Carol LaLiberte reflects on the past year of drum circles throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Carol LaLiberte, a professor at CT State Asnuntuck in Connecticut, previously shared about her drum circles in this blog post, and we’re delighted to celebrate a new year of highlights. Carol writes:
The feedback has been extremely positive. Students new to the Asnuntuck campus have written comments such as, "People come together, play a beat in unison, and they have to trust each other."
Our drum circles outside of our campus have grown as well! These comments have included, "I am amazed by how well our folks with dementia respond to these circles." We are giving a voice to those who had been silenced and they are asking for more. This is emotional, intense, fun, inspirational work that I am honored to facilitate. As I pause at the start of each circle, I consider that without your funding, there would be no drums or instruments. It would not have happened. Because of your support, I have added new instruments to our array this year-the cajon, an ocean drum, and chimes that we often play at the close of the circle sitting in community, holding the sound in our hearts and minds until there is only silence left.
As I witness children who have experienced incredible loss, seniors who feel isolated and not appreciated, students who are timid but willing to try something new-maybe, newly settled immigrants who tell me repeatedly that being in drum circles reminds them of home, and everyone else who shows up because we laugh, and sometimes sing, and may even dance, I realize that coming together in community is so desperately needed as it has been since the beginning of time.
This next year, I will have a drum circle with women students who are Muslim, at their request and new community agencies reach out every month.
Enjoy these quotes and images shared by Carol:
“I think doing something like this brings us together because we are sharing an activity that allowed us to have fun while interacting.” ~ College Career Success student’s comment
Drum circles bring together individuals from the community and college students. Together they create music and connection. “By participating in it you get to creatively get to know people.” ~ Student Feedback
Even families experiencing loss find reasons to participate in drum circles. One girl felt safe enough to ask if we could all sing Happy Birthday to her dad, who had died, and whose birthday would have been that day. We sang and drummed together, even through our shared tears.
Carol LaLiberte is a Department Chair, Human Services and Early Childhood Education Coordinator at CT State Asnuntuck where she has taught for over 25 years. She is a freelance writer and the author of the textbook The Developing Teacher: Guiding Students from Practicum to Profession, published this year by Goodheart-Willcox. Carol is an English language coach for a student and her family who migrated from Afghanistan. She is a reader for Valley Eye Radio, a station for visually impaired individuals. She is the founder of Resounding Rhthyms Drum Circle which is a college supported club drumming in, for, and with community. Carol has been a long time follower of the The Circle Way using this format in the classes and groups she facilitates.