Original Article: https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/blog/do-your-students-seem-older Have you noticed an age shift in your class now that it’s the middle of the year? It always seemed to me that when we’d come back from February vacation, my students had all grown an inch, seen some new movie that changed the lingo
Read more →Original post: http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/blog/whats-name How do you refer to the students in your class when addressing them? At first glance, this may seem like a trivial issue; but consider how many times throughout the day we speak to students to get their attention. The patterns we establish for
Read more →To teach well, we must know children well, and parents can help us do that better than anyone. Parents can share knowledge of their child’s strengths and challenges, unique perspectives, and other invaluable insights. Parents can also support their child’s learning at home. When we let parents
Read more →Responsive Classroom Newsletter: April 2011 The end of the school year is an emotional time. By this time, many students (and teachers!) are eager for summer vacation, yet many children have mixed feelings about leaving the comforting structure of school. As the weather warms, attention to schoolwork
Read more →Original Article: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr11/vol68/num07/The-Leap-into-4th-Grade.aspx Amazing energy and enthusiasm, increased anxiety, and tougher academic demands—all these make 4th grade a pivotal year. “Yes!” cries Danny, pumping his fist as he looks at the schedule for the day. “We have P.E. today! I love P.E.!” “Oh, come on!” groans Lisa as
Read more →Winter holiday celebrations! They’re such a big part of American school life. But as our schools grow more diverse, traditional celebrations can leave some children and families feeling excluded or uncomfortable. Also, even if everyone at your school is fine with the traditional celebrations, there’s the matter
Read more →Original Article: https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/keep-learning-going-during-holiday-vacation-times Adapted from Responsive blog posts by Mike Anderson and Margaret Wilson Responsive Classroom Newsletter: November 2010 Suddenly, it seems like the class is falling apart. Classroom routines that were going smoothly just a few weeks ago now seem rough around the edges. More and more
Read more →Original Article: https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/blog/fall-testing-tips It’s fall! For many of us that means cooler temperatures, crisp leaves on the playground, thoughts of pumpkins and frost, and . . . testing. Yes, the beginning of the school year has become standardized testing time for many schools. This year, for the first
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The school year is about to start! It’s an exciting time of year, but it’s also pretty hectic. There’s the physical space to set up, lessons and units to prepare, students and families to get to know, and meetings to attend. All too often, we teachers find
Read more →I wrote last week about things you can do to ease classroom stress during testing and other high-anxiety times. Here are three more tips for keeping the atmosphere of your classroom calm and productive! Have a Cooperative Recess A fun, energetic recess can be a great way
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