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Turn toward one another

For heart-centered relationships and meaningful, engaged learning

welcome to circle ways.

For over 35 years, our evidence-based work has centered the unique gifts each individual brings to schools, families, organizations, and communities. Circle practices remind us that knowledge is not a commodity, that no one is expendable, and when there is harm, there must be healing. In circles, we turn toward each other at times of celebration, challenge, life transition, loss, decision-making, and the need for collaborative action.

Our Circle Ways Team trains and coaches staff, students, and parents/caregivers to develop sustainable, systemic processes that serve both academic and interpersonal needs. We also work with organizations to bring member-honoring creativity, decision-making, and accountability, and with families to foster compassionate connection throughout the lifecycle. Circle Ways also provides skilled, neutral facilitators for conflict mediation, co-creation and hosting of Circle Celebrations, and design of Circle Spaces to create environments that encourage turning towards each other with open hearts.

FOR
Schools

A school that embraces circle practice deepens student understanding of content, increases empathy & collaboration, and addresses the evolving needs of the school community.
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For
organizations

We offer introductory, practicums, and advanced level workshops, training and facilitation for circle practice and restorative justice within organizations.
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FOR
families

Family health requires ongoing communication. Learn to respond to the needs of the relationship itself rather than just the needs of the individuals. This offering is for extended, blended, and immediate families as well as couples.
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Restorative
mediation

Conflict is inevitable: but it also serves a vital function in our development,  both as individuals and as a society. Call on Circle Ways to help resolve conflicts — in the workplace, between individuals, and at school.
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How we work

At Circle Ways, we focus on sustainable, systemic practices. First, we assess the needs of a school, family, or organization. Training involves two foundational series: Introduction to Circle Ways and Foundations of Restorative Practices

We then provide professional development and coaching, ultimately establishing an independent, internal staff/parent/student committee to sustain the practice and be responsive to community needs as they arise. 

Parents and caregivers are trained and mentored to facilitate community circles and affinity groups with other parents. They, in turn train new parent facilitators. We also provide student leadership training as capacity in the art of collaboration is greatly valued in the business and interpersonal worlds. 

To deepen connections and practices, we also provide retreats and passage/transition ceremonies in natural settings away from the school site.

Words from our community

  • "CIRCLE WAYS HELP US VALIDATE WHO WE ARE.

    “In the eight months since council circle practice came to our school, we have used it in moments of joy, crisis, celebration, stress, fear, and disappointment. No matter the occasion, council helps all of us validate who we are and where we fit in this world. Teachers, students, administrators, and parents regularly learn from one another’s stories. Council has given us the avenue to appreciate each other’s experiences, experiences that we share through our stories.”

    — Guillermina Jauregui, Principal, International Studies Learning Center (LAUSD)

  • 'effective and meaningful'

    “Having council in my course has proven to be an effective and meaningful way for students to develop fundamental skills. Council also fosters cultural sensitivity, and allows students in a large class to have small group encounters in which each person has the opportunity to express their thoughts freely. More than anything, council fosters a spirit of curiosity and openness, and reminds us that good learning begins with relationship and rapport between students and teachers alike.”

    —DR. BETSY PERLUSS, PROFESSOR, CSULA

  • 'a new angle on education'

    “The workshop in Freiburg was a big opener for my self. It provided a new angle on the whole of therapy, education, society, pathology, spirituality and self. It touched me in a sense of "Ahhhhh that´s what it really is about". Until now I was kind of distracted and struggled hard fighting all these problems, solving all the equations... not seeing the joy, the vivid, the simple.”

    —MANUEL TUMINO, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST FREIBURG, GERMANY

  • safer and more caring learning

    "Circle Ways has provided tremendous benefit to the thousands of LAUSD students and over 2,000 educators who have participated in pilot programs and trainings. These benefits include essential social-emotional skills, building safer and more caring learning environments, helping teachers to find their own creative ways of personalizing and differentiating instruction, and helping students find relevance in school by linking academic curriculum to their own lived experiences. These claims are confirmed by the WestEd evaluation of the program for the years 2006-09 and also by the anecdotal reports and comments from participants."

