Community Circles

Team Tapestry's Take on a School-wide Initiative

Holding your baby sister … at school. Chatting with your classmates, teachers … and parents. Eating breakfast with your librarian. These are some of the mix-it-up moments from Team Tapestry’s recent Bagel Breakfast & Community Circle.

Community Circles are a school-wide initiative at John Jay Middle School which happens mostly during morning meetings. Teachers or eighth-grade Homebase Leaders offer a prompt and those in the circle take turns speaking and listening.  Circles are used to increase emotional awareness, deepen relationships and build connections--skills associated with happier people and academic success.

 

Friends, family & breakfast

  • circles

A Multi-generational moment

  • circles

building community & connection

Team Tapestry teachers Guy Amdur, Jeanne Kellachan and Jesse Weiss arranged for the event to be held in John May Middle School’s cafeteria, with plenty of space for sharing circles of 7 - 12 people. Conversation starters included “On a scale from 1 to 5, how are you feeling today?” and “Favorite thing about middle school so far?”

“This event aimed to strengthen the bonds within our team, providing a relaxed and casual environment for us to connect beyond academic responsibilities,” said the teachers.

Community and connection show in the students’ happy smiles.