Building School Culture with Community Circles Transcript
Allison Balter: Good Morning Julio. Hey, Fernando. Hey Carlos. One way that we build community at our school is through a weekly Community Circle.
Let's get started.
Really, the focus is on having a positive and joyful environment.
Speaker 2: If you see this guy, is going to take to the river.
Allison Balter: Several homerooms and their teachers come together and we do a variety of activities and celebrations.
Speaker 3: In my opinion, Community Circle is like a way to build a big strong community.
Christi: We express our feelings and we celebrate all our work.
Jay: If we have a problem, we always try to find a solution.
Harlin: We can show how we are growing together and how can we improve.
Allison Balter: So happy to see you guys here at Community Circle today. We have a lot of exciting things to do and some surprises.
One of the pillars of our model is providing socioemotional supports for students as well as academic and linguistic supports because our students are all coming new to the country. This is a new environment, new culture. We want them to feel supported and feel part of a strong community.
We're going to have some student representatives share what they've done in elevated thought all year. Let's give them some snaps.
We usually start by going through the calendar, what's coming up in the next two weeks? Then, we also build in opportunities to showcase student work, things that they've been doing in school academically or out of school.
Harlin: We work as a team but mostly, we learn how to inspire us to create a painting.
I, in front of the people, we're showing courage and perseverance because it's very hard and not everyone can stand up in front and talk to the people like it's nothing.
Christi: We came to the idea that the mural can be about humans connect to life and to their environment cities.
I was feeling ... but I didn't nervous. But it was good because I was thinking that, they can see what I am doing and they can be inspired.
Allison Balter: Now, we're going to do something a little bit different from Community Circle. We want to shout out and celebrate some of your teachers. I know some of you guys have worked really hard to help make that happen. We're going to start with Celine. Celine, can you come join us up here please? Loud and proud.
Celine: Dear Mr. [Mobley 00:02:31] Thank you for having me when I have problem in the class.
Allison Balter: We also spend time doing celebrations. We have celebrations of our students, celebrations of our teachers and really recognizing positive things that are happening.
Jay: Dear Mr. Stevenson, I want to say that thank you for always try to help me. ENLANCE community is represent by the Community Circle because when I arrived to ENLACE I thought that ENLANCE only was an academy for learn English but not is only this, is also an academy that show to you how to you can use your values.
Lesiety: Thank you for being a special teacher throughout all this year.
I met new people and they shows me I can feel more comfortable. Now in Community Circle and I don't in there [inaudible 00:03:24] ... I talk them, I ask my classmate, I ask my friends. I know I can participate.
Allison Balter: I think one piece of advice that I would give schools that are thinking about Community Circle is give students more and more ownership of it as the year goes on. I think that makes them more and more invested in the community.
29 Comments
LUIS RILE Mar 27, 2024 2:20pm
Community circles provide a structured time for students to come together, connect with each other, and engage in meaningful activities that promote social-emotional growth, relationship-building, and a positive classroom culture.
LUIS RILE Mar 26, 2024 4:57pm
The community circle plays a crucial role in helping newcomer students feel welcome, connected, and supported as they transition to a new school. It promotes social and emotional well-being, facilitates language development, encourages cultural exchange, provides support and encouragement, and helps students navigate the complexities of school culture.
Concherra Gambl... Feb 2, 2024 11:39am
1.There are many celebrations and activities that happen during the Community Circle, such as expressing emotions, exhibiting student work, honoring teachers' and students' accomplishments, and giving students a chance to talk about their experiences and reflections.
2.It offers socioemotional support, makes them feel like they belong to a strong community, and gives them a safe space to express themselves, the Community Circle is especially helpful for newcomer students. It helps them feel like they belong even though they are new to the nation and the school.
3.By setting up a regular meeting time, making the space friendly and inclusive, creating a framework for the Circle, promoting student ownership and participation, and incorporating activities that encourage positive interactions, self-expression, and
Noah Lee Jan 1, 2024 2:49pm
Creating a Community circle is a great way to build a positive culture in a school. Having a positive culture that is built on relationships between students and teachers is so beneficial to the students. That positive environment drives students to be fully engaged in learning.
Eba Martinez May 23, 2023 1:10am
In this video we learn how a community circle is made up of students and allies from the local community. The video shows how the meeting starts with everyone sharing things, this can be a wide range of things from conversations to food and toys. The next step shows groups coming together in a circle so that everyone can see each other and share what is good and new in their lives. It also teaches the importance that everyone gets a turn to be listened to. The video shows how a community circle is a tool for instructors. The video show’s examples of teachers having students sit alongside them in a circle and talk about a prompt that the teacher gives. Students then pass around a certain object and share their thoughts and feelings about that prompt. This video teaches about how community building circles are spaces for intentional communication to establish shared experiences, values and build relationships with people.
When using this method all participants can see each other in an unobstructed way and interact, this allows all participants the ability to fully engage with one another. This also allows the students a clear focus on the issue at the center of the circle. In the video it also shows how this creates equal participation in the process for all and no one feels left out or has to sit at the head of a circle. A major benefit of community circles is that they offer students the opportunity to express themselves. Due to this , students are able to better identify with their peers. Community circles highlight common successes and struggles that are experienced and often lead to the ability to improve expressions of empathy as a result.
Circle discussions foster community and inspire intimacy in a classroom, and can serve academic and social and emotional purposes. The video also hints at family participation, families that participate and get involved in the community at school tend to have a more open and transparent communication with teachers. This means teachers get to know the families and where students come from. This information can lead to better ways to tend to student needs, how they are helped at home, and the opportunities and possibilities students may receive.