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Infusing Circle Time concept in Pedagogy. Tham-Kee Yong Huang Hwa Chong Institution. Introduction. JC levels : lecture-tutorial system Tutorials in classroom – approx 1 hr per session. A typical classroom arrangement…. Issues arising:. Not all students are actively engaged in the lessons
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Infusing Circle Time concept in Pedagogy Tham-Kee Yong Huang Hwa Chong Institution
Introduction • JC levels : lecture-tutorial system • Tutorials in classroom – approx 1 hr per session
Issues arising: • Not all students are actively engaged in the lessons • Students with short attention span find it hard to sustain their attention for 1 hr
Issues arising: • A small group of students monopolise the answering of questions • Many simply ‘switch off’
Issues arising: • free-seating’ so students sit with their ‘clique’ • Private talks/jokes • Disruption to lessons and affects other students who desire to learn
The solution… Circle time!
Objectives • To increase the engagement level of students during tutorials • To sustain students’ attention throughout the 1-hr lesson
DEVELOPED BY DR SUE ROFFEY- SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LITERACY- RELATIONSHIPS, RESILIENCE, RESPONSIBILITY CIRCLE TIME SOLUTIONS
What I did… • Adapt the CIRCLE TIME concept to tutorial setting • Incorporating INTERACTIVE pedagogical strategies in lessons
Dr Sue’s Circle Solutions aim to.. • develop a caring classroom ethos and sense of belonging - increasing school connectedness • develop the self-awareness, social and emotional skills that support resilience and healthy relationships
A typical circle session (Ref: Dr Sue) • Principles • Check in • Mixer • Activity • Energizer • Check out
Greeting game Mix up game ‘Pass on’ games Paired interview Pair share Sentence completion Silent statement Energiser Support and communication games Group collaboration Role play Values: Structured small group discussions presented as games Feelings: Exploring a range of issues in a safe, indirect way. Strengths: identifying and developing abilities and personal qualities Our class - taking responsibility for what happens here Visualisation / stories Relaxation strategies Examples of activities
FRAMEWORK • Check In • Mixer • Content Top-Up • Energiser • Check Out
First lesson Students seated in one big circle (with gap in front for teacher) Mixer Rationale of CIRCLES explained. Rules of CIRCLES laid. Agreement made to abide by the rules.
The Rules One voice at a time Everybody participates No put downs You can skip your turn, but we will come back to you Buzz time Quiet signal Red card
Content Top-Up • Objectives of lessons – on WB, to be reviewed at end of lesson • Strategies used to engage students • Teacher as facilitator • Disruptive behavior managed immediately using the ‘proximity’ technique
Examples of Strategies Background knowledge probe – 1. 2. 3 fingers
Examples of Strategies Opening and closing – FOLDED FILE FOLDERS Name Topic
The K W L • This student has learnt what he has wanted to know and more.
Examples of Strategies Talking chips – participation by all
Lesson closure Understanding continuum
Check out – Lesson closure Understanding continuum
feedback ‘NORMAL’ LESSONS ‘CIRCLES’ LESSONS
feedback ‘NORMAL’ LESSONS ‘CIRCLES’ LESSONS
feedback ‘NORMAL’ LESSONS ‘CIRCLES’ LESSONS
feedback ‘NORMAL’ LESSONS ‘CIRCLES’ LESSONS
feedback ‘NORMAL’ LESSONS ‘CIRCLES’ LESSONS
feedback • I like tutorials in CIRCLES because… • they are very engaging • they keep me awake and attentive • I am more alert • they make lessons more interesting • the folded folder allows us to better understand the concepts taught
feedback • I like tutorials in CIRCLES because… • they are more interactive • they force us to participate in class, which is good, given that we are usually passive during normal lessons • They help to facilitate learning in a more focused environment
feedback 18 out of 25 students said the lessons are more engaging and interactive.
Circle time satisfies the 3 basic needs • Autonomy • Competence • Relatedness
LIMITATIONS • Strategies used before, during and at the end of lessons should be varied so students will not get bored at the predictable moves by the teacher. • The CIRCLES method cannot be used in every lesson, otherwise it will lose its novelty. Recommendation is to use CIRCLES for about 20% of the lessons.
LIMITATIONS Physical constraints: • suitable classroom • arrangement of chairs • suitable furniture
resources • Circle time for emotional literacy by Sue Roffey • http://pdc.oetc.org/strategies