Circle time is a group activity in which any number of people (although anything up to about twenty is most practical) sit down together with the purpose of furthering understanding of themselves and of one another. 

Using the circle is one of those ideas that comes naturally to teachers as a way of building bridges and facilitating dialogue between pupils and teachers, and between pupils themselves. Fortunately, a raised awareness of circle time is helping it to gain a higher priority now in both primary and secondary schools. It's a simple idea, but for it to work well you still need an awareness of how to manage the circle and of pitfalls to avoid. 

A brief history of circle time

It could be argued that teachers have been using the concept of circle time since the start of formal education, and probably even before then. According to Barbara Maines of the publishing company Lucky Duck, circle time rose to prominence as a method in Sweden early last century. Two American authors, Ballard and Zimmerman, picked up and expanded the idea of circle time in the 1970s and 1980s, and Murray White, the first British writer to write on circle time, built on their ideas still further. Many consider that White's work embodies the early traditions of circle time.

Barbara Maines identifies the main principles of circle time as follows: 

• Circle time is a space within the school curriculum into which each person comes with unconditional acceptance.
• It is not the place for judgement or coercion.
• It provides an opportunity to learn and explore through the discussion of experiences and individuality. 

The use (and abuse) of circle time

Used properly, circle time is not a forum for behaviour-management intervention. Rather, it's a space in which children can learn the skills they need to thrive in life, such as effective communication, emotional literacy, anger management, peer mediation and conflict resolution. These may, in turn, have a positive impact on behaviour in those pupils, but this is a side-effect rather than a goal of circle time. Even the most beautifully behaved classes would still benefit from circle time.

Setting up circle time

Although some adept teachers can create the atmosphere of circle time event without moving any furniture in the room, many prefer to set up an open circle of chairs or cushions for everyone to sit on. Make sure that there are no barriers between participants in the form of desks or classroom clutter, and consider providing an object that can be passed around the circle with only the person holding it being allowed to speak at any time. This object could be anything – a toy, perhaps, or a natural object such as a large shell – as long as it is bulky enough for the rest of the circle to see clearly who is holding it. Each person should be able to see everyone's face too. As the class teacher, you will be seated in the circle as an equal rather than as a superior.   

Creating ground rules

Generally pupils love circle time and the opportunities it gives them to talk about themselves and one another, but it is still essential to establish some basic rules for all to follow. The rules that you apply when facilitating circle time in your classroom should certainly be understood by all involved and ideally they should be agreed by everyone too, although this will depend to some extent on the age of the children. The reality of a well run circle is such that very few rules are actually needed. You may like to work to the following as a minimum:

• Only one person is to speak at any one time.
• It's perfectly acceptable to 'pass' on anything you don't want to talk about.
• All circle members will show respect for one another at all times.

There may well be other rules specific to your classroom and its people that you feel should be applied during circle time. Ultimately, these rules should help to facilitate a feeling of safety in the children, and help them feel free to express themselves in an appropriate manner. 

The role of the teacher

Circle time is when the onus shifts from you as a teacher to your pupils. It is a time when you create a safe environment in which they can lead. You will have to facilitate and may well use tools such as games and discussions to achieve this, but beyond facilitation, your role is secondary to that of your pupils, unless you are required to intervene if ground rules aren't being respected.

If rules are continually broken during a circle time, the session should end and time be set aside to talk to the class about what everyone can do to ensure that this doesn't happen in future. Circle-time sessions can fail, particularly when a class is using them for the first time, until pupils become happier about what is expected of them and learn to trust the safety of the circle.   

That said, one essential role of the teacher in circle time is to demonstrate the skills of emotional awareness. Pupils need to be able to witness teachers expressing and conducting themselves with emotional literacy. Be aware that in circle time, their observations of you as their teacher may be heightened. The way in which you choose to conduct yourself will help to set the tone of circle time in your classroom. You are the model for the skills that you want your pupils to acquire through circle time.    

Aims and purpose

As mentioned above, circle time should not be used to address behaviour issues. The skills learned during circle time may lead to individuals improving their behaviour through self-moderation and self-discipline, but this is a by-product, not the aim, of circle time. Punitive strategies have no place in effective circle time. 

Ultimately, circle time aims to create a space in which pupils can communicate. It's not about coercion, reprimand or correction. It is about discussion, reflection, emotional understanding, personal empowerment, personal identity and making connections. Exploring relationships, feelings, reflections and emotions lies at the core of circle time.                                     

Naturally, circle time also develops pupils' speaking and listening skills, but it is not simply a space in which to moan. The positivity in the exercise should be emphasised. Should negativity arise, as it undoubtedly will, draw the class into considering positive solutions or outcomes.

Starting out

There are a number of activities that teachers can use during circle time. These ideas may help to get you started:

• A quick game may help to get pupils trusting one another and cooperating. This is all good groundwork for facilitating useful discussions. Consider doing a few minutes of pair work, perhaps based on trust exercises.
• A whole group ice-breaker such as a guessing game will help to bring the group together after any paired work you may do.
• Be open to the various forms of discussion that you may need to facilitate during your circle time. Go for high levels of active participation at first, probably avoiding the heavier or more controversial topics. Simply discussing likes and dislikes, or personal goals and wishes, can be a good place to start.
• Some teachers have reported getting excellent discussions going under the title: 'best day, worst day'. Be prepared for some potentially revealing thoughts from pupils.
• Be open to the use of song, music, story, rhythm, chants, dance, mime and so on. The aims of circle time can be achieved in many ways.
• Be aware of the concentration spans of circle participants. Some days they'll be up for longer discussions than other days.
• Give your circle time a predictable rhythm. For example, an opening activity, rounds (such as asking every member of the circle what their favourite food is or, for more complex responses, asking each person what they would do if, say, they witnessed a child being bullied), brainstorming for the class (for example, blasting out ideas for your end-of-year celebrations), discussion (on a key topic of the moment) and a closure activity. However many component parts you decide to adopt, stick to that as a generic plan. 

  Issues to be aware of

• If you find you lose time getting your classroom ready for circle time, think of ways of marking on the floor where you want the children to be seated. Some teachers have a circle of masking tape stuck to the floor as a quick and easy guide. Chairs or bottoms can then be placed on the circle.
• It goes without saying that sensitivity needs to reign where disclosure and confidentiality are concerned. You may also face cultural issues: the degree of openness that circle time can facilitate does not sit well with some young people.
• Ultimately, you have to work with what you've got. If that means that you're not able to work your circle time as described here, that needn't be a problem. As long as the underlying principles are adhered to and you do not resort to using it as a time to address behaviour, you and your pupils are likely to gain benefit from it.
• Do plan your circle time. Although you won't direct as such, you will need to lead at least part of the time. And make sure that everyone involved knows exactly when circle time will take place.
• Not everyone needs to participate in every discussion or round. It's fine for pupils to 'pass' if they need or want to, as long as they don't avoid all participation. Circle time is a good space in which to watch out for withdrawn behaviour. 
• Watch out for those who may dominate proceedings.     
• Always close your circle down. Devise something that signals to you and the class that circle time is over. Some teachers use guided visualisation with their classes while others may read a short poem or do a relaxation exercise. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that your pupils understand its significance and why they are doing it; emphasise the ritual aspect of beginning and ending the circle.

Spin-offs from circle time

Depending on how you structure and run circle time, you can expect it to have an impact on your pupils far beyond their academic achievement. Teachers using circle time in various countries have reported other benefits:

• Increased levels of self-motivation among pupils
• Enhanced communication between pupils and between pupils and staff
• Greater social and community awareness among pupils
• Enhanced self-esteem and self-respect among pupils
• Greater skills of assertion among pupils
• Increased ability to empathise with others
• Heightened abilities to behave altruistically
• Improved focus on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimension of the curriculum

A final thought

Don't sideline circle time so that it becomes just time-filling. Be methodical about it and use it regularly so that your classes know that it is a feature of life in your classroom. If you resort to it only periodically, it will seem new each time and the chances are that your pupils will never truly feel comfortable with it. Above all else, show that you enjoy circle time, through your enthusiasm, participation and appreciation of your pupils' contributions.

  Further information

• Lucky Duck Publishing
• The report Going Round in Circles: Implementing and Learning from Circle Time, is available from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) on 01753 637 002 or by email: book.sales@nfer.ac.uk.