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Lesson Three: Carly Chartier 60 Before starting this lesson, research Sharing Circle/Talking Circle teachings in your local community by speaking with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper. We recommend inviting an Elder or Knowledge Keeper into your classroom to give this teaching. The Sharing Circle Teacher Resource was produced by Marika Schalla after careful consider- ations as well as input and teachings from other community members and Elders. The Sharing Circle teachings oered in this resource are based on Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) and Red River Métis teachings. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A Sharing Circle may be called dierent names and used for dierent reasons - The Talking Circle, The Teaching Circle, The Healing Circle. They all have the same premise and that is the Circle is structured to create a sense of safety and respect. The focus of the Circle is to connect people through communication. In the Circle, people verbalize their knowledge and emotions. It is through listening and sharing that we learn how to get in touch with our true selves and others around us. By creating the form of a circle, people are connected equally in spirit, emotion, mental, and the physical. The purpose of the Sharing Circle, used as part of classroom instruction, is to create a safe environment in which students can share their point of view with others. In a Sharing Circle, each person is equal, and each person belongs. Participants in a Sharing Circle learn to listen and respect the views of others. Using Indigenous pedagogies and perspectives creates a culturally responsive classroom, which leads to student empowerment, community spirit, boosts in student self-esteem, increased academic improvement and creates a positive learning environment. Sharing Circle Implementation in Classrooms Guidelines: 1.Participants sit in a circle. The circle symbolizes interconnectedness. 2.Participants are all sitting together either all on the floor or all on chairs (unless special accommodations are needed. Everyone needs to be comfortable). 3.The Speaker is the person who is in possession of the talking object. The Speaker is the only one who speaks at that time. Cross dialogue is not part of the Circle as it can become confrontational. Everyone will get a fair chance to be The Speaker. 4.The Listeners are the rest of the participants. The Listeners listen with respect and non-judgement. Actively listening, with the heart, allows us to hear the true intent beneath what the speaker is saying. Listen in the way you expect others to hear you. 5.An object such as a grandfather rock or a talking stick is used to show who the Speaker is. The object is passed to the East, in a clockwise direction, unless taught otherwise by a local Elder or Knowledge Keeper. •If a talking stick, grandfather rock or a feather is unavailable, an everyday object such as a pencil can be used as a talking object. 6.Introduce yourself. It is polite to introduce yourself in the first round. Your name is very important, as important as you are to the Circle. You may just say your first given name. You can also say your Spirit Name if applicable. 7.In other rounds of the Sharing Circle, silence is an acceptable response to any questions posed in the Circle. Participation as the Speaker in the Circle is completely voluntary. There must be no negative reactions to the phrase, "I pass." 8.Speak from the heart - The Speaker should address the circle from the heart and may speak for as long as they need to, with respect for the time of others. 9.What is said in the circle stays in the circle - never repeat anything that is said within the circle, unless you have the permission of the speaker. Tips to Remember: •Confidentiality - Who speaks and what is said stays within the Circle. This shows respect and builds trust between us. •Non-Judgement - We are all considered equal in the eyes of the Creator. We try to be Sharing Circle Teacher Resource