How+to+Participate+in+The+Circle

=**The Circle**=


 * //**The Circle**// is a class discussion and question and answer session.


 * //**The Circle**// is student driven – it is up to students to raise topics for discussion, ask questions, and respond and interact with each other. Students are expected to be prepared to actively contribute to //**The Circle**// each and every time. The goal is to have everyone participate equally, so too much or too little from any one person is a sign that //**The Circle**// needs help. Try to encourage everyone to participate.


 * Mr. Izzy will keep track of students' contributions and these will be reflected in the students' Homework/Classwork/Participation grade. Each session of //**The Circle**// will also earn a group score which will be shared by everyone.

//**The Circle**//: Expectations

 * Listen carefully.


 * Don’t address everything to the instructor. Make eye contact with the person whose points you are addressing. Look around the table; let people know that they’re included. Use names to focus interaction.


 * Stick close to the text in discussion. Keep the text open. When appropriate, be prepared to cite specifics in the language of the text to support, challenge or question. The discussion is not a test of memory.


 * Collaborate, don’t compete. It is not a debate, but a discussion. Discussion is collaborative: multiple sides work toward shared understanding. Debate is oppositional: opposing sides try to prove each other wrong.


 * Don’t raise hands; take turns speaking. It is OK to “pass” occasionally if asked directly to contribute.


 * Affirm comments made by other students. Encourage others to clarify or expand ideas that might be foggy. Ask for more information or further explanation. Don’t hesitate to summarize. Discuss ideas rather than opinions.


 * Challenge politely if you disagree. Let any student finish phrasing a question or developing an idea before you jump in. Clarify a difference of opinion first.


 * Be sure that the class is content with the exploration of one topic before heading off into new territory. In moments of silence, determine whether the group is wrestling with an idea or passage, or whether to pursue a new line of inquiry. Ask each other: Can we summarize the discussion so far? Did we take it as far as it could go? Are we content?


 * You are responsible for the success of the discussion. Prepare and participate thoughtfully. Don’t fake it if you don’t know; admit it and move on.


 * If you’re not a reluctant participant, and suspect that you might have a dominant presence at the table, police your own frequency of involvement. Don’t answer every question; don’t jump in at every opportunity. Pull your weight, but not everybody else’s.