Blog

Morningside staff developer Dionne Grayman shares what happened when she introduced circles in an NYC classroom.

The beginning of the school year

The news of the police shootings in Dallas on July 6 was still unfolding Friday morning, as I was getting ready to co-facilitate a restorative circle with colleagues at Morningside Center.

"Everyone is needed for what they bring" is one of the seven core assumptions of restorative circles. We all have stories, perspectives and ideas to enrich each other's lives.  In circles, we are all teachers and we are all learners. 

The circle process is powerful, transformative at times, but it can also be challenging and time-consuming. For teachers, sharing of themselves in a circle with students can be uncomfortable.

Last week Morningside Center's staff developers came together for a day-long workshop on how to help teachers and young people explore issues of culture, identity, and bias.