Responsive Classroom

At Kegonsa we believe that Social and Emotional learning is as important a content area as reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Teachers need not only be aware of and in tune with student’s social and emotional well being, but must also focus instructional time around teaching students about social and emotional well being. Building a strong and respectful classroom community where all students belong is the foundation of any learning that will happen in your classroom throughout the year. Responsive Classroom Practices are excellent tools in the facilitation of this work in classrooms and school wide.

From the Responsive Classroom Website: The Responsive Classroom approach is a way of teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community. Developed by classroom teachers, the approach consists of practical strategies for helping students build academic and social-emotional competencies day in and day out.

Core Belief

In order to be successful in and out of school, students need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies—cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self control—and a set of academic competencies—academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors.

Guiding Principles

The Responsive Classroom approach is informed by the work of educational theorists and the experiences of exemplary classroom teachers. Six principles guide this approach:

  • Teaching social and emotional skills is as important as teaching academic content.
  • How we teach is as important as what we teach.
  • Great cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.
  • What we know and believe about our students—individually, culturally, developmentally—informs our expectations, reactions, and attitudes about those students.
  • How we work together as adults to create a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our individual contribution or competence.
  • Partnering with families—knowing them and valuing their contributions—is as important as knowing the children we teach.

Classroom Practices and Strategies

Responsive Classroom is an approach to teaching based on the belief that integrating academic and social-emotional skills creates an environment where students can do their best learning. The Responsive Classroom approach consists of a set of practices and strategies that build academic and social-emotional competencies. This approach works well with many other programs and can be introduced gradually into a teacher’s practice.

These core classroom practices are the heart of the Responsive Classroom approach:

Shared Practices (K–8)

  • Interactive Modeling—An explicit practice for teaching procedures and routines (such as those for entering and exiting the room) as well as academic and social skills (such as engaging with the text or giving and accepting feedback).
  • Teacher Language—The intentional use of language to enable students to engage in their learning and develop the academic, social, and emotional skills they need to be successful in and out of school.
  • Logical Consequences—A non-punitive response to misbehavior that allows teachers to set clear limits and students to fix and learn from their mistakes while maintaining their dignity.
  • Interactive Learning Structures— Purposeful activities that give students opportunities to engage with content in active (hands-on) and interactive (social) ways.

Elementary Practices (K–6)

  • Morning Meeting—Everyone in the classroom gathers in a circle for twenty to thirty minutes at the beginning of each school day and proceeds through four sequential components: greeting, sharing, group activity, and morning message.
  • Establishing Rules—Teacher and students work together to name individual goals for the year and establish rules that will help everyone reach those goals.
  • Energizers—Short, playful, whole-group activities that are used as breaks in lessons.
  • Quiet Time—A brief, purposeful and relaxed time of transition that takes place after lunch and recess, before the rest of the school day continues.
  • Closing Circle—A five- to ten-minute gathering at the end of the day that promotes reflection and celebration through participation in a brief activity or two.

A+SEL Competencies

In order to be successful in and out of school, students need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies—cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control—and a set of academic competencies— academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors.

Social & Emotional Competencies

  • Cooperation: Students’ ability to establish new relationships, maintain positive relationships and friendships, avoid social isolation, resolve conflicts, accept differences, be a contributing member of the classroom and school community, and work productively and collaboratively with others.
  • Assertiveness: Students’ ability to take initiative, stand up for their ideas without hurting or negating others,seek help, succeed at a challenging
  • task, and recognize their individual self as separate from the circumstances or conditions they’re in.
  • Responsibility: Students’ ability to motivate themselves to take action and follow through on expectations; to define a problem, consider the consequences, and choose a positive solution.
  • Empathy: Students’ ability to “see into” (recognize, understand) another’s state of mind and emotions and be receptive to new ideas and perspectives; to appreciate and value differences and diversity in others; to have concern for others’ welfare, even when it doesn’t benefit or may come as a cost to one’s self.
  • Self-Control: Students’ ability to recognize and regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to be successful in the moment and remain on a successful trajectory.

Academic Competencies

  • Academic mindset: Four self-perceptions influence a student’s academic mindset: 1) I belong in this academic community; 2) my effort improves my performance; 3) I can succeed at this work; and 4) I see the value in this work.
  • Perseverance: Perseverance is a student’s tendency to complete assignments in a timely and thorough manner and to the best of their ability, despite distractions, obstacles or level of challenge.
  • Learning Strategies: Learning strategies are techniques, processes, and tactics a student uses to 1) learn, think, remember, and recall, 2) monitor their own comprehension and growth, 3) self-correct when they are confused or have an error in thinking, and 4) set and achieve goals and manage their time effectively.
  • Academic Behaviors: Academic behaviors are the ways in which students conduct themselves that support their success in school, including such things as regular attendance, arriving ready to work, paying attention, participating in instructional activities and class discussions, and devoting out-of-school time to studying and completing assignments and projects.