Responsive Classroom
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We would like to take this opportunity to remind and/or inform you about the new Responsive Classroom program that began at Discovery Elementary this year. This program has several components, but we are beginning this first year with the Morning Meeting component. This is an approach to teaching that emphasizes social, emotional, and academic growth by creating a strong and safe school community. Responsive Classroom is a research based program that follows the principle that children learn best when they have both academic and social-emotional skills. *Researchers from the University of Virginia conducted a three year study on how the Responsive Classroom approach affects academic and social skills. The study yielded the following six key findings:
1) Children showed greater increases in reading and math test scores.
2) Teachers felt more effective and more positive about teaching.
3) Children had better social skills.
4) Teachers offered more high-quality instruction.
5) Children felt more positive about school.
6) Teachers collaborated with each other more.
Each day your child will model and practice (CARES), which are the social skills that children need to use all day long.
Cooperation
Assertion
Responsibility
Empathy
Self-control
It is our goal that daily Morning Meetings will help create a safe, caring community where every child can learn. We consider January to be a time of reviewing, remodeling, reinvesting, and starting again. Therefore, we felt this would be a perfect opportunity to also review and share with parents/guardians the practices and success we have experienced with Responsive Classroom at Discovery.
If you have any questions or would like further information please do not hesitate to contact me or our assistant principal, Mr. Larsen.
*For a full report of this study, see “Social and Academic learning Study on the Contribution of the Responsive Classroom Approach” by Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman, available at www.responsiveclassroom.org/about/research.html