Ideas & inspiration from the developers of the Responsive Classroom approach
From the category archives:
Are you starting to think about the new school year, wondering what you can do to get off to a splendid start? For many teachers, this process begins with setting up the classroom: choosing and arranging furniture, selecting and storing supplies, planning displays. Here are some resources to get you strategizing, making lists, and sketching plans!
Continue reading “Setting Up Your Classroom”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Just like adults, children of all ages need sufficient quantities of good-quality supplies if they’re going to do their best work. … Many parents enjoy getting school supplies for their children, but these “private stashes” can leave some students with inferior supplies and cause bickering and hurt feelings when children lend supplies only to certain classmates. I’ve found that switching to a community supply system—all supplies are shared by everyone—makes for a much more peaceful classroom. Here are a few guidelines on making the switch [...]
Continue reading “Community Supplies”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
I’d just read Tina Valentine’s post called “Will Your Students Keep Learning This Summer?” when I happened on another article on the same topic in the current International Reading Association newsletter. “Stopping Summer Slide” cites research conducted by Anne McGill-Franzen, Richard Allington, and colleagues at the University of Tennessee. They say that whereas middle-class students typically gain about two months of reading achievement during the summer, students from lower-income households often lose ground, sometimes as much as three or more months. [...]
Continue reading “Summer Reading: Access & Choice”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Did you know that two-thirds of the achievement gap in reading can be related directly to unequal summer learning opportunities? Even though I’ve seen firsthand how students can lose ground in their learning over the summer, that statistic shocked me.
Continue reading “Will Your Students Keep Learning This Summer?”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
A reader recently asked about including children with challenging behaviors in year-end celebrations. Should children with persistent behavior issues be allowed to participate in this type of celebration? The short answer is “yes” … Still, if you have a student with persistent behavior problems in your class, it may feel risky to hold a classroom or schoolwide learning celebration. Here are some suggestions to help you plan and structure successful end-of-year celebrations for groups that include students with challenging behaviors. [...]
Continue reading “Planning for Success: Classroom Celebrations”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
What do you read to your class on the last day of school? I always put so much energy into that last choice. I wanted a book that would celebrate the community we had built, the friendships we had made, the values we had discussed… and at the same time, a rich story or intriguing characters or beautiful illustrations … Although this seems like a lot to ask for in one book, there are many that fit the bill. Here are a few I’ve tried and some I’ve recently discovered, plus ideas for discussion topics and follow-up activities. [...]
Continue reading “Read-Alouds for the End of the Year”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
… My own first experience as a field trip leader was disastrous. I was a student teacher in Cambridge, England, and we visited a British aviation museum. I only had four students in my charge, but I still managed to lose one. … Knowing that this is a time when teachers and students often venture into the wider world, I wanted to share a few tips that will ensure that on your field trips, no one gets lost, everyone stays safe, and — oh yes! — the children learn something. [...]
Continue reading “Field Trip Fundamentals”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
I wrote last week about things you can do to ease classroom stress during testing and other high-anxiety times. Here are three more tips for keeping the atmosphere of your classroom calm and productive! [...]
Continue reading “Classroom Tension Tamers: 3 More Ideas to Use Now!”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
… When we asked Responsive Classroom fans on Facebook if they’d like to read about strategies for relieving testing stress, many said, “Yes, right away!” So without further ado, here are three things you can do right now to make your classroom a little more relaxed. [...]
Continue reading “Classroom Tension Tamers: Three Ideas to Use Now”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
I was so moved by your responses to my last post about the importance of bringing joy to classrooms! The images of college students being read to, classes dancing at “boogie breaks,” and teachers letting students help decide what to do at centers brought me my own measure of joy. Your feedback also made me think about how equally vital it is for each of us to reconnect with our passion for teaching — and to hold on to that in the face of stress and obstacles.
Continue reading “Our Passion for Teaching”
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
