The Responsive Classroom: A New Approach to Classroom Management
Teaching good behavior involves breaking down into small steps the behaviors expected of children and actively teaching the skills involved.
Start with an empty slate and build upon it step by step.
You will find dozens of activities, suggestions, ideas and strategies for managing your classroom and teaching the skills for well organized social situations.
Responsive Classroom Table of Contents
- The Responsive Classroom
- Learn each other's names
- Cookies for the Cookie Jar
- Take turns
- Playing Games: Taking Turns
- Share
- Work Together
- Greet and include others
- Making Friends
- Morning Meeting
- Work on projects together
- Solve conflicts
- Revisiting Hopes, Goals, and Classroom Rules
- Tell us about your experiences with using the Responsive Classroom Approach.
- Meet the Author
The Responsive Classroom
I first ran across the Responsive Classroom approach when my daughter started Kindergarten. Amazed by the way children in the classroom were actively learning all around the room, I asked the teacher how she did it.
- Responsive Classroom: A practical approach to creating safe, joyful, and challenging elementary classrooms
- The Responsive Classroom is an approach to elementary teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community. The goal is to enable optimal student learning. Created by classroom teachers and backed by evidence from independent research, the Responsive Classroom approach is based on the premise that children learn best when they have both academic and social-emotional skills. The approach therefore consists of classroom and schoolwide practices for deliberately helping children build academic and social-emotional competencies.
Learn each other's names
and get to know each other's interests and feelings
The Name Jar
Getting to know eachother's names is very important to unifying the class as a whole. Names usually reflect ones' ethnic background. Discussing this issue with the class helps to create better acceptance of people of other cultures.
Objective: To help children begin to learn to read eachother's names you.
1. Write the name of each of the children in the class on a business card sized card.
2. Pass the jar around the circle. Pull out a name and have everyone smile at that person and say "Good Morning, ____"
The Name Jar
The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?
Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it?Yoon-Hey.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/11/2009) 
Who stole the cookie in the cookie jar?
Do you remember this Rhyming Game from when you were a child? It can be a fun way to practice eachother's names.
Who ate the cookie in the cookie jar?
(Child's name) ate the cookie in the cookie jar.
Who me? (First child responds.)
Yes you! (Class chants.)
Couldn't be. (First child answers.)
Then who? (Class chants.)
Second child's name ate the cookie in the cookie jar...
The chant continues as you use each child's name.
Reading various versions of the chant can help children to remember the words to the rhyme and often they can begin to read the words during Silent Reading.
Who ate the cookie in the cookie jar?
Dr. Jean adds cards with the names and pictures of the children to make Who ate the cookie in the cookie jar? a reading activity as well.
Once the children can read eachother's names this can become a Literacy Center game as well.
- Dr. Jean's Cookie Jar Rhyming Game
- Hint!
Get an empty Animal Crackers box.
Write each child's name and picture on an index card and put the cards in the box.
Pull one name at a time out of the box and use it in the chant.
Cookies for the Cookie Jar
My grandmother was a teacher as well as an expert cookie baker. Cookies never lasted long enough to put in her cookie jar.-
Lumberjack Cookies
-
One summer I had the privilege of living with my Grandmother, an incredible cook, who taught me how to bake Lumberjack Cookies. She was famous for her skills at baking and often won the Vermont State Grange baking contest. This is the recipe that she...
Names in ABC Order
After reading "A My Name is Alice" have the children write their names on index cards and then match the first letter of their names to the letter on the alphabet chart.
Next go through the alphabet and see if everyone can remember who's name begins with each letter you come to.
Take down the name cards. Mix them up and use them like flashcards. Ask children what they noticed in order for them to remember the name.
Later this can become a Literacy Center activity.
Next go through the alphabet and see if everyone can remember who's name begins with each letter you come to.
Take down the name cards. Mix them up and use them like flashcards. Ask children what they noticed in order for them to remember the name.
Later this can become a Literacy Center activity.
