Ms. Joan Kiely has been a Religious Studies teacher for the past 20 years. Though the books and the curriculum may have changed over the years, one “tradition” has remained constant throughout her Christian Life Choices and Sacraments classes – Circle Time.

If one happens to walk into De Sales Hall room 202 on any given Friday, he will be sure to see the tradition continuing.

“The Circle is a unique opportunity for students to learn things about their peers and take part in conversations that would never come up in a normal classroom setting,” Ms. Kiely said. “The Circle is a way of sharing our faith journey, how God is the center of it, and how we all have a reason to be where we are.”

It is an open environment where students can voice the opinions in which they truly believe.  “While others student have a chance to call them out on it, there is still control maintained,” says Mrs. Kiely.

Every Circle is based on either a recent topic of interest or a student who is randomly selected to be interviewed. In order for the Circle to be a productive learning, tool, there is a strict set of steps to follow that ensure its effectiveness.

Ms. Kiely said, “The class has to be all caught up in their work. The students all sit together on the floor in the front of the class as equals. A student must show respect for their peers’ thoughts. If at any time a student does not want to answer a question, they can pass.”

The students are asked questions based on a series of questions adapted from the popular television show “Inside the Actor Studio.”  They may range from a simple “What’s your favorite color?” to questions such as, “What personalities turn you off?”  Ms. Kiely said these questions allow her students to use the Circle as “a forum to discuss problems that might be difficult to address.”

In order to make sure the student gets a full Circle experience, there is one question Mrs. Kiely ask every interviewee, “When you die and go to heaven what do you want God to say to you?”

This question sums up the whole reason why Circle time exists. That is, of course, to help Students of Cathedral Catholic High school grow in their faith.