Teacher appreciation week is May 6–10.  And, just like the poem, “March wind and April showers bring May flowers”, May is the perfect month for giving teachers everywhere flowers of appreciation. Most people can recall at least one instance in which a teacher showed caring and kindness towards them at just the right moment in…

The Evolution of Social-Emotional Learning at Center for Responsive Schools There’s a story of a child who discovered the summertime joy of watching the flicker and glow of fireflies. He wondered about the source of their light, but wasn’t able to get a clear answer, so decided to discover for himself. After about a half…

In 1991, Ruth Charney, co-founder of Responsive Classroom, wrote a book that impacted K-8 educators all over the world, Teaching Children to Care. A reflection of her 20-year teaching career as well as the stories and observations of colleagues, her practical and empathetic guidance has inspired teachers for decades and in turn has impacted the…

Excerpt from Executive Director Lora Hodges’ Welcome at the 2017 Responsive Classroom Leadership Conference. “That response to a vision for all the great possibilities, for a more excellent outcome in the lives of your students, starts with responding to a call of being your truest and highest self.  Of bravely building on past and former…