    —DR. JUDY ELLIOTT, FORMER CHIEF INSTRUCTIONAL OFFICER, LAUSD

  • Validating who we are

    “In the eight months since council came to our school, we have used it in moments of joy, crisis, celebration, stress, fear, and disappointment. No matter the occasion, council helps all of us validate who we are and where we fit in this world. Teachers, students, administrators, and parents regularly learn from one another’s stories. Council has given us the avenue to appreciate each other’s experiences, experiences that we share through our stories.

    —GUILLERMINA JAUREGUI, PRINCIPAL, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES LEARNING CENTER (LAUSD)

  • dissolving barriers to learning

    “There are so many benefits. First and foremost, circle practice made barriers to honest communication virtually disappear. Since I’m a home teacher, my position as “the teacher” with only one student can sometimes inhibit students’ willingness to share ideas. They know that I have “the answer,” and the benefits of group discussions are lost. Circles allow that teacher-student paradigm to disappear. Being on equal footing has inspired my students to take risks. I have been trying for years to remove that barrier; now I have a way to do it.”

    —SUSAN ZAKAROV, BERENECE CARLSON HOME INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM AND HOSPITAL SCHOOL

  • Positive impact on school climate

    “…Principals felt that Council circles impacted their students and school climate by improving disciplinary referrals and fights on campus and better social skills (listening, public speaking, and negotiating personal conflicts) among students.”

    — BARBARA DIETSCH, PHD AND NORAINI ABDULLAH-WELSH, PHD, WestEd (based on a 3-year independent study using the California Healthy Kids Survey protocol)

  • Council in the middle east

    Many years ago I had already learned council here, but wanted to know more about Circle Ways in education, and contacted Joe. He invited me to join a circle for teachers in California via Skype, and so I became part of the circle of teachers, each teacher passing the laptop together with the talking piece so I could share in the circle. Later I came to California, and joined them physically, finally meeting Joe and the teachers face to face. This was so meaningful for me – they opened their hearts to me even though I wasn’t part of their staff or community, it felt like family, acceptance, and was very special to me.

    As a Palestinian I feel the urgency to bring Circle Ways to people in the Middle East, as the only Arabic speaking Council trainer. I have always received support in this from Joe, whether he offers me materials, or mentoring in educational settings, he is always there when I need him, even meeting a school principal on zoom with me. Just now Joe has been meeting with me on zoom each week to mentor me with a particularly challenging council process with at risk teens.

    I am very thankful for all this support and commitment over the years, for his always being in service of the Way of Council.

    ITAF AWAD - TRAINER fND FACILITATOR

  • holding and maintaining relationship

    On a personal level I am happy to begin this by saying that Joe Provisor was my first Council teacher, 20 years ago, here in Israel. When Ronit Rinat invited Joe to teach Council here to educators I was hesitant about joining, but after a weekend of intensive training I was in. Today I am a facilitator, a trainer and an active member of the Council NGO in Israel, because I have made Council my way of life.

    Joe taught how to create and hold meaningful connection in a clear and simple way: a child can understand it, an adult can get the deeper implications. This many-leveled way of teaching went straight to my heart.

    But Joe’s work went much farther than that. Once you are Joe’s student, it is for life. Even though there are thousands of miles and many hours separating us, Joe was always there for us here in Israel. He offers zoom teaching councils to educators, he offers mentoring and support privately, he is constantly creating and learning how to deepen and strengthen the work of Circle Ways in education, and always shares what he finds with his students and peers. In short, Joe embodies Council, holding and maintaining the relationship with us over years.

    Thank you Joe for being and doing with us in Israel and in the world.

    — AURA HAMMER - TRAINER AND FACILITATOR, AMULAT MAAGAL HAKSHAVA - COUNCIL TRAINING ISRAEL

our impact

With over 100 schools, 25k educators trained, and over 35 years of mentoring schools, organizations and families in Circle Ways: our legacy continues to ripple outwards.

We teach people how to transform systems from the inside out, by witnessing person-to-person and heart to heart in the powerful practice known as the Way of Council.

Connect With Us

We would love to hear from you! Looking for more details and pricing, have questions about our offerings or the process, need referrals to administrators who have sustained the program...or anything else? Contact us.

Email
info@circleways.org

Phone
(310) 502-7214