C I R CLE P RAC TICE
Continued from page 19
not feel attacked. Circles create a space to
talk honestly about hurts or pain, free from
shame or attack.
Circles Promote Self-Regulation
The discipline of the talking piece requires
self-regulation. The payoff for self-discipline
and not speaking when someone else has
the talking piece is the power that comes
with holding the talking piece. The talking
piece distributes power around the circle, al-
lowing each person to feel positive personal
power when they are the holder. Young peo-
ple learn that it is possible to feel personal
power without taking it away from someone
else—a critical social-emotional skill.
The opportunity to share difficult feelings
often releases the power of those feelings
to shape behavior. Once spoken in a rela-
tively safe space, negative feelings have less
grip on the person. Speaking our frustra-
tions, annoyances, and fears can provide
emotional release allowing our brain func-
tion to move out of the amygdala into the
higher cortex. When done carefully, circles
can create the level of safety needed for
emotional release.
Circles Promote a Sense of
Collective Responsibility
Collective Responsibility is sorely needed in
all sectors of our society. In circle, the impact
of individual behavior on the collective be-
Page 20 Winter 2019
comes more visible. Conversely, the impact
of the collective on individual behavior be-
comes more visible. With a clearer picture
of that interactive impact and with the dis-
tribution of power created by the talking
piece, we can access collective wisdom for
living together in a way that respects and
balances both the individual and the col-
lective needs.
With increased power comes increased
responsibility. Circle encourages shared
responsibility for the quality of the rela-
tionships and the environment in a school.
Everyone is responsible—not just adults.
Circle engages this responsibility by invit-
ing students to identify the shared com-
mitments necessary for living together har-
moniously, and by engaging the students
in collective problem-solving in a positive
atmosphere when things go wrong.
It is a tough time to be working in schools.
It is also an incredibly hopeful time to
be working in schools. Schools are a key
socializing institution in modern societ-
ies, and are generally the most important
socializing institution outside of family.
Schools have an opportunity to effective-
ly change the cultural habits of the next
generation.
One of the largest threats to modern so-
cieties is the lack of skills to live together
well—the skills for building a culture of
peace. Teaching these skills is just as impor-
tant as teaching math and reading, and it
turns out that these skills increase the abil-
CSEE Connections