A, My Name Is Alice (Picture Puffin Books)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/11/2009)
Games for Teaching Names
Fresh & Fun: Teaching With Kids' Names (Grades K-2)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Take turns
without arguing, pouting or quitting
Four Square
The Responsive Classroom teaches Taking Turns
Four Square is a game I remember playing at Recess as a child. You draw a large box and divide it in half both ways to make 4 squares. Mark the squares with the numbers 1-4. One child stands at each corner. Additional children stand behind the child at the number 1 box.
The child at box 4 starts by serving the ball which must bounce once only once in a box before being touched by the player of the next box. When someone misses that person goes out and everyone moves up. The person who goes out goes to the back of the line and waits his or her turn.
Teaching and modeling how to solve problems is very important to the Responsive Classroom approach. When disagreements occur the whole class can help to discuss alternatives to fights, model the suggestion and learn mediation skills.
Share and Take Turns (Learning to Get Along, Book 1)
Amazon Price: $7.88 (as of 12/11/2009)
Playing Games: Taking Turns
The Responsive Classroom and Taking Turns
Max is hungry. Take turns helping the chipmunk, mouse and bird get to the tree.
Max is a game that encourages the philosophy of The Responsive Classroom in teaching how to take turns.
Max is a game that I like to teach the children how to play at the beginning of the year. The rules are simple and encourage cooperation and thinking skills as well as verbal communication. Once most of the class knows how to play this game it becomes one of the centers.
Max is a game that encourages the philosophy of The Responsive Classroom in teaching how to take turns.
Max is a game that I like to teach the children how to play at the beginning of the year. The rules are simple and encourage cooperation and thinking skills as well as verbal communication. Once most of the class knows how to play this game it becomes one of the centers.
Cooperative Game of Consultation Decision Making and Natural Selection, Max
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Share
The Doorbell Rang
The Responsive Classroom Teaches About Sharing
Throughout the day there are endless opportunities to model and demonstrate the need to share. Children share supplies, snacks, attention from classmates, as well as private time with the teacher.
Teachers in the Responsive Classroom not only encourage sharing, they model and actively teach this behavior.
The Doorbell Rang is a story of dividing and sharing cookies.
Act out the division of the cookies with pattern blocks or cookie shaped laminated cards.
After reading the story we play a game of sets where the teacher calls out a number and the children need to get into groups. Those that are left out can join the teacher to make the correct number or sometimes stuffed animals are included.
Teachers in the Responsive Classroom not only encourage sharing, they model and actively teach this behavior.
The Doorbell Rang is a story of dividing and sharing cookies.
Act out the division of the cookies with pattern blocks or cookie shaped laminated cards.
After reading the story we play a game of sets where the teacher calls out a number and the children need to get into groups. Those that are left out can join the teacher to make the correct number or sometimes stuffed animals are included.
The Doorbell Rang
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 12/11/2009)
Work Together
Join small groups in a constructive way and invite others to join
Working Together to Accomplish a goal
The Responsive Classroom Teaches Children to Work Together
Work together to make a class mural of Swimmy:
1. Paint a blue background.
2. Teacher might need to draw the outline of the big fish shape.
3. After it dries, use stamps or potato prints and paint to stamp all the little fish that form the shape of the fish.
Harvest Time by Family Pastimes is one of our favorite games. By working together farmers try to raise and harvest as many crops as possible before winter. Teaching the class how to play a game like this reinforces cooperation, taking turns and working together.
Greet and include others
(not only friends) in conversation and activities
To Everyone in all the World
The Responsive Classroom believes Greeting Eachother is Important
Christmas Greetings - Couple Dancing in Moonlight
Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
This song by Pete Seeger can be used in a circle dance.
First teach the song using a chart and pointer.
When the children know the song well enough have them form a circle with every other child facing the opposite way.
Now teach them how to walk around weaving back and forth offering hands as they go.
To everyone in all the world
I reach my hand, I shake their hand.
To everyone in all the world
I shake my hand like this.
All, all together,
The whole wide world around.
I may not know your lingo,
But I can say, by jingo,
No matter where you live
We can shake hands.
This song is also nice to have in the Listening Center.
