Nurturing Social and Academic Success

“The Responsive Classroom II workshop has significantly improved the culture of my classroom." - Vanessa Ouellette

Like Heath School teacher Vanessa Ouellette, many Brookline educators are finding that the Responsive Classroom (RC) method helps develop a strong classroom culture. RC is an approach to teaching in kindergarten through grade five that emphasizes students’ social and academic growth.

This summer, a Brookline Education Foundation (BEF) grant supported attendance by Heath teachers Maggie Beneke, Chari Dalsheim, Natalie Dean, Jennifer Fairbanks, John Miner, and Vanessa Ouellette at a weeklong session in the second level of RC training. In total, the BEF has funded RC training for nearly 100 educators throughout Brookline.

The positive feedback from the RC training has been remarkable.

Ms.Ouellette reports, “I learned how to better integrate student reflections into my teaching, both in academic and in social times. Since attending this training, I have been more thoughtful about activity selection and reflection in morning meeting. When students play games in meeting, they learn to take safe risks, establish relationships with their peers, and include each other in our classroom environment.”

“RC II taught me strategies for offering more academic choice in my classroom. This has increased engagement, particularly during math times, and has improved my ability to differentiate – to meet the needs of all students in a mixed-ability classroom - during this time,” Ms. Ouellette adds.

When educators work together to perfect their teaching practices, they return to their classrooms with renewed enthusiasm and greater expertise. Thanks to this BEF grant, six Heath teachers are now collaborating with each other and applying RC methods to foster greater social and academic learning for your children.