. poem, quote, song, breathing, story…?

2 ______

Age Appropriate Proactive Circle Prompt Suggestions

Kindergarten - Second Grade

Circle Prompt Suggested Prompts Risk Level Give a thank you, compliment, or apology for something that happened Check out today. H If you were an animal, what animal Getting acquainted would you be and why? L Getting acquainted Share a happy memory. L Getting acquainted Name something you enjoy doing. L What do you like to collect? Or if you could collect something, what would it Getting acquainted be? L Sunshine makes me feel… Rain makes Getting acquainted me feel… L What is an academic goal you have for Comm. Building yourself this year? H What is your favorite thing to do in Comm. Building school? L Comm. Building Name a person who makes you laugh. L If you could be a superhero, what Comm. Building super power would you have and why? L Comm. Building I feel scared when ______. H Comm. Building I feel sad when ______. H Comm. Building I feel happy when ______. L Comm. Building My favorite color is ______. L Comm. Building Offer an appreciation to someone in the circle.

Third Grade - Fifth Grade

Circle Prompt Suggested Prompts Risk Level Comm. Building How do you want to be treated in this classroom? M Comm. Building Favorite song/movie/show? L Comm. Building If you could a ______, what would you be? L Comm. Building * Have students come up with a prompt Comm. Building Something nice about a person in class. M Comm. Building I like ______. H Self-reflection Comfy, shaky, panic-y H Check-in Thumbs up to show how day is (0-5 scale). Share when thumbs down. L Getting acquainted Tell me something special about your mom. H Getting acquainted Who do you value? H Getting acquainted If you can be any part of a salad, what would you be? Why? L-H Getting acquainted Happiest moment L-H Getting acquainted Any pet, what would it be? L Getting acquainted Birthday person - celebrated L-M Getting acquainted What is a mistake you've made and learned from? M-H Getting acquainted What is one thing you would change about yourself or what is happening now? H Exploring values ? How do we take things you don't like about self and how can we change it? H Exploring values ? What do you bring to the classroom? H Exploring values ? What are 4 words you would want people to say about you behind your back? H

Sixth Grade - Eighth Grade

Circle Prompt Suggested Prompts Getting acquainted If you can be a super hero/have a power, what would it be? Getting acquainted If you had a magic wand what would you do with it? Getting acquainted Anyone famous you would like to hang out with? Getting acquainted If I have you $100 what would you do it? Getting acquainted One skill or talent you have? Getting acquainted What's one thing you would like to learn how to do? Getting acquainted How do you learn best? Classroom Comm. Favorite characteristic of a teacher/favorite teacher & why? Classroom Comm. What do you need for class to be safe? Classroom Comm. Idea - journal share w/in circle, draw a pic of dream in class & share Classroom Comm. What do you think makes a group work together well? Classroom Comm. What is working for you/not working for you? Classroom Comm. What does community mean? Classroom Comm. What does it mean to be a good teacher? Classroom Comm. What does it meant to be a successful student? Classroom Comm. What is one way someone has supported you? How do you support someone else? Classroom Comm. What kinds of things harm a community? Classroom Comm. What is one commitment you can make to creating a positive community? Relationships Who has inspired you & how? Relationships What does it mean to be a friend? What do you look for in a friend? Relationships Describe a time when you felt left out? Relationships Define: a) bullying, b) bystander, c) ally, d) target Relationships Reasons why you wouldn't stand up for a person Relationships Why do people bully? Relationships How do you think the target is feeling? Relationships Who can you got to for support? Relationships What are some things that people can't tell by looking at you?

Ninth Grade - Twelfth Grade

Circle Prompt Suggested Prompts Getting acquainted How would your best friend describe you? Getting acquainted/support Describe your desired personal space Getting acquainted/check-in Most difficult thing that happened this week Check-in/self-reflection Feeling thermometer. Rate stress level, 0-10 Reflection Name 1 thing you appreciated about our classroom group

4 Reflection Something positive about semester. Name a challenge. Family issues Scale 1-10, feelings of connectedness with family. Diffusing tension One thing that makes you laugh. Play: I love you honey. Exploring values What demonstrates respect? Comm. Building One of your favorite reality TV shows Comm. Building An experience you made lemonade out of lemons Comm. Building Name a person who has a funny laugh & do an impression

Adults

Circle Prompt Suggested Prompts Getting acquainted Where do you see yourself in 10 years and why? Getting acquainted What would you be if you weren't a teacher? Getting acquainted If you were not here today where would you be? Getting acquainted Share a story from your first year at school? Getting acquainted What are 3 gift (attributes) you bring to the circle? Getting acquainted What is the silliest thing that ever happened to you? Getting acquainted Describe your favorite vacation. Getting acquainted When was the last time you said yes and would have like to say no? Getting acquainted Name 2 things or people that make you laugh Getting acquainted Name one skill or talent you have Getting acquainted What do other people see as your best quality and why? Acquainted/reflection Share a story - how would you describe your teenage years Comm. Building My favorite hobby is… Comm. Building Something you like/don't like about your neighborhood Comm. Building Share an experience when you felt you did not fit in Share an experience where you discovered that someone was very Comm. Building different from the negative assumptions you first made of them Comm. Building Share a time in your life when you experienced injustice Comm. Building An experience of letting go of anger or resentment Comm. Building If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why? Comm. Building What's something someone could not tell by looking at you? Comm. Building What would your 13 yr old self say to you today? Comm. Building Why did you become a teacher? Comm. Building How would someone describe you at 13? Comm. Building Who was an important adult to you in middle school (at 13)? Why? Comm. Building Objects in circle Comm. Building What did you want to be when you were little? Comm. Building If you had a da off, what would you do? Comm. Building What would be the album of your life? Song? Comm. Building Who would play you (celebrity) in a movie? Comm. Building What were you like when you were 13? Think back to a mentor (parent, guardian, etc). What advice would they give Conflict resolution you to help resolve the problem you’re having? Problem Solving What are the barriers to achieving ______problem? Problem Solving What are your concerns with ______? Problem Solving What are some solutions, what can I do to help solve, what support is needed? Exploring relationships In what social situations have you felt least powerful? Working Relationships Values activity/what are your values? Working Relationships What do you need form your colleagues/admin to feel supported? Working Relationships How do you handle conflict/how do you like it to be handled? Support/prob solving Share 1 strategy you use with a difficult student Exploring Values What do you keep returning to in your life?

Exploring Values What sustains you during difficult times? Exploring Values Share a happy childhood memory Exploring Values When you are being human, at your best, what are you? Exploring Values What gives you hope? Imagine you are in a conflict w/a person who is important to you. What values do you want to guide your conduct as you try to work Exploring Values out that conflict?

Reflection (parents & Staff) What could you do differently to better support teachers? Check-in, healing What's one thing that's gone surprisingly well this year? Brainstorming What kind of enrichment programs would you like to see? Problem Solving What are the challenges for you around lateness/tardiness? How can we support you to be on time? (Could be homework, etc) Reflecting What inspires you to do this work? Reflecting What's something that you struggle with in your parenting or teaching?