Circles Level 2

What It's About

Are you an educator looking to teach your students about social boundaries and intimacy in more complex settings? Look no further than the Circles Level 2 program! This program provides a comprehensive guide to social intimacy and relationships, and can be a valuable resource for teachers looking to help their students navigate the complicated social landscape of the world today.

Circles Level 2 is a program designed to teach students about social boundaries and intimacy in more complex settings. It is the next step up from the original Circles program, which teaches more basic concepts of personal space, boundaries, and relationships. The Level 2 program builds on these concepts and goes into more depth about the rules of social intimacy in different contexts.

The Circles Level 2 package includes a giant wall graph, 50 large laminated graph icons, 50 student personal graphs, 300 peel-n-stick icons, and a teacher’s guide. These materials are designed to help you implement the program in your classroom or educational setting.

The wall graph and icons provide a visual representation of social boundaries and intimacy rules, while the student personal graphs allow students to create their own representations of their social circles.

“Circles has become a standard teaching tool in sex education for the developmentally disabled.”

Winifred Kemption MSW

What You Will Learn

The Circles Level 2 program is an excellent follow-up program for students who have already completed the Circles Social Boundaries: Intimacy & Relationships program.

The Level 2 program takes a more comprehensive approach to understanding the more subtle applications of the Circles Rules of Social Distance. It is an effective tool for students with moderate to mild cognitive challenges and, to a lesser extent, for higher-functioning students.

Circle Jumping refers to the process of students moving from one Circle level to another. In the Circles Level 2 program, there is a more in-depth illustration of when it is acceptable to jump circles and when it is not. Students will learn the importance of proximity, context, and the nature of the relationship before deciding to jump to a higher or lower circle.

The program covers the concept of Reversal of Intimacy Level. It explores situations where students who are accustomed to being in an inner circle face a sudden change when they are shifted into an outer circle. It helps students understand the realities of change and how to navigate such situations while keeping social boundaries in check.

Rejecting Intimacy and Having Intimacy Rejected is a critical social concept covered in the Circles Level 2 program. Here students learn how to manage their relationships with people who have changed Closer Circles while still maintaining their comfort and boundaries. The program teaches students how to communicate their boundaries without offending friends or family.

Relationship Dissolution is discussed in the Circles Level 2 program. Students learn how to recognize cues that indicate a relationship is ending, how to cope in such situations, and how to move on by re-establishing social connections.

Part I: Social Distance – Expanded

The Circles concept introduced in the Level 1 program is expanded upon in Level 2. The subtler concept of degrees of intimacy within the same circle is introduced, allowing for more variation in similar relationships. This allows your students to more accurately express the differences in their relationships.

Touch, talk, and trust are the three social boundaries that are evaluated and applied to each relationship. You can help your students understand that boundaries may vary in different situations and with different people.

Part II: Relationships Transitions

This vignette uses live-action reality stories to review the dynamic and ever-changing nature of relationships. It introduces the new and subtle signals expressed by touch, talk and/or trust that indicate a change in a relationship that may or may not be mutual.

Your students will learn how to recognize these signals, which indicate circle jumping, reversal of intimacy levels, and rejection of intimacy or relationship dissolution. They’ll also learn strategies for dealing with these changes to maintain healthy relationships and protect themselves emotionally.

“Excellent! Circles helps our developmentally disabled young adults and autistic adults understand differences in boundaries in relationships. Well done!”

Dr. Michelle L. Friedman, Adult Special Ed Counselor, Albany, NY

After Completion

So, what can your students expect to gain from completing this program? For one thing, they will learn how to set and maintain healthy boundaries in their relationships. This is a crucial skill that will serve them well throughout their lives.

They will gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of social intimacy and how it can vary from person to person. This knowledge can help your students recognize potential red flags in their relationships and make informed choices about their partners.

As educators, it is our responsibility to equip our students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices about their lives. Circles Level 2 is an excellent tool that can help us do just that. So why not consider implementing it in your classroom today?

“The Circles 2 program was wonderful for my high school life skills students. I feel they gained valuable skills because of the curriculum. I am now in a school for autism and feel that the fitting in progress fits my students’ needs”

Michelle Scesa, teacher, Neward, DE