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First Weeks of School

Articles

“There’s something fresh and exciting about a new school year—a sense of boundless optimism and crisp new beginnings. And every year, the first few weeks present us with a wonderful opportunity to help students transition smoothly back into school routines and start to connect with each other. It’s an ideal time to begin showing them that school is a safe place, that they’re important members of the classroom and school communities, and that they can look forward to an engaging, challenging, and fun year of learning.”

— from The First Six Weeks of School

You can find our latest articles on the first weeks of school below.

Explore our comprehensive library of free articles to learn more about how you can create safe, joyful, and engaging classroom and school communities for both students and teachers.

Classroom Management & Discipline Discipline

3 Practices That Support Positive Classroom Discipline

After the first few weeks of school, as students become more familiar with the rhythms and routines of the classroom, they often grow more comfortable in their learning environment. That ...

Elementary School School Leaders and Administration Whole School

Schwenksville Elementary: An Impactful First Year with the Responsive Classroom Approach

Location: Collegeville, PA Type of school: Public elementary school Grade levels: K–5 Number of students: 473 A Responsive Classroom school since: 2024 In the 2024–2025 school year, Schwenksville Elementary had ...

Positive Community SEL Skills

Teaching Skills for Life With C.A.R.E.S.

At the heart of the Responsive Classroom approach is a core belief: In order to thrive in and out of school, students need to develop key social and behavioral skills. ...