The Benefits of Implementing Talking Circles in the Classroom

I spent my volunteer experience at the special support classroom of Dr. Geis of County Primary School; the most clear observation of my participation was observation by teachers and staff. Of course, some employees are good at completing tasks over other employees. However, as time goes on, some employees feel that it is difficult to start fresh everyday without pressure or tension that may have accumulated the day before. I volunteered only a few times a week, so my ability to dry the slate is easier.

A brave high school teacher in a small town in northern New York began to implement its own strategy to deal with the increase in classroom bullying. She gathered the students in circles and created some simple participation rules, asked who they are, what they need and what good things can be seen each other. The result was surprisingly fast and satisfying. Within a few hours, bullying almost stopped, friendship bloomed, classrooms settled, grades rose. Students participating in these circles will ask the teacher to visit other classrooms and teach them what they have learned. Other teachers were aware and began requesting circles for specific course questions. The end result is to incorporate this approach into a common core curriculum.

It is not difficult to incorporate emotional expression into classroom life. Before discussing the problem, try drawing a circular marker game on a circle that releases tension (eg after a battle in the playground). A reasonable cortical process can solve this problem if the student's collective edge system announces its own opinion. If this does not work, please sing a song. (As British playwright William Congrave said, "Music has the charm of soothes barbaric breasts."