Four-Day Courses

Learn to create a safe, joyful, and engaging learning environment ideal for student success and growth.

Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching that is deeply rooted in social-emotional learning and focused on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness. You will learn to create safe and joyful learning communities where every student can thrive—while helping your students develop strong social, emotional, and academic skills.

Educators of grades K-6

None

•  Learn and engage in energizers and interactive learning structures that can be used with students

•  Experience an Academic Choice lesson using The New Bird in Town and Charlie and the Octopus that can be adapted for any grade level

•  Plan an Interactive Modeling lesson, a role-play, and a Guided Discovery lesson to use with students

•  Map out your learning space to organize your classroom for success

•  Engage in planning workshops to create plans for implementation of Responsive Classroom practices 

•  Reflect on your current teaching context and new content learned throughout the week

Increase your knowledge and strengthen your application of the Responsive Classroom approach.

In this interactive four-day course, you will deepen your knowledge and strengthen your implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach as you refine familiar strategies and practices while learning and expand-ing upon new ones. Using the rich resources The Joyful Classroom and Teaching Self-Discipline, the advanced course enables you to consider your unique context and setting and more effectively apply the approach with individual students, the class, and the school community.

Educators of grades K-6

 4-day Elementary Core Course

•  Use rubrics from the Responsive Classroom Assessment Tool to assess your current practices and focus your learning for the week

•  Plan new practices for implementation such as class meetings and problem-solving conferences

•  Refine and plan Interactive Modeling and role-play for non-classroom spaces like hallways, cafeteria, and bathrooms

•  Learn and review language of learning lessons to target academic competencies

•  Create and compile plans of Responsive Classroom practices into a portfolio for future implementation

 Bring transformative social-emotional learning practices into your middle school classroom.

Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching that’s deeply rooted in social-emotional learning and focused on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness. In this interactive and engaging four-day course, you’ll learn how to design and implement a middle school experience that’s responsive to the developmental strengths and needs of young adolescents—while helping your students develop the academic and social skills they need to be successful.

Educators of grades 5-8

None

•  Discover how to create a safe, positive, and inclusive community with the Responsive Classroom approach to discipline

•  Plan for and practice holding Responsive Advisory Meetings— a core practice for middle school

•  Develop your teacher language to encourage student engagement and help them become more responsible and respectful

•  Learn new strategies for effective classroom management

Continue to learn and reflect on strategies and practices that further connect you with your students.

The Middle School Advanced Course is designed to build on the teaching strategies and practices you learned in the Responsive Classroom Middle School Core Course and currently use in your classroom. In addition to expanding and strengthening your current knowledge of middle school Responsive Classroom practices, you will be introduced to new methods and strategies for supporting your students’ social, emotional, and academic needs, which you will have the opportunity to unpack and connect to your current approach.

Educators of grades 5-8

4-day Responsive Classroom Core Course for Middle School Educators

• Build upon core Responsive Classroom middle school practices, including Responsive Advisory Meetings, SMART goals, and logical consequences

• Discover new strategies for connecting with students and their families

• Learn proactive steps for dealing with difficult issues like toxic stress and cyberbullying

• Develop self-reflective practices using portions of the Responsive Classroom Assessment Tool for Middle School Teachers