Classroom Practices

At the heart of the Responsive Classroom approach are ten classroom practices:

Morning Meeting – gathering as a whole class each morning to greet one another, share news, and warm up for the day ahead
Rule Creation – helping students create classroom rules to ensure an environment that allows all class members to meet their learning goals
Interactive Modeling – teaching children to notice and internalize expected behaviors through a unique modeling technique
Positive Teacher Language – using words and tone as a tool to promote children's active learning, sense of community, and self-discipline
Logical Consequences – responding to misbehavior in ways that allow children to fix and learn from their mistakes while preserving their dignity
Guided Discovery – introducing classroom materials using a format that encourages independence, creativity, and responsibility
Academic Choice – increasing student motivation by differentiating instruction and regularly allowing students teacher-structured choices in their work
Classroom Organization – setting up the room in ways that encourage students' independence, cooperation, and productivity
Working with Families – creating avenues for hearing parents' insights and helping them understand the school's teaching approaches
Collaborative Problem Solving – using conferencing, role playing, and other strategies to resolve problems with students