Teacher Learning Circles

About TLC Principles

 

The TLC curriculum should be conducted in line with the organizing principles listed below. The same ethics and processes that are topics of discussion should be upheld in the circle dynamic. In teaching new and experienced teachers about relevant topics to education in conflict-affected settings, conflict-sensitive practices must be modeled.

 

The curriculum is organized into four topical units, sandwiched between an introductory and concluding unit. In the introductory session, the group will decide upon a set of rules and guiding principles. Each topical unit is composed of two sessions. The first session is an introduction to the topic by the facilitator. A traditional teacher learning circle follows each of these sessions. The facilitator leads the first circle to model structure and protocols, but the following circles are led by particiants.

           

Each unit’s lessons is differentiated by its activities, but unified by the structure and the underlying ethics and principles. For the first session in any unit, the facilitator shares key principles and determines any pre-existing notions the participants have regarding the topic. The middle activity is always a case study followed by a concluding activity and reflective discussion. However, the activities and implementation will vary by unit and by context. The second session is always a traditional learning circle. Every learning circle has six elements: welcome; pits and peaks; introduction to the topic of the week; introductory activities; main discussion; and conclusion. The leader of the session has flexibility in which activities they incorporate into their circle discussion.