Positive Community

Articles

Positive community is one of the four domains of the Responsive Classroom approach. A positive community is a safe, predictable, joyful, and inclusive classroom where all students have a sense of belonging and significance. Teachers create a positive community when they:

–Create the conditions for students to belong and be significant
–Interact with students in respectful manner
–Approach discipline in a primarily proactive way
–Respond to misbehavior in ways that preserve the dignity of individual students and the class
–Provide opportunities to succeed that are equitable, fair, and just

See our latest articles about creating a positive community 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.

Child & Adolescent Development Positive Community SEL Skills

Restoring the Developmental Lens in K-12 Education

Children are complex, growing human beings—each on a unique developmental journey. In Yardsticks: Child and Adolescent Development Ages 4—14, Chip Wood reminds us that teaching is not just about managing ...

Families Positive Community Whole School Community

Resources for Educators and Parents Guiding Children Through Traumatic Events

Our appreciation for social media grew quite a bit when we asked "Educators, how was the day?" on the Responsive Classroom Facebook page on Monday afternoon, and over 100 people responded. We were so glad to hear from you! Your stories reflect the range of what elementary educators are going through this week after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Engaging Academics Uncategorized

The Nation’s Report Card Is a Call to Action

Dear Valued Community, The National Assessment Governing Board, the independent, nonpartisan board that sets policy for the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP), recently released the results from the 2024 assessment for ...

Positive Community

Families Positive Community Positive Teacher Language Teacher Language

Relationships

What Kind of Teacher Are You? A Question Revisited

Families Positive Community SEL Skills Teacher Language

What Kind of Teacher Are You? A Question Revisited

In Celebration of Teachers

Joyful Classrooms Positive Community

In Celebration of Teachers

Teaching Diversity Beyond Black History Month

Positive Community Special Times in the Year

Teaching Diversity Beyond Black History Month

Valuing Student Diversity in Learning

Families Morning Meeting Positive Community

Valuing Student Diversity in Learning

Strategies for Helping Our Stakeholders Understand and Embrace an Inclusive Curriculum

Families Positive Community

Strategies for Helping Our Stakeholders Understand and Embrace an Inclusive Curriculum

How Have We Reimagined Teaching, Leading, and Communicating in our Schools?

Families Joyful Classrooms Whole School Community

How Have We Reimagined Teaching, Leading, and Communicating in our Schools?

I’m Not Acting as Role Model, I’m Serving as a Role Model: A Conversation with Authors Julie Kelly and Kirsten Howard

Elementary School Interactive Modeling Positive Teacher Language SEL Skills Teacher Language

I’m Not Acting as Role Model, I’m Serving as a Role Model: A Conversation with Authors Julie Kelly and Kirsten Howard

Empowering Adults to Support Each Other at the Beginning of a New School Year: A Conversation with Authors Emily Parrelli and Lisa Dewey Wells

Elementary School Families Middle School Whole School Community

Empowering Adults to Support Each Other at the Beginning of a New School Year: A Conversation with Authors Emily Parrelli and Lisa Dewey Wells

A Successful Start to the Year: One School’s Story of Adults Making a Difference by Working Together

First Weeks of School Positive Community The First Day of School The First Weeks of School Whole School Community

A Successful Start to the Year: One School’s Story of Adults Making a Difference by Working Together

How We Want Our School to Be

Whole School Whole School Community Whole School Discipline

How We Want Our School to Be

Agency and Service—A Meaningful Start to the New School Year

Positive Community

Agency and Service—A Meaningful Start to the New School Year

Summer Bucket List

Positive Community

Summer Bucket List

Decades from Now, What Will Be the Story You Tell?

Joyful Classrooms Positive Community Self-Reflection Virtual Learning

Decades from Now, What Will Be the Story You Tell?

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