Hands Back Hands Forward

Understanding Circle of Courage teachings (Brendtro, Brokenleg, & Van Bockern, 1990) can help us to know how to create a safe and welcoming community for everyone. The Circle of Courage identifies four fundamental needs of all children: Belonging, Mastery, Independence, and Generosity.

The Spirit of Belonging:
The universal longing for human bonds is cultivated by relationships of trust so that the child can say, “I am loved”.

The Spirit of Generosity:
Character is cultivated by concern for others so that the child can say, “I have purpose for my life.”

The Spirit of Mastery:
The inborn thirst for learning is cultivated; by learning to cope with the world, the child can say, “I can succeed.”

The Spirit of Independence:
Free will is cultivated by responsibility so that the child can say, “I have the power to make decisions.”

When a community recognizes a set of shared values and strives to achieve it, all will benefit from it. Here is an example of the Circle of Courage being incorporated into the philosophy of a class of 28 grade five and six students in Alexander Ferguson School in Calgary, Alberta. On their blog, Life in Room Eight – A Sharing of Our Learning, the class reflected on the teaching of the Circle of Courage after the classroom was vandalized (See February 25, 2008 post entitled “Turning a bad story into a good story”, which includes the teacher’s introduction and links to student podcasts.)

Another example is Lake Bonavista Elementary School , which is located in the southeast quadrant of the Bonavista community in Calgary, Alberta. This school adopts Circle of Courage as a framework for their teaching, learning, and living. The website shares examples of how the class works together to act on each principle of the Circle.