The Talking Circle

Back in October of 2017, I attended my first talking circle with Whitney Ogle as a required PD session in the first year of the education program. I didn't know it then, but that was the day my eyes were opened to a whole new world and would become the fabric of my teaching philosophy. She started off with a talking circle, discussing the significance of a circle and what it can represent, and the importance of the circle in our natural world. The importance of smudging and the release of 'the black mold' that festers within us is a powerful experience, and I am grateful to gain more experiences and knowledge like these on a frequent basis.

Over my time of many circles, you realize that no one circle is ever the same. With new people, knowledge, and perspectives, I have experienced many degrees of circles and the power they have over the space. One of my favourite things about talking circles is the authentic atmosphere is able to create, strangers get down to earth and present raw emotions. I think it shows not only the power the circle is able to promote but also the trust and honesty that can come out of others, bringing the concept of releasing 'the black mold' to deeper meanings.

The first thing I taught in my new practicum class was a talking circle, an experience none of my students have ever had. Using the talking stick I made in EDUC 4351, I gave students the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts about the first week of school and how they would rate it out of 10. You could feel the initial anxiety of this new experience, and having the opportunity to be open with peers you just met. The students loved the talking stick, not only for their anxieties of talking in front of others, but they wanted to make their own and liked the design of mine (future art lesson perhaps?) But I keep getting asked to do more, which is very exciting to present one of my first Indigenous learning opportunities to my students. I want to try for a talking circle each week, some structured, others allowing the space to naturally take over and determine the journey for us.

I think it is awesome you are bringing talking circles into your practicum, I have been in younger grades and have been a little bit intimidated by it but hearing about it being such a positive experience for you maybe I need to reconsider. I love how you talked about no circle ever being the same, I never thought about it that way but it is so true. Thanks for sharing this Gabby.

Talking cirlces are a great way for people to all come into an environment where everyone is welcome and made to feel a part of the collective. As Gabby had mentioned above that talking circles would be a great addition to the classroom in ensuring that all students have the ability to share whne comfortable through the passing of a talking stick. In my own experience with talking sticks used in a prior education class with Christy was a great opportunity for all of the students in the class to give their full attention to the person speaking without interupting the person who has speaking. In my own practicum this year I think this would be great to implement into the classrooom that I am in. However, the thought of actually starting a talking circle and using a talking stick makes me slightly nervous as I never want to disrespect the indigenous culture. Especially when students have questions about this process I would be hesitant to answer their questions as I do not know all the answers in regard to indigenous talking circles. I have also found a resource that explains to teachers how to implement a talking circle into the classroom.

After our talking cicrcle experience I instantly thought about Tommy Orange's novel There There and specifically the character Edwin Black. Edwin is very curious about his culture but is unsure about his identity as he has never known his father, who is of Indigenous descent. Edwin really struggles with his identity and wants to learn about his Indigenous heritage. If Edwin would have had an opportunity to be a part of a talking circle he may have struggled slightly less as he could have listened to a plethora of stories from people within the Indigenous community.

https://www.heartland.edu/documents/idc/talkingcircleclassroom.pdf

Thank you for sharing Gabby. From personal experiences, I love the safe environment that is presented within a talking circle. Indivudals feel comfortable showing a vulnorable side of them by asking questions and generating conversations. I loved how you used it to reflect on your first week in your practicum. It shows humility with your students and how you allowed them to express freely how they thought it went. As leaders in a classroom, we need to show that we are not perfect, and no one is. We learn from mistakes or short comings that ccur throughout our everyday experiences. By asking your student about how they individually felt the week went, it showed your passion and drive to always work towards bettering those around you. It also develops a sense of community within the environement you are in. Shwoing respect to other cultural traditions annd teachings shows acceptance and willingness to learn. Thanks for sharing!!

Thank you for sharing, Gabby! I have also been part of talking circles in my practicum classrooms and I think that they have to power to be excellent tools in sharing and communication for students. One thing that I worry, about when I consider the practice of talking circles for my own classroom, is creating an experience that is authentically indigneous and in line with the beliefs of Indigenous people. As we've talked about in class, many indigenous traditions have been "white-washed". Indigenous traditional practices, which are often sacred and very meaninful, have been taken over and reproduced by white people in inauthentic ways that undermine the importance of the practice. For this reason, I feel it is incredibly importatnt to approach this practice in a way that allows our students to participate and learn in a traditional way that does not undermine the importance of the talking circle.

My trepidation in using indigenous perspective in my own classroom is similar to what David mentioned in our talking circle discussion. He spoke about his fears of doing or saying the wrong thing as he learned about his culture. Along the way David has support from Elders and like Orvil in Tommy Orange's There There, he has also used YouTube as a source of Education about his culture.

Maybe this process of blending old (talking circles) and new (youtube) is a way that I can provide authentic experiences for students while staying in line with traditional practice and not placing my own spin on things. Or maybe, I need to accept that I will make mistakes along the way while I learn how to incorporate indigenous perspectives in my classroom.

Thank you for sharing Gabby!!

I enjoyed your point about how no circle is ever the same. I have been to a few talking circles through my education and each one is different in its own way! Like you I feel that talking circles breakdown a wall, its a setting where people can be themsleves and show their true emotions without the fear of being judged. I have yet to try a talking circle in a classroom setting but I think that it would be a great learning opportunity to students.

Gabby! This post really caught my attention! The way you describe your experiences with talking circles and especially how "no one is ever the same" really hit me. Looking back on my times in these circles I have in a sense not valued them as much as I could have. Seeing your passion to bring this into the classroom and value it deeply convicted me in a good way.

The idea of new knowledge is an aspect I had not fully comprehended before. Sometimes I feel I become fixated on my contribution to the circle that I am not attentively listening to the other knowledge being shared in the circle. The way you describe talking circles helped me realize the importance of being a good listener. I appreciate you sharing and starting this post as I truly felt like I reflected on something I might not have given a second thought to. There is always refining and learning to happen!