Were you one of the kids who got picked last for kickball? I was, and I hated it, until I figured out how to beat the system. My Catholic school didn’t have equipment for recess games, so kids brought their own balls, bats, mitts, jump ropes, and so on. The person who brought the ball was captain and got to choose who was on his team. So I started bringing a kickball to recess, which meant I was always captain, and I was never picked last again.
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JUL
20
2011
Setting the Stage for Successful Assemblies
School assemblies, including those involving families, are an important part of building a strong school community. Whether it’s a science group presenting during the school day or a student band performing in…
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APR
04
2011
The Art of Rules
As an art teacher, I'm always looking for ways to adapt Responsive Classroom practices to specialist areas. Here's an idea I came up with for having students do the Hopes and Dreams…
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APR
01
2011
Summer Reading for Teachers
We asked four Responsive Classroom consultants,"What's one great resource for teachers as they look ahead to the next school year?" Here are their responses:
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APR
01
2011
Leadership That Inspires Change: Three Keys to Success
When Rita White stepped into her first principalship at an inner-city school in Memphis, Tennessee, she faced daunting challenges. The school of 980 students was on the state’s “needs improvement” list, students…
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MAR
25
2011
Let’s Do Lunch!
All too often, the caring, cooperative, responsible, friendly behavior that is expected, practiced, and seen in the classroom breaks down when the children hit the lunchroom. To truly change the Read More…
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MAR
17
2011
Using the Responsive Classroom Approach in Special Area Classrooms
Music teachers, art teachers, physical education teachers, librarians, and other specialists are an integral part of school and play a role, as all staff members do, in teaching children to be responsible,…
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FEB
02
2011
What Keeps You Inspired?
In the throes of a winter snow storm, progress reports, parent conferences, state testing and the flu season, imagine what might have inspired these comments:"This was totally worth giving up two weekends!""This…
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FEB
01
2011
Encouraging Classroom Visits and Peer Observations
Heather Anderson remembers the year she decided to go to art with her second grade class as “magical.” As she worked on art projects alongside her students, she saw children who struggled…
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JAN
18
2011
“Good teachers are . . .”
Last summer I spent several weeks working with teachers who wanted to learn more about the Responsive Classroom approach. My travels took me from New York City to Winnipeg, Canada! The group…
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NOV
01
2010
Making an Entrance
Think of a place where you feel welcome as soon as you arrive. For some people, that place might be home; for others, someplace where they eat, play, work, or shop; for…
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AUG
02
2010
Technology in the Classroom
With new technologies arriving on the scene constantly, it can be hard for teachers to keep up. Which devices will improve the learning environment in your classroom? Which will gather dust? Here…
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AUG
01
2010
Traditions For a New School
As the founding faculty of Community Partnership School (CPS) prepared to welcome our first classes of pre-kindergartners, kindergartners, and first graders, we focused not only on the practical details of opening a…
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AUG
01
2010
Re-Energizing a Behavior Pledge
As members of the Bywood School community: We respect all people, we respect all property; We walk safely, we talk quietly; We never touch to hurt another person; We always keep our…
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APR
23
2010
RC Works!: Capitol Heights Academy
Michelle Flores, lead teacher at Aspire Capitol Heights Academy in Sacramento, California, contacted us last week to share the news that her school had been designated a California Distinguished Elementary School for 2010.
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APR
12
2010
How Responsive Classroom Can Support PBIS Initiatives
Recently a teacher contacted me, frustrated over her school's adoption of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PBIS. Her biggest concern was that PBIS would replace the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching…
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MAR
25
2010
PE Kudos! Forging connections with families
At University School of Nashville, where I was an administrator and teacher for 23 years, the physical education teachers have recently been trying a new way of engaging students' parents in the…
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FEB
01
2010
Better Together
"This year, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Toledo Women's Initiative, the Toledo Public Schools, and the Toledo Federation of Teachers, our focus will be on creating caring learning communities…
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FEB
01
2010
Starting with a Common Signal
"Where should we start?" is a common question for schools that want to implement the Responsive Classroom approach schoolwide. There's not one right answer, although it's definitely helpful to invest early on…
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DEC
29
2009
The Principal Story (Film Review)
At the recent National Staff Development Council (NSDC) conference in St. Louis, I had an opportunity to view The Principal Story. This documentary, which aired on PBS earlier this fall, tells a…
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DEC
03
2009
Have You Read This?: Organized Chaos
I read quite a few blogs written by elementary teachers, and Organized Chaos: A think tank focused on creative solutions for future problem solvers is one I particularly enjoy. The author, a…
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NOV
23
2009
RC Works!: Hollin Meadows School
Perhaps you've seen the news that First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Hollin Meadows Science and Math Focus School in Alexandria, Virginia, last week as part of their…
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OCT
19
2009
Great Expectations
I recently had the privilege of witnessing an encounter that made me think about how important it is to communicate our faith in children’s positive intentions. The assistant principal of Read More…
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AUG
01
2009
Does the Responsive Classroom Approach Work in Urban Schools?
When I describe the Responsive Classroom approach to educators from urban areas, somebody always says, “That sounds great, but it would never work at my school.” When asked why, the person usually…
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AUG
01
2009
The Responsive Classroom approach can be used to implement PBIS
Did you know?Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), also known as PBS or Positive Behavior Support, is used in schools nationwide to create a positive climate for learning. The U.S. Department of…
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APR
01
2009
What’s a Responsive Classroom book that you rely on?
A: Our school finds The First Six Weeks of School incredibly helpful. At the beginning of each year, new and returning staff members meet weekly for a book study on Read More…
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APR
01
2009
School Spotlight: Hollin Meadows
“My teacher’s coming, my teacher’s coming,” squeals a gleeful six-year-old as he catches his first glimpse of his teacher as she steps out of her car and walks to his front door.…
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