Chip Wood

For forty-five years, Robert (Chip) Wood has worked on behalf of children from preschool through eighth grade as a classroom teacher, teaching principal, and teacher educator. After studying at the Gesell Institute of Human Development early in his career, Chip made developmentally based teaching the center of his educational practice. His core belief: knowing what children at each age are developmentally capable of doing physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively enables respectful, successful teaching of all children—no matter their life circumstances or cultural background. A co-developer of Responsive Classroom and co-founder of Northeast Foundation for Children (now Center for Responsive Schools), Chip has served as principal of two public schools and was co-founder of Greenfield Center School. He is a facilitator for the Center for Courage & Renewal and co-creator of Leading Together, an approach focused on strengthening the adult community of schools.