Circles

This video highlights the Circle trainer and consultant, Jamie Williams. In a casual yet poignant conversation she speaks on peacekeeping, Circles, relationship building and restorative practices. Williams uses personal stories to guide her presentation.

Connection to RJE

Meeting and learning in Circles works well within RJE because of shared beliefs, such as everyone is connected, power is shared, and harm needs to be restored within the community (Riestenberg, 2012). Every authentic Restorative Circle follows a structured process and contains key elements. When teachers choose to use Circles within the classroom it is important that these be valued and observed (Brown, 2021).

Introduction

Meeting, learning, and solving problems in a Circle is a practice being implemented throughout the modern world (Brown, 2021). According to Pranis (2005), neighborhoods, justice systems, schools, companies, and social services have started to use the Circle process to bring people together and restore relationships. Pranis continues by saying that gathering in a Circle to discuss issues and make agreements is a common occurrence for Indigenous peoples in North America today and in the past. Within Indigenous Circle keeping there is a belief that all are connected and there should be shared leadership and power amongst everyone (Pranis 2005).

Artwork by: Leah Dorion

Key Elements of Circle Practices

Using Circle processes in a classroom is all about connection. Pranis (2005) explains that there are five key elements that must be present in every Circle. These elements work together to create a safe and welcoming place for students to share, disagree, and connect with each other. The five elements are ceremony/ritual, guidelines, a talking piece, a Circle keeper, and decision making by consensus (Brown, 2021).

Guidelines

Guidelines are important to establish before you begin Circle. Guidelines ensure circle participants feel safe, welcomed, and heard. There is flexibility with these guidelines and classrooms have the opportunity to come up with their own. Common guidelines often include, listen and speak respectfully honor confidentiality, and that one can pass (Pranis, 2005). In many K-2 classrooms, it could be beneficial to have students come up with their own guidelines. Often, students are more likely to abide by these guidelines when they feel connected to them.

Ceremony/Ritual

Opening and closing ceremonies are prominent aspects of a Circle, marking a time set apart. An opening ceremony helps students shift their minds and bodies to be ready for the Circle to begin. A closing ceremony allows students to know when the Circle is complete.

Talking Piece

The talking piece is an integral part of Circle. It guides communication and gives a visual representation for whose turn it is to speak and have space (Riestenberg, 2012). According to Pranis, as the talking piece is passed around the circle inviting each person a chance to share, it is simultaneously giving others the chance to listen. Often, the talking piece holds significance for the group. Some classrooms allow students to take turns bringing in their own talking piece.

Circle Keeper

The keeper of a Circle is someone who is facilitating the Circle process. This keeper helps Circle participants agree to guidelines and works to create a safe environment for all (Boynes-Watson and Pranis, 2020). Usually, in a classroom setting, this Circle keeper is the teacher. Being a Circle keeper and the teacher is a complex role because of power dynamics. Teachers are encouraged to lay the groundwork for students at the beginning of the year in hopes that students would be able to take over the process through modeling and practice.

Decision Making

Not all Circles end in a common agreement or decision. However, some problem-solving Circles do. Pranis (2005) writes that at the core of decision-making is the understanding that all participants in the circle have needs and those needs should be valued and cared for. “A group consensus gives power to everyone” (Pranis, 2005, p. 38) (Brown, 2021).

The Circle Process

Balancing the Circle

Pranis (2005) states that the four elements of the Circle process are: getting acquainted, building understanding and trust, addressing vision/issues, and developing plans by consensus. Each of the four elements must be honored equally to stay in balance. These Circle elements come from indigenous voices and peoples. Carolyn Boyes-Watson (2005) shares how within Native American cultures a balanced, four-quadrant circle, holds many meanings. For example, there are four seasons in a year, four earth elements, and the four dimensions of human beings (Brown, 2021).

Balancing a Circle in a K-2 Classroom

As a Circle keeper in the classroom, teachers work to balance each of these quadrants as they facilitate an informal dialogue circle or a more formal, problem-solving Circle. In a K-2 classroom, it is important that students feel welcomed into any Circle that is happening. This is getting acquainted. Getting acquainted could be greeting each student by name, singing a good morning song, or a pass around the Circle for each student to say their name. Once students are settled and guidelines have been established the teacher could pose a question that may address an issue such as: "what are ways we can play fairly outside at recess?" The talking piece would be passed around and students can share or pass. Depending on answers the Circle keeper could summarize the conversation and come up with a consensus or agreement. Such as: "We want to include others, share materials, and express what we need with our words." The talking piece should be passed around once more so students are able to express if they agree or disagree with the consensus. Lastly, the Circle could close with a game, song, mindfulness moment, or another pass around the Circle. The closing and opening ceremonies are great places to build relationships amongst each Circle member.

Journal Prompt 3:

What are three ways implementing Circles within your classroom could be beneficial for your students? Within your school day, where would you like to see a Circle taking place?

Problem Solving Circles

Not all Circles are problem-solving circles. However, when an issue within the classroom does arise, meeting in Circle can be a powerful vessel for problem-solving and conflict resolution. There are four stages that problem-solving circles follow.

Stage 1:

Determining suitability by asking oneself if this is the time and place to resolve the conflict at hand. Other items to consider is, timing, participant engagement, and safety.

Stage 2:

Preparing for the circle. During preparation the Circle keeper/facilitator needs to determine who will be joining the Circle. They must ask themselves, what is the context of the disagreement or conflict? To prepare for Circle one must be knowledgeable on the circle practice and process.

Stage 3:

Convening parties. This stage is about welcoming participants, agreeing on common guidelines, sharing experiences, discussing resolutions, and developing agreements.

Stage 4:

Follow up. This last stage assesses the progress of the agreements. If parts of the agreement fail, one must identify what must happen next and inform those involved. Agreements may need to be re-thought or clarified. Success should be celebrated amongst all (Pranis 2005).

Circles in action

Implementing Circles in any classroom takes time and practice. This short video shows Glenview Elementary school using dialogue circles to start their school day. Within this video classroom teachers and administrators express how Circles have transformed the beginning of their school days and have helped students become centered and ready to learn.

“Since the capacity for healing is so great, we must assume the capacity for wounding is equally great. There is no one who comes into the circle without wounding of somesort; it’s part of being human.”

(Baldwin,1998, p.182)

Journal Prompt 4:

How does Baldwin's quote speak to you? What wounds might our students carry with them as they join our Circles and classrooms? How could this knowledge inform your teaching and Circle keeping?

Restorative Language

Baldwin, C., & Kelley, C. (1998). Calling the circle: the first and future culture. Bantam Books.

Boyes-Watson, C., & Pranis, K. (2020). Circle forward: building a restorative school community. Living Justice Press.

Brown, E. (2021) How can Restorative Practices be Utalized to Create a Positive Classroom Climate in a K-2 Setting? Unpublished Manuscript, Hamline University.

Dorion, L. (2004)

EDtalks. (2018). Restorative Practices and Peacekeeping Circles: A Way of Being . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXoclVOEkMw.

Edutopia. (2014). Using Dialogue Circles to Support Classroom Managment . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTr4v0eYigM.

Pranis, K. (2005). The little book of circle processes: a new/old approach to peacemaking. Good Books.

Riestenberg, N. (2012). Circle in the square: building community and repairing harm in school. Living Justice Press.

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