First RC Year Reflections by Deana

As I get ready for the new school year, I feel I should take some time out to reflect on my past year...

• For those who are interested in Responsive Classroom, but are not able to be properly trained right now, I suggest implementing Morning Meeting in some form in your classroom. The book by Roxann Kriete is a great resource. Be aware, you need to schedule in a protected time block of about 20 or so minutes for your meetings. To achieve the desired effect, you must make this a priority.
• I need to read The First Six Weeks of School again. It is easy to forget all of the little things I did (or should have done) this time last year. It is important to set the climate and tone for the entire school year in September.
• My students last year had some favorites for Morning Meeting greetings and group activities. They really enjoyed the "sign language" greeting and the games "Coseeki" and "Caught Red Handed". I need to remember to present a variety of greetings and activities this year and not assume that this year's students will favor the same ones.
• I've got to keep the 3 R's of Logical Consequences in mind. I need to be RESPECTFUL of the student by focusing on the behavior. The consequence should be RELEVANT by relating directly to the child's actions. Finally, the consequence needs be REALISTIC.
• I felt like our Morning Meetings last year had the pressure of "cutting into" our math time. My schedule was pretty tight last year in the morning. This year, due to the teaming schedule, I will be have our meeting in the afternoon. I wonder how this will affect things??
• I didn't do very well with Guided Discovery or Academic Choice last year. Why did those components fall apart for me? Perhaps I was taking on too much at once?

Stages in Implementing Academic Choice

The following stages build on each other:

Guided Discovery: Teachers introduce materials and work areas.

Activity Time: Teachers assign students to continue exploring and experimenting with specific materials or activities that they learned about during a Guided Discovery. Students generally rotate through several materials/activities, choosing how to use the specific material/activity but not choosing with material/activity to use. Teachers observe and interact with all children.

Limited Choice: Children have an opportunity to choose from a few materials or activities. At first, planning is oral and all children quickly share reflections and results, with the possibility of a few children sharing in more depth. As children become skilled in oral planning and sharing, the teacher introduces written planning and results and teaches the more formal and in-depth process of work-sharing.

Practice with Independent Limited Choice (Paradox): This is the same as limited choice except that the teacher spends part of the time working with individuals or small groups. This gives the illusion that the teacher is not aware of the whole group but in fact the teacher is paying attention. This step prepares children for productive, independent work.

Full Implementation of Academic Choice: Children are able to make a wide range of choices and to maintain focus while the teacher works with individuals and groups during part of the work period. Teacher will choose approaches to reflection based on students' needs and abilities.

Source: Responsive Classroom Level 1 Workbook

Goals of Academic Choice

• To enable children to work at their highest potential through active learning experiences that engage their creativity and innate desire to explore their world
• To enhance children's motivation by providing them with choices in learning
• To support optimal learning for all children by providing for a range of developmental needs and learning styles
• To teach children the skills needed for independent learning and self-evaluation
• To help children to articulate and share their learning and to value the learning of others
• To help children build a "bank" of interests that can serve as a life-long resource

Source: Responsive Classroom Level 1 Workbook