The Responsive Classroom Approach

One-Minute Overview

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.

CASEL, The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, has awarded Responsive Classroom their highest designation as a CASEL SELect Program in the newly launched CASEL Program Guide.

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.

CASEL, The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, has awarded Responsive Classroom their highest designation as a CASEL SELect Program in the newly launched CASEL Program Guide.

For more information, watch our 2-part Responsive Classroom overview:
Part 1: Our Approach | Part 2: Responsive Schools

The Four Key Domains of Responsive Classroom

Engaging Academics

Learner-centered lessons that are participatory, appropriately challenging, fun, and relevant and promote curiosity, wonder, and interest.

Positive Community

A safe, predictable, joyful, and inclusive environment
where all students have a sense of belonging and significance.

Effective Management

A calm and orderly learning environment that
promotes autonomy, responsibility, and high engagement in learning.

Developmentally Responsive Teaching

Basing all decisions for teaching and discipline upon research and knowledge of students’ social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.

An Array of Services and Resources

A model of effective professional development and what it can achieve.
— Sara Mosle, New York Times

Choose from a broad variety of consulting services and professional development resources to meet your school’s needs, including:

Current Catalog of options & resources

Focus on Teacher Effectiveness

For nearly 40 years, Responsive Classroom has been empowering K-8 educators by giving them the skills they need to ensure a high-quality education that will help all students thrive in our highly connected, interdependent world.

Professional development in the Responsive Classroom approach strengthens educators’ ability to:

  • Design lessons that are active and interactive
  • Use effective teacher language to promote academic and social growth
  • Encourage engagement by giving students meaningful choices
  • Start each day in a way that sets a positive tone for learning
  • Set high expectations and teach students how to meet them
  • Establish routines that promote autonomy and independence
  • Build a sense of community and shared purpose
  • Teach students 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation