ELAINE’S CIRCLEBY BOB KATZ

BY: KAYLA WAYMACK

SUMMARY

• ELAINE’S CIRCLE IS ABOUT A FOURTH GRADE TEACHER NAMED ELAINE MOORE. ELAINE

IMPLEMENTS “CIRCLE TIME” INTO HER CLASSROOM EACH DAY WHERE EVERYONE SITS IN A

CIRCLE ON THE FLOOR AND TELLS STORIES OR DISCUSSES SOMETHING IN CLASS OR A TOPIC

THE CHILDREN WANT TO DISCUSS. EACH YEAR SHE CREATES A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL HER

STUDENTS FEEL INCLUDED. WHEN SEAMUS, A BELOVED STUDENT, IS DIAGNOSED WITH AN

INOPERABLE BRAIN TUMOR SHE TRIES TO KEEP HIM AS INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY AS

POSSIBLE. THE STUDENTS COME UP WITH ALL SORTS OF IDEAS TO HELP SEAMUS SUCH AS

WEEKLY TRIPS TO HIS HOUSE, GET WELL CARDS, AND EVER A QUILT WITH HAND MADE

DRAWINGS FROM EACH OF THEM.

SEAMUS SURVIVES A LOT LONGER

THAN HIS ESTIMATED TIME, AND WITH

THE HELP OF HIS PEERS REACHES THE

FIFTH GRADE. AFTER COMPLETING

EVERY ITEM ON HIS WISH LIST HE DIES

PEACEFULLY AT HOME. HIS MEMORIAL

WAS HELD AT THE ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL, WHICH MADE HIS

CLASSMATES FEEL BETTER ABOUT

ATTENDING “SAYING GOODBYE TO

SEAMUS DAY.” ELAINE SPOKE OF ALL

THE THINGS THAT SEAMUS TAUGHT

HER AND THE KIDS. AT LAST SHE

THANKED SEAMUS FOR EVERYTHING HE

HAD GIVEN TO THEM IN LIFE AND

DEATH..

EDUCATIONAL THEMES

• COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT- CIRCLE TIME IS HIDDEN CURRICULUM AND SHOULD BE

IMPLEMENTED IN MORE CLASSROOMS

• HONESTY- CHILDREN UNDERSTAND A LOT MORE THAN WE GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR AND WE

SHOULD RESPECTFULLY TELL THEM THE TRUTH (WHEN RELEVANT AND NECESSARY)

• GIVE YOUR ALL TO YOUR STUDENTS

RESPONSE

• PERSONALLY, I LOVED THIS BOOK. IT WAS MOVING, SWEET, SMART, AND INEVITABLY SAD. I

ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW SEAMUS AND IT MEANT SO MUCH TO ME TO SEE HOW THE

CLASS CARED ABOUT EACH OTHER. IT ALSO SURPRISED ME HOW WELL THE CHILDREN TOOK

TO THE SERIOUS ISSUES FACING A TERMINAL ILLNESS. IT AMAZED ME THAT 10-YEAR-OLDS

WERE CAPABLE OF SUCH LOVE, COMPASSION, AND OPENNESS. THEY UNDERSTAND SO MUCH

MORE THAN WE REALIZE, AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT. ELAINE’S

TEACHING STYLE WAS ALSO GREAT TO READ ABOUT BECAUSE I COULD RECOGNIZE ALL THE

DIFFERENT WAYS CIRCLE TIME OR NATURE WALKS OR POINTING OUT OBVIOUS NON-

CURRICULUM THINGS WORKED FOR THE KIDS.