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Circle time is generally known as a time for the entire class to participate and engage in activities together. Most teachers have a rough understanding of what should be expected for this time, but many teachers lack the structure and pizazz it takes to compel every student to feel comfortable and willing to participate. In order to achieve maximum effectiveness in circle times, teachers should follow some rough guidelines. First and foremost, circle time should have routine and repetition. Sticking to a predictable routine is crucial for young learners, as it will give them a sense of confidence and pride when they know what is coming up next. They will remember what activities come before and after others and many students will enjoy guessing what is coming next. Routines can also give students a feeling of security and control over their environment by providing a sense of stability and consistency. Having a routine to your circle time will not only help your students, but it will actually make things easier for you as the teacher because everything will be rehearsed and improved upon each time. Another crucial component of circle time is remembering to allow each student a chance to contribute to the activities. Naturally there will be students who are reluctant to participate or might never want to participate, but the teacher’s goal should be to make every student feel comfortable and included in this environment whether or not they are ready to join in. When students feel included and part of true group they will be much more likely to participate in the activities. The next most important factor in circle time is to remember to practice smooth but yet detectable transitions. Between each different activity there should be some type of practiced transition to move from one activity to the next. This will allow children to sense what is going to happen next. Sometimes this can be a song or even just a sound, a tambourine or whistle, to signify that one activity has finished or one is about to begin. Children will soon learn that this means there is some change happening. Smooth transitions between one activity and another are vital to an effective circle time because they will help students stay focused from one activity to be next. These are just a few examples of some ways to make circle time more fun and of course more educational. There are infinite possibilities of additional games, songs, drills and activities that can be added to your circle time to make it more exciting. Remember that each day is a new chance to try circle time again so do not get discouraged if the first trial does not go as planned. It is recommended that your circle time does not exceed 15-25 minutes depending on age levels and experience. Start simple and try fitting in more and more material as you go. You can always add more if your students like something or take things away if you feel them to not be useful. And most importantly, always stay positive!
