<aside> 👉 You may use the following ideas on their own to foster a conversation or as a topic for a talking circle.

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High/Lows. High/lows are a great way to reconnect after a weekend or reflect on the day, week, month, or year. You can use them at the start of the day, end of the day/week, or at the beginning of a meeting or lesson. Invite participants to share the highlight of their day/week/etc. (the “high”), and the lowest moment of their day (the “low”). Like clearings, it is crucial to foster a non-judgmental environment for these things to be shared. Eventually, you should be able to say, “What was everybody’s high/low today?” Participants can share multiple highs and lows if they have them or may choose only to share a high or a low. I encourage people I do this with to start with the low and end on the high note.

Shoutouts, Failures, Lessons. Similar to a high/low, shoutouts, failures and lessons are a way to foster discussion at the end of the day or week. Participants may shout out an individual who helped them during the day/week or who they think deserves recognition. Then, they share any failures they had that day. Finally, they share a lesson they learned that day/week, which doesn’t necessarily have to be academic. This one is particularly suited as a topic for a talking circle and an excellent way to open the weekly staff meeting.

Intentions. Intention-setting is a common technique in yoga and meditation practices where the participant makes a commitment with themselves. Intentions are like small goals to help guide us during our practice, the day, or the week. They can be shared or kept to oneself. You can ask students to set an intention at the start of the day or share it during a talking circle. Teach students how to set an intention by asking them to consider a personal goal they want to accomplish during the day. An intention is usually a single sentence. Example intentions include “I intend to make smart choices about who I sit with,” “I intend to go easy on myself today,” “I intend to ask questions when I need help,” or “I intend to make someone smile today.”