Articles

I’ve noticed that teachers who are learning about the Responsive Classroom approach to discipline often worry a lot about choosing the “right” response to student misbehavior. “Is there a list of logical consequences that match up with specific misbehaviors?” is an often-asked question, and I see how disappointed they are…

Here's a Morning Meeting message idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades K–2, by Susan Lattanzi Roser: Use a message like this one about favorite numbers to engage students with math. ¡Hola, Niños! Today is Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Garth is first today. Blanca is the door holder. Today,…

Here's a Morning Meeting activity idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades K–2, by Susan Lattanzi Roser: Lost Tooth Poem Children will relate to this poem about a missing tooth! My Tooth   — anonymous My tooth fell out and left a space (pantomime tooth falling out) So big my…

Here's a Morning Meeting sharing idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades K–2, by Susan Lattanzi Roser: My Favorite Season . . . and Here's Why! Challenges students to articulate a reason for liking something. How to do this around-the-circle sharing: Tell children they will be telling the class…

Here's a Morning Meeting greeting idea from 80 Morning Meeting Ideas for Grades K–2, by Susan Lattanzi Roser: Backward Day Handshake Greeting Students pass along a friendly handshake, but say the greeting backward. How to do it: Choose a student to begin the greeting. The first greeter shakes hands with…

These days, curriculum often recommends using "partner chats," "turn-and-talk," and other one-on-one conversation strategies to help students reflect on and deepen their learning. Although it may seem like a simple thing, chatting with a partner involves a complex set of skills that many children do not come to school with:…

One recent January, I noticed something odd each time my class of first graders settled into their writing workshop tasks: A handful of children had begun writing with tiny, tiny letters. "You need to erase and write bigger," I would say, again and again. "That writing's too hard to read!"…

More homework. That’s the response of many school districts feeling increasing pressure to enhance student achievement. It’s a response that can burden not just students, but also parents, who are already short on time and energy to help with homework. Teachers, too, can feel stress related to assigning more homework.…