Today we travel with Bronx middle school ELA teacher Robin for a deeper exploration of Circles. Robin was one of more than 740 educators who took Morningside’s Tier 1 training this July—and a member of my cohort. I’m delighted to share with you my conversation with Robin—and all of her insights and experiences, helping us put descriptions to the question, What is a Circle?
If you caught our recent interview with Staff Developer Iris Laurencio, you know that one of Morningside Center’s most meaningful practices is the Circle—a community-building and restorative practice learned from Indigenous communities around the world who have long used the circle as a literal center for connection and mutual understanding.
Having now experienced several Circles with my new work community, I have come to realize that only my experience writing about art prepares me to try to convey in the written word what Circles are; they are an experience. So we are offering you tastes and feels of that experience from a few people who have experienced them.
Today we travel with Bronx middle school ELA teacher Robin for a deeper exploration of Circles. Robin was one of more than 740 educators who took Morningside’s Tier 1 training this July—and a member of my cohort. I’m delighted to share with you my conversation with Robin—and all of their insights and experiences, helping us put descriptions to the question, What is a Circle?
Did you know what a Circle was before Tier 1 training?
Yes, I’ve been trained in restorative Circle practice before, but not Circle-keeping. The restorative justice practice also had a talking piece and guiding questions. I was trained to be a facilitator for those Circles—to address a conflict—which is what I thought I was signing up for. I wanted a refresher on norms for restorative justice practices, and I remember thinking ‘this doesn’t take a week, so what are we doing?’ I expected a specific process for conflict resolution and restoring justice.
What was your experience of using the Restorative Circles [before being trained by Morningside in Tier 1]?
About ten years ago, I was in a Long Island school that wanted to issue demerits and a consequence system, and the Department Chair for ELA—a colleague who I have profound respect for—said that if we issue discipline, then we need rewards also; we can’t just go punitive. So, she was told to find the program that can train us in this and she found Morningside Center. Morningside gave that professional development for all staff and asked for upper school volunteers to facilitate restorative Circles, if needed. Students also trained in it, too.
There was an alumni weekend and volunteering event in the community, and it was the school expectation that everyone in the school attend. We had a new kid there on basketball scholarship who didn’t go. So, we held a Circle to talk about the harm caused because he wasn’t there, and he said he didn’t think it would matter that he would not be there. He didn’t realize he would be missed! That’s a big learning moment.
Then some things went missing from the Writing Center, and we again held a Circle saying we need to replace the items to restore justice, and the kids just did it without even trying to figure out who took them!
Seeing how the Circles worked, I was hooked. I kept the with three questions to facilitate Circles, and even now I do it with the talking piece and questions. It’s very effective in deescalating and bringing back into community.
So, that’s what you expected in Tier 1 training?
Yes, and that’s not what we got but…
Ok, so, what were you thinking as the week of training went on?
I was probably uncomfortable on day one, because I didn’t know what to expect. I thought I would be behind a screen and multitasking and then I was like, ‘wow, that’s not what this was!’
On day three, I [thought] “I’m looking forward to seeing the people in this room. I have love for them, and I have hope that these people are educators at the DOE!” That’s incredible to feel that after three days.
What did you feel like you got from Tier 1 training?
The big takeaways were that when other people in my community allow themselves to be vulnerable, that supports my vulnerability; and that we started as strangers and could create such a deep connection in only five days.
Did those learnings help with the restorative goals you had?
Tier 1 helped me realize the importance of establishing a community to even be able to do restorative Circles.
It’s very intimate to not hide behind anything and sit in circle for fifteen minutes. In my class of 10- and 11-year-olds we do this—some bilingual, some new to the country—and it’s a beautiful thing to have them get to know each other and build on it with each other.
What would you say if someone asked you “what’s a Circle”?
I like the word “experience.” It’s where individuals share parts of themselves and their stories and establish a community by sharing themselves and their stories. The process of creating a community by participating in sharing, that’s what makes the community. Every voice is heard and contributes.
What’s cathartic and profound, though—and resonates on so many levels as I’m working on my PhD thesis—is epistemological: How do we be our best selves and not have to compartmentalize ourselves?
Tell me about using Circles this year…
This is my third year in my school, and I started Circles week one, introducing the center piece and talking piece and norms for Circle-keeping.
I brought in a centerpiece, a scarf I bought with my best friend. My grandmother loved it when I would wear it because of the colors—even sharing that was vulnerable with my students.
We use the Koosh ball [from the Morningside kit, as a talking piece] now. It was just practice in the first session: sharing your name and one fun fact about you. Then we asked “how do you want to feel in this class? What expectations do you have for teachers and classmates in terms of how we treat each other?”
In the next Circle, we used a quote, it’s easier for kids learning the language. Just one word you connect with to get them to talk and participate. Then it became about gratitude and shout-outs. And my co-teacher said, “we have to make time for this every week, this is so great!”
Next we used a quote from [author Rick Riordan’s book series] Percy Jackson, and asked “is knowing your future good or not?” Then something you’re grateful for or something you’re looking forward to. And we will introduce having kids bring in a cultural artifact or talking piece.
What’s your experience facilitating Circles with kids this age?
Without a co-teacher, a lot of silliness, giggles while someone is speaking; it’s difficult facing each other. Sometimes I have a co-teacher to translate into Spanish; it’s better to have her translate too, to make everyone feel included.
But kids appreciate this time, and we will give them a heads-up earlier in week about shout-outs so they can prepare.
We’re also reinforcing that a lot of kids pass. We say, “you can pass, but not every time,” and then their roles—that it’s not their role to Circle-keep. They feel uncomfortable sometimes.
My co-teacher lost her mother last year, and we’re talking about it. Kids just want to ask about that and my grandmother passing away. It’s not raw now and we can have a conversation about it. The kids are working it out, not questioning appropriateness.
That’s the beauty of this—them figuring out how to have sensitive conversations like this.
As we wrapped up our conversation, Robin let me know that they and colleague and friend teachers are planning to take the Tier 2 training as well because “kids have a lot of anxiety around safety,” and they want to learn about the adolescent brain.
But the last thing Robin said was that it didn’t take long for our Tier 1 training group to “get deep.” That seems to stay with so many people who engage in the practice of Circles.
As I listened to Robin’s experience of being a Circle-keeper with middle schoolers, I was reminded of those principles that Morningside hold core to our work and what we learned from Iris: deep listening and trust-building are vital to creating the mental freedoms needed to engage learners. We need belonging for safety, and we need to feel safe in order to learn.
So, let’s close with Robin’s own words about what Circles can be:
It’s where individuals share parts of themselves and their stories and establish a community by sharing themselves and their stories. The process of creating a community by participating in sharing, that’s what makes the community.
We invite you and your community to join us at Morningside in the celebratory and joyful practice of Circles, and there are so many other ways to collaborate, too—all of which are centered around your needs: