A Beginner s Guide to Learning Circles

1. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles by Tracey Mollins with notes from Janice Brant, Arthur Bull, Guy Ewing and Tracy Westell

2. Chapter 1Why not learning squares?

3. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 2 Why circles? Here is one perspective:

4. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 3

5. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 4

6. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 5 From Indigenous learning groups, we learned that in Indigenous communities “circle” has a particular meaning. A circle is a place that supports and enhances a harmonious state of co-existence, peace, good mind, and strength.

7. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 6 The circle itself is understood to create a sacred space of equality and unity that can be applied to a variety of situations from learning circles to justice circles.

8. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 7 Many traditional teachings around circles focus on helping individuals to understand and develop qualities such as respect, kindness, honesty, sharing, strength, courage, wisdom, and humility within them.

9. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 8 There is no beginning or end in a circle, and therefore no one individual is ahead or behind another. Circles foster and build community, inclusion, sharing, and listening.

10. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 9 Every participant has something to contribute, whether it is their words, listening ears, or a reassuring smile.

11. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 10 Using a circle in supports our most basic human needs to be seen and heard, to feel safe, to belong, and experience acceptance for who we are and the gifts we bring.

12. Chapter 2Circles and communities of practice.

13. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 12 Etienne Wenger, “Communities of practice: where learning happens”, Benchmark Magazine, Fall Issue 1991 Downloaded from www.ewenger.com/pub/index.htm on April 9, 2005

14. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 13 And here is some more from Etienne: As valuable as information is, information by itself is meaningless—as are the sounds of an unknown foreign language. Information only takes meaning in the context of the social practices of the communities that give it cultural life.

15. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 14 It is therefore through our membership in these communities that we come to know—and to be empowered by what we know.

16. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 15 In fact, isolation as a principle is either illusory or paralyzing —except perhaps when it is part and parcel of the practice of communities that give it a social meaning, as in monastic seclusion or in the process of writing. Our very identity of individuality is a matter of belonging.

17. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 16 Milner, H. (2002). Civic literacy: How informed citizens make democracy work. Hanover: University Press of New England.

18. Chapter 3 Program and vision approaches to learning.

19. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 18 People who learn and teach in classrooms often take a program approach to learning. They go to class to learn about a certain topic in a certain way, usually from somebody who is an expert in that topic.

20. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 19 This can be a great way to learn a new skill. It can be a good way to learn when you know exactly what you want to learn before you start.

21. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 20 But what about when you want to explore a new topic or question without worrying about the outcome? You might think about a learning circle approach.

22. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 21 People who learn in circles have a vision approach to learning.

23. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 22 They want to learn something together. They want to explore many possibilities. They want to learn from each other.

24. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 23 A vision approach treats learning as complex system. What do we mean by a complex system? We take a quick look at complexity theory in Chapter 5.

25. Chapter 4aA beginner’s guide to complexity theory.

26. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 25 When dealing with simple systems, such as cooking by following a recipe, the recipe (the formula) is essential. The recipe is like a map and if we follow it, we will all end up in the same place.

27. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 26 The recipe has been tested to make sure that the result will be the same every time and that we can get that result even if we are not expert chefs.

28. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 27 Recipes are designed to produce a standard result - the best recipes give good results every time.

29. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 28 When dealing with complicated systems, such as sending a rocket to the moon, the formula (or recipe) - or the series of formulae - is important … but …

30. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 29 the formula is not enough … high levels of expertise in a variety of fields are also necessary for a good result.

31. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 30 Sending one rocket increases the probability that the next mission will be a success. In many ways, rockets are similar to each other and because of this we can be a relatively sure that they will act in similar ways if we apply the formulae correctly.

32. Chapter 4bMore beginner’s guide to complexity theory.

33. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 32 When dealing with complex systems, such as raising a child, formulae have a much more limited role.

34. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 33 Raising one child provides experience but does not mean the experience will be the same the next child.

35. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 34 Expertise can contribute to the process in valuable ways but it does not guarantee success.

36. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 35 This is because every child is unique and must be understood as an individual. As a result, there is always some uncertainty of the outcome.

37. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 36 However, the complexity of the process and the lack of certainty do not lead us to the conclusion that it is impossible to raise a child. We just understand that, when dealing with complex systems, we need to focus more on process and less on outcomes.

