Circle Time Implementation: Effects on Student Behavior

1. Circle Time Implementation: Effects on Student Behavior Eric Holschbach University of Wisconsin – La Crosse Manitowoc Learning Community

2. Circle Time

3. Action Reseach – Circle Time • Student Population – 11 students • Setting – Kindergarten classroom • Duration – 2 month period • Activities – At least four times per week

5. What is circle time? • A group of people in a circle communicating ideas by various methods. • All members are allowed to contribute • Peoples thoughts and felling are respected and valued • Not only limited to students

6. School Wide Behavior Program

7. Why do the action reasearch? • To see how implementing circle time activities in the kindergarten classroom effects student behavior: • Self Concept/Self Worth • Building Community • Socially and Emotionally

8. Data Collection Tools • Student Surveys (Pre and Post) • Teacher Questionnaires (Pre and Post) • Negative social and emotional occurrence tally sheets (Pre and Post Implementation) • Daily Reflection Notes

9. Review of Literature – Self Concept & Self Worth • How children perceive themselves often transfers over to their academic and social success (Brokenleg & Van Bockern, 2003) • Children who lack self-esteem often lead lives that distance themselves from the community (Brokenleg & Van Bockern, 2003) • Circle time produced significantly higher improvements of children’s self-worth & self-esteem (Miller & Moran 2007)

10. Review of Literature – Self Concept & Self Worth (cont.) • Children also begin to become good listeners (Kriete, 2003) • Allows children to have a voice and it is heard and respected among community members (Kelly, 1999).

11. Role Play Activity

12. Review of Literature – Building Community • Close bonds and friendships are formed during circle activities (Moss & Wilson, 1998) • Gives children the opportunity to express themselves in front of others who rarely talk (Kelly, 1999) • Provides the opportunity to model appropriate skills that make their classroom a kind and caring community (Kriete, 2003).

13. Review of Literature – Building Community (cont.) • Allows children to feel a sense of security and belonging (Kriete, 2003) • Children are valued and respected by fellow classmates (Kriete, 2003) • Children stand up for themselves and other classmates because they feel a sense of ownership to the circle of friends (Mirsky, 2004)

14. Building Friendships

15. Review of Literature – Social and Emotional Behaviors • Has a positive change on behavior of children with emotional and social behavior difficulties (Canney & Bryne, 2006) • Reduced aggressive and impulsive behaviors of students (Canney & Bryne, 2006) • Greater appreciation for cultural differences decreasing negative behaviors (Tew, 1998)

16. Review of Literature – Social and Emotional Behaviors (cont.) • Improved social interactions of students (Canney & Byrne, 2006) • Helped improve behavior management inside and outside the classroom (Kelly, 1999) • Some children with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties did not take the circle time activities seriously (Canney & Bryne, 2006)

17. Dealing With Emotions

18. Questions still to be answered: • How will circle time implementation in a kindergarten setting affect behaviors in the classroom? • Will these daily meetings improve student’s self-concept and build community within the classroom? • Will this community involvement carry over into real-life situations outside the classroom?

19. Methodology - Participants • Took place in 2010 at an Early Childhood Center • 5 year old kindergarten • 6 boys and 5 girls • 8 Caucasian and 3 Hispanic Students • Lasted 9 weeks

20. Methodology - Procedure • Students engaged in various role play scenarios • Social and emotional behaviors were modeled • Each student had opportunity to participate or contribute to each activity

21. Methodology Procedure

22. Procedure - Monday • Discuss experiences from their weekend • Modeling and discussion of a specific problem scenario involving friendship skills such as: (a) how to be a good friend by taking turns (b) thinking about how others feel (c) including everyone (d) using kind words

23. Procedure - Tuesday • A one word share from each student regarding their feelings that day • Students identified their type of emotion as either a good feeling or a bad feeling. • The modeling lesson that followed the one word share targeted students’ abilities to identify their emotions, control negative and positive impulses, and to empathize with their peer

24. Procedure - Wednesday • A problem solving scenario to discuss and role play with a partner • Scenarios were chosen based on the ill use of manners and inappropriate behaviors • These circle time lessons allowed students to model and discuss positive ways to improve classroom citizenship and the community as a whole

25. Procedure - Thursday • School wide Second Step® program • Engages students in discussing: • Social and emotional feelings, • Empathy • Building relationships. • These violence prevention activities focused around helping children with behavioral and social and emotional needs at school and at home

26. Good Citizenship Skills: Lending a helping hand

27. Research Design – Tools Used • Pre and Post Student Surveys • Pre and Post Teacher Questionnaires • Negative social and emotional behavioral tally sheet (before and during implementation) • Daily Reflection Journal - Classroom Atmosphere

28. Results – Pre and Post Survey • 27.3% increase in number of students responding that classmates made them feel happy • 36.4% increase in the total amount of students who stated classmates were happy when talking or playing with them • 18.2% increase in students that felt happy when entering the classroom

29. Results – Pre and Post Survey

30. Results Pre and Post Survey – Open Ended Questions • An increase of 36.4% of students expressed they felt happy in circle

31. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observations (Self Concept) • 27.2% increase in observations of students talking positively about themselves on a daily basis • 36.4% increase of students talking positively about other classmates on a daily basis • 27.3% increase in observations of students exhibiting warmth and compassion towards classmates and the teacher

32. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observations from Questionnaires

33. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observation (Building Community) • 18.1% increase in observations of students playing with others inside the classroom • 27.3% increase in observations of students having many close friends in the classroom

34. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observations from Questionnaire

35. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observation (Social and Emotional) • 18.2% increase in observations of students having very few social problems at school • 9.1% decrease in observations of students having very few emotional problems while at school • A 9.1% decrease  in percentage of students categorized displaying aggressive behavior

36. Results – Teacher Pre and Post Observations from Questionnaire

37. Negative Social and Emotional Behavioral Occurrences Observed • Occurrences decreased 0.5 occurrences per day with the implementation of circle time activities • During the 8th week occurrences per day increased, rising over the baseline average    • Baseline averaged 6.3 occurrences per day • During implementation it averaged 5.8 occurrences per day

38. Results – Daily Reflection Journal • Classroom atmosphere showed positive signs of loving, caring and respectful behaviors • Examples: • students helping other classmates up after falling on the playground • taking turns • using good manners, such as saying please and thank you

39. Role Play Scenario

40. Discussion • Did not clearly show an effect on students, either socially or emotionally – inconclusive • At times, positive effects related to self-concept, building community and social and emotional behaviors • Students felt safe and happy around peers during circle time

41. Discussion (cont.) • Overall increase in percentage of students exhibiting warmth and compassion of classmates and teacher • Increase in the overall percentage of children playing with others • An increase in the overall percentage of students forming friendships

42. Discussion (cont.) • A slight increase of emotional issues of students • Negative behaviors decreased .5 occurrences per day throughout implementation • In the 8th week of implementation the # of negative occurrences rose above the baseline average (not sure why)

43. Good Citizenship - Role Play

44. Limitations • Not being able to control if every child participated in the action research study • Outside factors – child’s home life • Sleep • Food • Comfort level the student felt towards teachers and other classmates

45. Conclusion • Circle time “helped more than it hurt” • Students learned a lot about themselves and others • It decreased negative behavioral occurrences • Helped in forming friendships and increased self worth.

46. Conclusion (cont.) • The classroom atmosphere improved socially • Multiple caring comments were overheard • Slightly decreased aggressive behaviors • Emotional problems increased slightly

47. The End