How can you keep the sense of comfortable routine while also varying Morning Meetings enough to keep students (and adults) interested and engaged? Greetings can set the tone for the whole meeting—and…
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OCT
11
2013
Keeping Morning Meeting Greetings Fresh and Fun
After doing many Morning Meetings, teachers often wonder how to keep the sense of comfortable routine while also varying the meetings enough to keep students (and adults) interested and engaged. Greetings can…
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JUL
20
2011
The Power of Morning Meeting
The earnest fourth grade girl straightened up tall and looked around the circle, drew a deep breath and began: “Our greeting today will go like this. First you say your name, then…
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JUL
20
2011
Morning Meeting Is for Everyone
Welcome to Morning Meeting in my full inclusion classroom. Twenty-one first graders sit in a large circle on a brightly colored rug. I'm in a small rocking chair, my hand lightly touching…
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MAY
06
2011
Morning Meeting: A Powerful Way to Begin the Day
In the spring of my first year as a secondary school teacher, I got a letter from a student for whom I had a particular fondness, letting me know that she was…
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FEB
01
2007
Informality Enhances Parent Meetings
Because I want families to be important members of their child’s educational team, I make opportunities throughout the school year for in-person conversations with each student’s parents or guardians. These “meetings” range…
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AUG
01
2003
Morning Meeting Begins at 7:15 p.m.!
It's back-to-school night at Flanders Elementary School in East Lyme, Connecticut. As parents and guardians arrive at Andy Dousis's fourth grade classroom, he welcomes them warmly and invites them to read the…
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JAN
31
2002
Restless in Morning Meeting
February 2002Question:I teach first grade. I find that by the end of Morning Meeting, my students tend to be fidgety and restless, so I’ve been taking them out for recess after meeting…
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SEP
02
2014
Family Connections: 10 Minutes You Don’t Want to Skip
The beginning of the school year is a time for building relationships. I purposefully plan morning meetings, energizers, and other activities so students get to know each other and so our class…
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APR
24
2014
What to Do When Greetings Get Silly
Do you often wonder how to keep the sense of comfortable routine while also varying Morning Meetings enough to keep students (and adults) interested and engaged? Greetings can be especially important because…
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FEB
01
2008
“How does that make you feel?”
I’m new to the Responsive Classroom approach, but even in my first year of having Morning Meetings, the children’s social growth exceeded what I had typically seen in my kindergarten classes. For…
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APR
30
2024
School Gatherings
During my thirty-nine-year teaching career, I’ve walked school hallways in five states and taught many students in public, private, and parochial settings. Over all those years, I’ve seen the power of group…
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DEC
04
2023
Ways To Address Common Behavior Challenges That Pop Up Midyear
It’s a few months into the school year, and you may be noticing an increase in challenging student behaviors. Suddenly students are struggling to follow classroom rules that they learned Read More…
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OCT
26
2023
Douglas Elementary: Giving Students and Teachers a Voice
Location: Watertown, WI Type of school: Public elementary school Grade levels: Early childhood through fifth grade Number of students: 315 A Responsive Classroom school since: 2018 Douglas Elementary is a Read More…
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OCT
23
2023
Deepen Student Connections With Interactive Learning Structures
Following the busy first weeks of school, teachers and students begin to settle into a familiar rhythm. Students have learned important routines and class expectations and are getting excited about Read More…
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FEB
10
2023
Six Tips for a Successful Midyear Check-In With Students!
Long breaks away from school offer students opportunities to relax and spend time with family and friends, but they can also make returning to school challenging. After winter break is Read More…
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MAY
27
2022
Four Ways to Include Families at the End of the Year
As the year comes to a close, you have likely considered activities and ways to bring the year to a joyful end with students. The end of the school year Read More…
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APR
22
2022
Changing a School Climate: How Responsive Classroom Helped
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…
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FEB
18
2022
Valuing Student Diversity in Learning
Centering equity and justice in my teaching practice has taken time and even caused moments of intense self-doubt and feelings of failure. Sometimes these feelings of doubt come from the Read More…
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MAY
28
2021
Meaningful Closings
Educators spend the school year establishing and then nurturing classroom environments in which students feel a genuine sense of belonging. The exceptional challenges of this particular year introduced greater opportunities Read More…
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MAY
07
2021
Looking Ahead: The Dilemma of Learning Loss
Social distancing. Hybrid classrooms. Remote learning. These are among the many phrases that, in the past year, have become central to every educator’s vocabulary. But of the many terms Read More…
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FEB
12
2021
Building Connections with Students and Families
Cultural relevance can be defined as empowering students to maintain cultural integrity while succeeding academically. Culturally responsive teachers and leaders are reflective and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and Read More…
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JAN
26
2021
Trust Yourself – You Know a Lot Already
Did the first half of the school year give you a “déjà vu” feeling from your first year of teaching? Everything feels new and unfamiliar. A lot of time is spent Read More…
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OCT
30
2020
Tips to Bolster Positive Relationships in the Face of the Presidential Election
By Lindsey Lynch and Ramona McCullough No matter the outcome, the results of this year’s presidential election will be challenging for many students, families, and educators. During this time, you Read More…
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COVID-19 Resources
Center for Responsive Schools is pleased to offer these free resources to support a safe reopening of schools. Created by teachers for teachers, these plans keep social distancing and Read More…
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OCT
20
2019
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Re-establishing Balance in Your Classroom
With the changes in fall weather outside, the weather inside the classroom is likely changing too. As a result, teachers often find themselves responding to misbehavior more than they did Read More…
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JAN
02
2019
Highlighting Academics with Belonging, Significance and Fun
“When we start the day with everyone together, face to face, welcoming each person, sharing news, listening to individual voices, and communicating as a caring group, we make several powerful Read More…
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