Make room in the circle
even for children who aren't "best friends"
Making Friends
The Responsive Classroom Helps Children Make Friends
New Playmates
Giclee PrintWalbourn, Ernest
Buy at AllPosters.com
Learning how to make friends, including everyone and being a good hostess are all important life skills that also help in getting a class off to the right start. These are skills that are actively taught and modeled with the students.
Frog and Toad and George and Martha are stories of great friendships. They are great for starting discussions about friendship.
Sancocho is a soup that is made in Mexico on Sundays when people stop by for dinner. When someone else comes over they just add more water to the soup.
Sancocho is an example of how people include others in their activities and how this promotes friendship.
Morning Meeting Greeting Video
Morning Meeting in The Responsive Classroom
Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting in The Responsive Classroom
Morning Meeting is the time when all the children are greeted and welcomed into the circle. The Responsive Classroom model promotes the idea that everyone feels included when they are greeted by name. By sharing feelings, likes and dislikes we get to know eachother better and form a more cohesive group.
Morning Meeting in the Responsive Classroom
Learn about how Morning Meeting is used in a Responsive Classroom.
- Morning Meeting: An Overview
- It's time, it's time, it's time for Morning Meeting now...The melody, begun by the teacher...
- Morning Meeting and Calendar Activities
- Morning meeting is a wonderful way to build classroom community and teach a variety of academic and social and emotional skills. It helps set the tone for the day and creates a daily routine that provides security and comfort for the students. Morning meeting is the place where children and the teacher can share news about what's going on at home and at school. It's a place to feel safe, loved, and important.
- Morning Meeting Greetings
- Morning Meeting Greetings form A to Z Teacher Stuff Forums
- Morning Meeting Greetings
- Stuffed Animal Greeting: Pass a stuffed animal around and greet someone in the circle.
Ball Toss Greeting: Use tennis balls to greet - Oh What a Beautiful Morning
- Morning Meeting in Mrs. McDowell's Class
Work on projects together
solve problems, and play games with input from everyone
Working Together
Teaching cooperative games helps to reinforce the necessity of working together in groups to accomplish a goal.
We own several games by Family Pastimes. All of their games are cooperative and yet competitive. Usually you play as a group against a character in the game.
Max has been a favorite with both my children and my students. Max, the cat, is hungry and trying to catch the little creatures in the yard. It is your job to try to help the mouse, bird and chipmunk get back to the tree before Max eats them. Though each one takes, talking out the strategies before making a move is vital to the mission.
Cooperative Introduction to Math Concepts, Berries Bugs and Bullfrogs
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
Cooperative Game of Discussion, Logic and Rescue, Princess
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/11/2009)
Cooperative Game of Consultation Decision Making and Natural Selection, Max
Amazon Price: (as of 12/11/2009)
THE BOOK ON RACCOON CIRCLES
Amazon Price: $25.22 (as of 12/11/2009)
Solve conflicts
by talking and reaching mutually acceptable decisions without name-calling or hurtful behavior.
Hands are for Helping
Conflict Resolution
Photo Credit: Helping Hands
on Flickr, Creative Commons.
It is difficult to work with students who do not know how to solve their conflicts in a peaceful manner. Talk It Out outlines the steps to take to teach children these vital skills. As students learn to deal with conflict on their own, you'll have more time for the lessons you've planned, fewer complaints from parents, and less stress in your life.
The Responsive Classroom's book, Rules for Schools, helps to teach children the reason for rules as well as how to make or change the rules as necessary throughout the year.
Revisiting Hopes, Goals, and Classroom Rules
At the beginning of the year children write down their hopes and goals and then work together to develop classroom rules to support those hopes and goals. Because the children have a vested interest they are more likely to follow the class rules.
- Revisiting Hopes, Goals, and Classroom Rules
- Revisiting September's hopes and goals is an important midyear activity that will help students see the progress they've made so far, while setting the tone for productive learning during the remainder of the year.
Responsive Classroom in the News!
- "Circles" serve as mini-think tanks for just about any problem.
