Summary of Story
Sofie tells us about the people living in her neighborhood with familiar faces. These are people she sees regularly but does not know and does not talk to. She mentions the man who walks his dog by her house and two older kids that live nearby. She never talks to these people and only waves to them if they wave first. She does not play with the older kids but gives a friendly wave if they wave first and then she moves on.
Teacher’s Note
The Orange Wave Circle includes all older children, including those whose faces are familiar (unless the child’s parent has designated a closer CIRCLE relationship). This designation conveys that the young child’s interactions with older kids, teens, or adults should not include touch or extensive conversation; it should be limited to a wave or nod of the head.
Unfortunately, affectionate, playful touching between adults and children can sometimes be misconstrued by the adult, the child, or the onlooker. Waving, with no physical contact, leaves no room for misinterpretation. In the video, emphasis is placed on the age difference between Sofie and the older children and adults in her neighborhood.
An exception can be made for more capable students incorporating the inclusion of a broader range of social roles into this circle. For example, the Orange Wave Circle may include neighbors and students they have met but do not touch, and seldom engage in conversation. Community helpers like police officers, firefighters, and medical workers with whom they have interacted within the confines of their services might be included here. In this way, higher functioning students are given more options regulating how they might relate with community helpers traditionally found in the Red Stranger Circle.
Program Aims
To establish the degree of intimacy associated with the Orange Wave Circle using familiar faces in the neighborhood as an example of relationships showing age differences and lack of familiarity.
Methods
Step 1: Review the Yellow Handshake Circle Video and review the following:
- Who is the most important person in your world of CIRCLES?
- What kind of touch, talk, and trust is acceptable with a person in your Yellow Handshake Circle that is an acquaintance?
Step 2: Inform students that today they will learn about a new circle, the Orange Wave Circle. Ask students what type of people they think might belong in their Orange Wave Circle based on the circle’s name.
Step 3: Show the video vignette for the Orange Wave Circle. Then elicit the Deciding Factors from students, either from their memory, by replaying the video vignette or helping younger students name them. Refer to the large CIRCLES graph, point to the orange circle and present the factors below. Discuss as needed.
- Sofie recognizes the man who walks his dog by her house daily
- Sofie has seen this man walk his dog often
- Sofie recognizes the older kids who live on her block
- Sofie lives on the same block as these children, but they are older, and she does not have common interests with them.
- Sofie offers a wave only if they wave first. Then she keeps moving.
- Sofie acts responsibly.
Step 4: The Teacher uses the laminated - figural icons with the wall-mounted CIRCLES graph to demonstrate the placement of the new characters on the CIRCLES graph. Reinforce the distance between the Purple Private “me” space and those individuals in whichever circle relationship is being exemplified. In this example, the orange circle. Place someone from Sophie’s neighborhood on the graph.
Step 5: Discuss that the overall tone of the Orange Wave Circle is people you do not know well and do not have things in common with. People in Orange Wave Circle are not friends or even acquaintances. If you do know their names, that may be all you know about them.
Reassure the children that they may have other older children, teens, and adults in the circles closer to them, but that these are people they know well, see often, and engage with regularly or are a part of their family.
Step 6: Distribute personal CIRCLES graphs. Have the children color in the orange circle. Review the distance between their Private Purple Circle and Orange Wave Circle and review the signs for each. Next, teachers should assist students in personalizing their Orange Wave Circle by using the Peel n’ Stick icons that best represent the familiar faces belonging in their Orange Wave Circle.
Step 7: Tell students, or elicit from students, if they are able, the following information about touch, talk, and trust with familiar faces in their Orange Wave Circle:
- Touch - Sofie waves, smiles, and nods her head but NEVER touches someone in her Orange Wave Circle.
- Talk - Sofie may give answers as a short response only and does not have a conversation with people in her Orange Wave Circle.
- Trust - Sofie has little trust for people in her Orange Wave Circle because she does not know them.
For Greater Depth (Optional)
- Roleplay greeting people or answering questions or remarks by people in your Orange Wave Circle and then moving on.
- A neighbor saying hello.
- A person saying that they like your bike.
- A familiar face is waving.
- The postal worker is delivering a package.
- Pair the children and have them practice the sign for the Orange Wave Circle.
- Practice saying “No” and putting their hand up in front of them if they feel someone is too close or a person in their Orange Wave Circle touches them.
Summary
Replay the video vignette as needed to reinforce students’ skill development. Tell students they do not touch or hug people in their Orange Wave Circle, that there is almost no talk; just a “hello” or a wave.
Support Activities
- Discuss the concept of a “Safe Stranger”: police officer, firefighter, cashier in the store (if they’re lost), doctor - these people may not be in their Orange Wave Circle, but if they had an emergency, they could talk to them. The next circle, the Red Stranger Circle will clarify this point.
- Find images of “Person from your neighborhood” listed below. Or come up with your own list. Ask students whether these people would be in their Orange Wave Circle or a closer.
- Postal Worker who delivers mail every day to your house,
- Landscaper who cuts your lawn each week,
- Your Babysitter who comes to your house often,
- Your Neighbors down the street,
- Your Classmate from school,
- The Teens that ride their bike down your street every day
Consider This
You have an opportunity to help establish guidelines for your students with cognitive challenges regarding appropriate social interaction with people of different ages. Understand this circle as proactive sex education for young children who may not understand what sexual abuse or inappropriate touching, or relationships with older children, teens, and adults look like. Teach CIRCLES along with friendship-building skills and increase their understanding of consensus. Teachers should know the signs of sexual or physical abuse in children and know who to report to if necessary.