Building Our Belonging Through Circles at ISNS| 在“圈”中建立团队归属感

2025-09-23 08:33

发布于广东

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Circle

This school year, we are starting a new initiative that builds on practices already happening across our Early Years, Primary, and Middle School. Every child deserves to have a sense of belonging.

As Dr. James Comer reminds us：

“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” When students feel

When students feel connected to their peers and teachers, their wellbeing and learning outcomes improve.

Building Our Belonging Through Circles at ISNS| 在“圈”中建立团队归属感

To help students develop this sense of belonging at school and within their classrooms, we have initiated circles to become common practice in classrooms.

The purpose of a circle is for students and their teachers to come together to talk and listen—not about academics, but to build relationships and community through shared dialogue.

By utilizing circles, students are able to develop their communication and social skills, two of the five IB Approaches to Learning (ATLs).

Circles have a multitude of uses that we are beginning to explore as a school. While they are excellent for community building, they can also be used restoratively when conflict arises and even in academic settings, such as structured reflections or collaborative learning. Circles are part of a wider set of restorative practices used in schools around the world, and research shows they are highly effective in fostering empathy, inclusion, and resilience. Even though we are early in this initiative, we are already seeing positive impact.

For example, some Grade 2 students have been actively requesting circle times in the morning—a strong sign of their value to students.

Teachers are also finding that circles open up new ways to connect with their students.

Through these conversations, they gain insights into student needs, build trust, and foster a more supportive learning environment.

Circles align closely with the IB Learner Profile, encouraging students to be Communicators, Caring, and Principled.

In addition, they embed CASEL standards implemented through our School Counseling curriculum and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies, such as self-awareness and relationship building

They also provide consistency across divisions, giving our students a common experience that grows with them from Early Years to Middle School.

A typical circle might begin with

■#1 A short opening ritual or greeting

■#2 Followed by a prompt and shared discussion using a talking piece

■#3 And end with a reflection

These structures ensure that every voice is heard, helping to build respect and inclusion.

Circles are already strengthening wellbeing, supporting conflict resolution, and building inclusivity. In time, they will also support academic success through nurturing a safe and supportive environment—as well as use within classroom learning, such as in literacy circles or reflection after group projects.

This initiative is just the beginning

As a community, we look forward to deepening our use of circles and continuing to strengthen the relationships that make significant learning possible.

Be sure to ask your Early Years, PYP, or Middle School student about their experience with circles so far!