- Rhode Island education news
The school's classes all begin with a "morning circle," which is a central feature of a program called "Responsive Classroom." Morning circle is not specifically about solving problems. It is a daily ritual during which the class practices effective ways of being with one another - taking turns, being polite, listening carefully, considering all points of view. - Bozrah: Staff works to make start smooth - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin
- Sixth-grade teacher John Mrakovcich began his day by asking students to participate in an exercise engaging them socially. They paired up and asked each other what they would like others to know about them after writing in a journal. Then, their partner introduced them to the class. The technique is part of what is called a responsive classroom, designed to administer to the social as well as academic needs of students.
- Classroom Rules
- Our hopes and dreams!
Based on these hopes and dreams, we made rules that will help us accomplish these goals. - W-H initiates programs as new year starts - Hanson, MA - Hanson Town Crier
- The Responsive Classroom, taught in the elementary schools, emphasizes social, emotional and academic growth in a strong and safe school community. This approach is based on the premise that children learn best when they have both academic and social-emotional skills.
- 'Responsive Classroom' at Branchville stresses social growth
- "...The Responsive Classroom approach is based on the premise that children learn best when they have both academic and social-emotional skills. The approach therefore consists of classroom and school wide practices for deliberately helping children build academic and social-emotional competencies."
The Responsive Classroom
The Responsive Classroom site offers lots more information, workshops and inspiration.
- Responsive Classroom: A practical approach to creating safe, joyful, and challenging elementary classrooms
- The Responsive Classroom is an approach to elementary teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community. The goal is to enable optimal student learning.
Look Who's Twittering about the Responsive Classroom:
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- RacheyPearl
- Homework in the Responsive Classroom http://bit.ly/6X3SYt
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- OurSchoolTimes
- Teachers Magazine: Homework in the Responsive Classroom http://bit.ly/5GY9PE Full http://bit.ly/4LCxt4
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- mbteach
- @bergstrj check out Responsive Classroom: http://bit.ly/6df0rc Solving Thorny Behavior Problems
automatically generated by Twitter
Tell us about your experiences with using the Responsive Classroom Approach.
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- das_danger das_danger May 2, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
- your lenses continue to inspire me to be an active and fun teacher like you:)
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- das_danger das_danger May 2, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
- your lenses continue to inspire me to be an active and fun teacher like you:)
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- a_willow a_willow Feb 15, 2009 @ 7:16 am
- Wonderful lens! I see here couple things that can be adjusted to my husband's class! I now only need to find some suitable Croatian songs! ;) Thanks Evelyn!
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Jan 29, 2009 @ 4:23 pm | in reply to Tipi
- Thank you, Susie
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- Tipi Tipi Jan 29, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
- You have got such wonderful ideas and teaching skill lady! - I learn something new from you all the time...thanks!
Susie
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- JosephWilliam JosephWilliam Dec 7, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
- Great ideas and resources that can be successfully applied. Very good insights on the responsive classroom. Thanks, Joseph
http://www.childrenbehaviors.com/
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Nov 24, 2008 @ 11:53 am | in reply to Pam
- Thank you Pam for pointing out my omission. I heartily encourage everyone to go to The Responsive Classroom.
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- eddygobbo eddygobbo Oct 5, 2008 @ 6:00 am
- I thoroughly enjoyed your lens. An excellent resource that I have had wonderful success in the classroom with is "1-2-3 Magic". Feel free to check out my lens, "Behaviour Management In The Classroom".
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- emilyava emilyava Sep 15, 2008 @ 1:52 am
- Very good lens.
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- aj2008 aj2008 Sep 8, 2008 @ 10:01 am
- Some lovely ideas here Evelyn. I really love the idea of making a mural of Swimmy to teach working in a team.
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- Pam Pam Sep 6, 2008 @ 7:59 am
- When sharing information about the Responsive Classroom it would be most helpful and fair to include the home website www.responsiveclassroom.org. This gives the broadest and most accurate information about the approach and services.
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- debnet debnet Sep 4, 2008 @ 12:50 pm
- Another great Lens Evelyn! Please submit it to The Emotional Wellbeing Group ;)
Meet the Author
Evelyn's Hands-On Learning Blog.
Find out more about Evelyn:
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Evelyn Saenz: Lensography of a Teacher
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My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning should be integrated and no skills should be taught in isolation. I believe that each topic s...
by Evelyn_Saenz
My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that lea... (more)
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