38. Chapter 5 Outcomes.

39. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 38 In learning circles, where a vision approach to learning is adopted, and learning and teaching are seen as complex systems rather than simple or complicated ones …

40. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 39 Each person is seen as unique. Each person is responsible for expressing their their own needs and desires with respect to learning and teaching. The group is responsible for creating an environment where everyone can learn.

41. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 40 Each person is responsible for defining success for themselves. The group is responsible for creating an environment where each person can achieve success as defined by that person.

42. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 41 People in the learning circles like each other and enjoy each other’s company… there is conviviality and joy.

43. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 42 And the focus is on process, not on outcomes or reaching goals or racing to the top. Kind of like these the Himalayan mountaineers …

44. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 43 A Himalayan mountaineering expedition adopted three rules (principles) that guided them through the trip. We all return safely. We return as friends. We climb the mountain. These rules, in order of priority, then informed all their actions and ensured that they maintained a healthy perspective on what signified success. Jones, M. (2002) MSc Dissertation, School of Educational Studies, University of Surrey, p. 27

45. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 44 The goal of reaching the top of the mountain was important. But it was more important that everyone stayed safe and remained friends. So if they all stayed safe and remained friends but had not reached the top, they still would have been 66.66666666666666% successful.

46. Chapter 6 Change.

47. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 46 In learning circles, people are seeking change. Learning circle people have goals, desires and needs. They recognize that these goals, desires, and needs may change.

48. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 47 They recognize that in order to meet these goals, desires and needs they may have to change the way they do or see things.

49. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 48 In learning circles, people seek change by activating their gifts envigorating their lives learning about themselves researching issues and questions that are important to them educating the community advocating for social and policy change

50. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 49 Learning circles operate on the principle that … take it away Dr. Hallowell … Television Ontario: Studio 2 – April 25, 2005

51. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 50 In learning circles, working for change is important … but remember, it may not be the most important outcome. Learning circle participants are not in a race to the top. They are in a journey to the centre.

52. Chapter 7aHow learning happens in a cycle.

53. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 52 Diane Hill, an adult educator who specializes in working with aboriginal adults says… “All learning moves through a cycle.”

54. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 53 Aboriginal people understand that there are four stages in learning: see feel/relate think and act

55. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 54 This is very similar to what Paulo Freire proposed. Observe your reality. Discuss your reality. Read and write about your reality. Analyse your reality. Transform your reality.

56. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 55 Each stage in this cycle plays an essential role in the learning process and the development of the individual as a whole person.

57. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 56 All learning begins with awareness. Insights, intuitions and dreams activate the learning process and challenge the way we feel/relate, think, and act.

58. Chapter 7bMore about how learning happens in a cycle.

59. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 58 The next stage in the learning cycle is to examine how one feels or relates to their new awareness, their self, and others. It is about our relationships and connectedness. Here we express and articulate our feelings about self and how we relate to the total environment.

60. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 59 The learning process can evoke a range of feelings from joy to sorrow as people work to make changes, adjust to the challenges of learning something new, or engage in examining their lived experiences. In this stage we bring new light to the factors that contribute to our experiences, making difficult situations manageable.

61. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 60 The third stage is thinking and learning how our thinking creates change in our lives. It is what we have come to know and understand about ourselves and the world through information and facts.

62. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 61 It is also the integration of new patterns that are the result of positive life experiences. This stage exemplifies our skill, our ability to solve problems and to make informed decisions.

63. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 62 The final stage is the actualization of one’s learning. Knowledge, skills, and attitudes (beliefs and feelings) are internalized and used to maintain positive patterns. It is what we do and how we act (or react) in the face of the challenges that present themselves in our day to day lives.

64. Chapter 8a Some types of circles we saw.

65. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 64 Did we see a holistic approach in the learning circles outside of indigenous communities? Certainly. We saw a variety of models for learning circles. We have named the models and described how they work in the following pages. The participants in these groups do not use these names to describe their groups. We use these names as a way of building a framework for talking about learning circles because that is what researchers do.

66. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 65 We saw some learning circles where people were seeking a safe place to activate their gifts. We called these circles “shelter from the storm” circles. People come to these circles because they face discrimination, oppression and or violence in mainstream the community.

67. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 66 In shelter from the storm circles, people have a chance to build strength in a safe place. In shelter from the storm circles, people build an inclusive, non-judgmental, open, safe and free space.

68. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 67 Participants build strength individually and collectively. They can do this because they know that they are part of a group where they will always be accepted and celebrated for who they are and the gifts they have.

69. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 68 They go out into the world to do their work but return to the circle for comfort, acceptance and rejuvenation. To learn more about shelter from the storm groups, read about the Hershare group.

70. Chapter 8b Some more types of circles we saw.

71. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 70 We saw circles that operated a bit like “freedom zones”. Freedom zones are similar to the shelter groups but in freedom zones, the circle is a model for a what the group believes the larger community can be.

72. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 71 The circle members carry this model with them when they leave the group and try to spread the freedom zone principles when and where they can This work is done by individuals looking for the “cracks” in the other organizations, workplaces, environments in which they participate. To learn more about freedom zone groups, read about the Adult Learning Group in Stratford.

73. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 72 We saw circles that operated on a individual education model. Participants in these circles are focused on upgrading or learning how to transfer their skills.

74. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 73 They consciously bring the principles of the “freedom zone” to the way they work together through explicit education programs.

75. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 74 These education programs are designed to foster or spark change among individuals. To learn more about individual education groups, read about the Portfolio Group from Digby.

76. Chapter 8c Even more types of circles we saw.

77. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 76 We saw circles that operated on a community education model. They operated on the the ripple effect principle. Participants in these circles are focused on bringing information to the larger community.

78. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 77 They consciously bring the principles of the “freedom zone” (the way they work together) as well as the information to the community through explicit education programs.

79. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 78 These education programs are designed to foster or spark change among individuals who will take this change out into their communities. They work on a “ripple effect” model. To learn more about ripple effect groups, read about HATS from Toronto.

80. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 79 We saw circles that operated on a community activist model. They are focused on bringing change to the larger community.

81. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 80 They consciously research policy and advocate for change in the community at large. They meet with policy makers and/or engage in civil disobedience. To learn more about community activist groups, read about the Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre from Digby.

82. Chapter 9a What learning circle participants told us about why learning circles work.

83. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 82 The learning circle participants said that learning circles work because they are: Welcoming Inclusive Supportive Flexible Non-hierarchical Self-managed Exploratory Community focused

84. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 83 Learning can feel inaccessible when: we MUST use written language we MUST follow a predetermined course we MUST meet predetermined outcomes. we MUST meet time pressures.

85. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 84 Learning can feel inaccessible when: some learning styles are favoured over others we operate within cultural traditions which may not the be cultural traditions of the learners

86. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 85 Learning can feel inaccessible when: the transmission of information seems more important than the creation of meaning, identity and community

87. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 86 In learning circles, people come as they are and are accepted as they are. “In a circle, you are communicating with everyone in the group about who you are, where you come from, where you are going, as well as your attitudes and beliefs.”

88. Chapter 9b More of what learning circle participants told us about why learning circles work.

89. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 88 Learning circles meet people where they are and support them to go where they want to go at their own pace “I think in the circles you can grow. Without pressure. … I was in an ordinary school. I did it for six months, and after, I decided to quit. Because I was pressured into doing things I never have done, and I was kind of scared, too.”

90. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 89 In learning circles, people are working towards collective and/or individual change, but are open to whatever form that change may take. “they kind of developed a safe zone, where people could talk about themselves and talk about their experiences. And from there, they moved into action, into thinking what can we do.”

91. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 90 Written language is not treated as more important than other ways of communicating.

92. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 91 Learning circles create opportunities for people who do not have access to formal education or training. “Everybody brings their life experiences. That’s what a learning circle, in my view, is, life experiences from everybody. Everybody’s a teacher and everybody’s a learner.”

93. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 92 Academic knowledge is not treated as more important than other ways of knowing. “Each member of a group brings something to that group. They’re talented in may ways. And so they bring their skills and talents to that group and someone in that group will learn from them and also reciprocate what they can bring to the group.”

94. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 93 “I never sat in a school bench, and today I was teaching a university class.”

95. Chapter 10 What learning circle participants told us about why learning circles are important.

96. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 95 Learning circles break down isolation and barriers. Learning circles create networks for personal support, community development and cultural reclamation.

97. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 96 Learning circles increase understanding of cultural, social and personal differences. “An increased understanding, I think, can lead to a more peaceful society.”

98. A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Circles 97 People in the learning circles that we studied feel that learning circles are an important part of the adult education system. “I think there seems to be no limit on what, when people are focused on one thing together, what they can accomplish together as a small group. … … Just amazing.”

99. Chapter 11… coming soon …