Page 11 - The Ogemawahj Tribal Council

3. Establish protocol for quickly setting up a circle. This will be
dependent on your classroom setup, but should involve students.
For example, on your cue, they can pick up a chair and move it to
a designated spot in the circle. Similarly, they can return desks or
chairs at the closing of the circle. The more efficient you make this
MATERIALS
process, the more often you will use it.
1. talking stone from the
4. Have students sit in the circle that has been created. Minds On activity
5. Use the four elements of self from the medicine wheel to establish 2. chart paper and markers
your circle norms. Have students contribute to what each aspect
3. a chair or carpeted area
will look like in your class circle. See the Appendix for a Circle for each person to sit in
Norm Wheel Sample and BLM TC.1, Circle Norm Wheel Template. a circle on the floor
For example, some circle norms may be: 4. Appendix: Circle Norm
Wheel Sample
– Physical: active listening, with body facing speaker, eyes on
speaker, hands and feet still 5. Appendix: Sample
Circle Activities
– Emotional: saying what is true for you based on your
6. Appendix: Sample
experiences and feelings
Circle Questions
– Intellectual: listening with an open mind; trying to understand
7. BLM TC.1, Circle Norm
– Spiritual: being respectful, allowing others to speak without Wheel Template
interruption, saying just enough in order to be considerate
of others

Write your circle norms in the appropriate quadrant of your talking
stone medicine wheel. Transfer norms to BLM TC.1 Circle Norm Wheel
Template, and keep on display as a reminder.
6. Use the Background Information to share the importance of
the talking stone. Explain that this item is used to keep order
and to make sure that everyone in the circle has an opportunity
to participate.

7. When the talking stone is held, everyone is quiet and listens to the
person holding it. Only the person holding the talking stone can
speak at that moment. Remind students that they have the right
to pass, but also the responsibility to participate with the group.
Choose a stone from your medicine wheel of student stones.
8. The first three circles outlined here are intended to help familiarize
students with the process, and to create a sense of trust and
community. It takes time to build this, but it will definitely be
worth it.

Practice Circle 1
Review your circle norms from your Circle Norm Wheel.
Choose an activity from the Sample Circle Activities in the
Appendix as a fun warm-up to the circle.

Resource Books Leaders’ Guide 9