This presentation will address the Conference Theme by sharing the findings of an empirical study of a values education programme, one using Circle Time (CT) as the major classroom strategy. Existing studies reveal the positive impact of CT on students’ personal development, social skills and peer relationships, especially in the contexts of personal, social and health education. However, CT’s applicability to the teaching/learning of values is still being examined. The presentation focuses on the programme's implementation and the role of CT in teaching values education, particularly with regard to how teachers design the curriculum and teach the lessons by using CT, and how the students become engaged in the circle. Data were collected in two primary schools through multiple methods, including observations during meetings and classes, students’ portfolios, programme evaluations and interviews, and teachers’ programme evaluations and reflections. The study found that teachers and students appreciated the use of CT, as sitting in a circle clearly “opened up” teacher-student interactions as we find them in traditional classrooms, thus facilitating student-student dialogues. The students learned from sharing their daily activities, listening to their peers’ conversations and asking question. Copyright © 2018 APNME.
