What is the Responsive Classroom approach?
It is a way of teaching that creates a safe, challenging, and joyful classroom and schoolwide climate for all students. Teachers who use the Responsive Classroom approach understand that all of students’ needs—academic, social, emotional, and physical—are important. Elementary and middle school teachers create an environment that responds to all of those needs so that your child can do his or her best learning.
The Responsive Classroom approach develops teachers’ competencies in four key areas:
Engaging Academics—Teachers create learning tasks that are active, interactive, appropriately challenging, purposeful, and connected to students’ interests.
Positive Community—Teachers nurture a sense of belonging, significance, and emotional safety so that students feel comfortable taking risks and working with a variety of peers.
Effective Management—Teachers create a calm, orderly environment that promotes autonomy and allows students to focus on learning.
Developmentally Responsive Teaching—Teachers use knowledge of child development, along with observations of students, to create a developmentally appropriate learning environment.
If you'd like to learn more go to www.responsiveclassroom.org.