Our teachers have recently participated in two workshops with the goal of introducing “Responsive Classrooms” (RC) to Community Christian School. RC employs practical strategies for helping children build social-emotional competencies which in turn improves their academic performance. RC practices also strongly support character development, which is part of our school’s vision for our students.
Since ours is a small Christian school, our staff have instinctively understood that social and emotional curriculum is as important as academic curriculum. We know cognitive growth occurs through social interaction and communication skills are key to developing positive social interaction habits, which will benefit students now and in the future. Moving forward, our teachers will be more intentional about adopting the guiding principles of the Responsive Classroom at all grade levels.
God has created us to be in community and He desires that we interact with others in a Christ-like and loving manner. The Responsive Classroom method of teaching is not exclusively Christian; however, we feel using RC strategies will help our students learn to speak and listen effectively and will also help students feel welcome, feel they have a place at school, and feel listened to. This is what God wants for us – to recognize that everyone has a place in community and everyone is valued as created by Him for an important purpose.
Teachers and parents at Community Christian School are always looking at teaching practices that will make an impact on student learning and development. As we strategically implement RC practices in our classrooms in the coming weeks and months, we look forward to reports of increased student engagement, stronger social connections, and academic gains.
If you would like to know more about Responsive Classroom practices, please email Rita Bergsma, Interim Principal.
