WILMINGTON, MA – Wilmington Public Schools has begun implementing the “responsive classroom” teaching approach at the Wildwood and Boutwell Early Childhood Centers. (This curriculum change was recently highlighted in the latest episode of WCTV’s In The Loop, hosted by Anne-Marie Fiore, the school district’s Director of Technology.)
“The responsive classroom approach stresses that social-emotional learning is just as important as academic learning,” says Adjustment Counselor Christine Murray. “It teaches kids how to share with each other, take turns, and respectfully disagree with each other.”
The approach finds school staff utilizing various exercises, activities and modeling to teach children skills in the areas of cooperation, assertiveness and empathy. The approach is all encompassing, taught throughout the entire school day within each classroom and engrained in the larger school culture.
Responsive classroom, according to Murray, has been proved to increase student engagement, improve academic achievement, decrease discipline problems, and facilitate more high-quality learning.
Boutwell and Wildwood teachers went through a week-long training in” responsive training” in June. Educational assistants and support staff were trained more recently.
“Having the ‘responsive classroom’ approach at PreK and K really sets the stage for the school climate change that’s necessary district-wide,” adds Alice Brown LeGrand, the district’s new Coordinator of Behavioral Health & Social-Emotional Learning. “And it leaves [elementary school] students with more time available for academic learning once their social emotional skills are already embedded at such an early age.”
“All teachers want to teach [social emotional skills], but aren’t necessarily trained on how to do so,” continues LeGrand. “We’re now giving teachers the tools to help students better manage their emotions, interact socially, and understand someone else’s perspective.”
Jen Mahon, Director of Student Support Services, stresses that the responsive classroom approach applies to all students, including special education students.
“It lays the foundation and creates the expectations for ALL students. If we have to modify things to help a student, we certainly do that, but this levels the playing field,” notes Mahon. “It will make children better citizens and build their resilience and tolerance when facing adverse situations.”
Murray has seen the approach’s success firsthand, serving as the guidance counselor at the Shawsheen Elementary for the past 15 years, where “responsive classroom” has been put in place. She is ‘happy” to have brought it to the PreK and K level.
“It really is amazing to see the kids interact, work things out on their own, and tell each other how they feel, says Murray. “The [responsive classroom] really brings fun into learning social skills.”
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