Responsive Classroom Fact Sheet

 

Overview: From the ResponsiveClassroom.org website:
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness. Our professional development, books and resources help elementary and middle school educators to create safe, joyful, and engaging classrooms and school communities where students develop strong social and academic skills and every student can thrive.

NOTE: Responsive Classroom is a Designated CASEL SELect Program

 

Main Tenets: Responsive Classroom is a firm believer in schools that operate as student-centered by training their staff to create a culture and environment that emphasizes social and emotional growth, as the students grow in their academics. In doing so, students and staff are more productive and engaged when in school. To accomplish this supportive environment, Responsive Classroom schools provide thorough training and support for SEL-infused instruction and modeling.

Respectful Ways can help schools shift their perspective to see academic instruction as an integral part of character education. Through professional development, resources, and a beginning-to-end-SEL curriculum that is well-organized and easily delivered throughout the school. Our Respectful Signage adds to a positive school climate and gives educators classroom management affirming signs to reference as needed.  Respectful Ways is perfect to pair with RC, because of the trauma-informed lesson plans provided in each module --- they give detailed background in the social-emotional topic covered.

 

Specific Activities: 
Through the Responsive Classroom framework, schools will be trained to implement the following activities to create a supportive environment producing optimum social and emotional growth and academic success. 

You will find that the Respectful Ways lessons are consistent in format, all-inclusive, and incorporate these activities throughout the course of a module. Furthermore, RW staff always provides consultation and training to their schools, and the lessons are designed to easily be individualized to a school's needs.

 

Alignment with Respectful Ways:
The Responsive Classroom model follows six “Guiding Principles”. Using these as a guideline, Respectful Ways fits perfectly into this supportive environment. We provide turnkey materials to accomplish tasks needed for a Responsive Classroom -- so teachers can then focus on how they will model and create opportunities for student development within the whole-school environment. 

  • Teaching social and emotional skills is as important as teaching academic content.

RW is a data-proven SEL program that focuses on character development and aligns with American School Counselor Assn standards and both Federal and state academic standards. All RW modules are CASEL aligned.

  • How we teach is as important as what we teach.

RW will provide all resources, printables, surveys, and lessons for each lesson in comprehensive modules so that staff can focus on the delivery.

  • Great cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.

RW’s lessons are filled with activities ranging from one-on-one, to shoulder partner, to group, and whole-class. 

  • How we work together as adults to cre­ate a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our individual contribution or competence.

RW has a professional training component, using subject-matter experts that address specific behavioral needs. We also include resource explanation of the concepts addressed in each module, which often gives added SEL suggestions for the teacher!

  • What we know and believe about our students—individually, culturally, developmentally—informs our expec­tations, reactions, and attitudes about those students.

RW curriculum is diverse and focuses on teaching students how to be compassionate and responsible citizens through respectful living.

  • Partnering with families—knowing them and valuing their contributions—is as important as knowing the children we teach.

RW modules include family “Home Connects” SEL materials - in English and Spanish - so the social and emotional learning stretches from the classroom to the living room.