A productive, purposeful hum fills Ms. Vincent's fourth grade classroom as the school day draws to a close and students complete their end-of-day jobs. Ten minutes before dismissal, when everyone is packed up, Ms. Vincent signals that it's time for closing circle, and the class moves to the meeting area.
When all are seated in the circle, Ms. Vincent raises her hand, the class’s agreed-upon signal for attention. The students stop their conversations and listen as Ms.
What routines do you use in your classroom? Which are going well? Which still need some work?
A little over a year ago, I became the principal at a school where discipline referrals and staff stress were at all-time highs. Change was clearly needed, and soon. I’d spent the previous eight years leading another school into becoming a safe, joyful learning community, thanks mainly to our use of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching.
