Pointless or Profitable? Perceptions of Proactive Circles in a Second-Grade Classroom
Abstract
Teachers are plagued with the unfortunate concept of “never enough time” in the classroom, trying to balance meeting the needs of the whole child and meeting the requirements of higher authority. The purpose of this study was to identify student and teacher perceptions of proactive circle and its impact on relationships, as well as its impact on students’ ability to appropriately express their feelings and emotions. The study took place in a second-grade classroom with seventeen students and one classroom teacher. Data was collected through surveys, sociograms, interviews, and field notes. Qualitative data was coded using the constant comparative method, and quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts. Four major themes emerged including environment, circle, relationships, and introspection. The researcher identified a heightened awareness and voluntary vulnerability among students over the course of implementation, as well as the classroom teacher’s new found awareness for her students and their needs.