Social and Emotional Issues in Brookline Classrooms


Runkle School educators are working together to create an environment that addresses students' social-emotional development along with their academic growth. As part of a two-year Brookline Education Foundation grant, over thirty Runkle School classroom teachers and specialists are receiving training in "Responsive Classroom," a social-competency program. Classroom teachers Danielle Halwick and Emily Leonard, librarian Teresa Gallo-Toth, and former vice-principal Emily Gaberman explain the Responsive Classroom philosophy.


What is a social competency program?



Halwick: It is a philosophy of education for social-emotional development. It is often misunderstood that academics may be put "on hold" while addressing social-emotional development. With this program, we work on both simultaneously.




What prompted you to implement a social competency program at Runkle? 



Gallo-Toth: We are always looking to make school better for kids. This is a study around issues of safety and respect. Plus, the Responsive Classroom was a nice match for what was already happening in the school.



What was unique about the workshop?


Leonard: The workshop leader modeled practices to use with our students. We were practicing it on ourselves. We could see what the technique would look like, what it would sound like, and could ask, "Would this work for me in my classroom?"

Halwick: The training is where we got our real drive. It was an opportunity to experience Responsive Classroom as adults. It was an engaging approach to learning, not just a lecture. 



One of the teaching practices you learned about is Morning Meeting. What are its components and why is it so important?



Halwick: Sharing is a really nice component of Morning Meeting; each child shares something that is important to him/her. It sets up a structure for telling a story that develops from grade to grade. Other components of morning meeting are news and announcements, or an interactive piece that they read before they sit, or a math review. Morning Meeting can be social, like a community-building activity, or academicallyoriented.



Another Responsive Classroom acivity is called "guided discovery," a process used to introduce children to new materials, routines, and curriculum. How have you used this technique?



Gallo-Toth: When introducing how to care for library books, one lesson might be on the use of shelf markers. Rather than share what the uses are not, I would introduce these as a tool for taking books off the shelf and keeping the remaining books organized. I would model the correct use of these tools and provide children with opportunities to practice.

Leonard: The goal is to cut out the negative pieces. Instead of saying, "Don't do that to your book," Teresa says to the children, "Remind me what it looks like to hold your book the right way." It gives the children a sense of responsibility and independence. 



An important aspect of the Responsive Classroom philosophy is that educators "respond," rather than react to children's behavior. Can you give an example of this technique? 



Halwick: Responding could be any one of three things: reinforce, remind, or redirect. For example, if you were responding to children's behavior during silent reading time, to reinforce, you could say, "I notice that you are reading quietly." A reminder - when you are confident that a child will be able to do what is expected - is to say, "Show me what we have learned about how to be a quiet reader." To redirect (when they are not doing what is expected), say, "You need to be silent and read."

After implementing components of Responsive Classroom last year, did you have any questions about how to refine the tools you learned in the training? 


Halwick: Individually, teachers have considered their practice and we will begin "open forum" type, regularly scheduled meetings where teachers can work together to share ideas - what's working and what's not working. We will also form a group of teachers to meet as a faculty strand to help keep this initiative moving forward.



What has been the impact of Responsive Classroom on the Runkle community? 



Gaberman: Last year, we collected and analyzed data on students who were sent to the office. We continue to track office referrals, specifically students who have been sent to the office for a disciplinary purpose. Anecdotally, it appears that office referrals are down. Responsive Classroom is not a cure. It addresses social-emotionally learning. If kids don't feel safe and comfortable in their environment, it's difficult for them to learn. It is not a panacea, but it provides tools and a common language, a common vocabulary, and a common philosophy for teachers to use.