One important component of the day in the responsive classroom is the morning meeting. During this time, the class comes together and sits in a circle. Each child is greeted and shares something with the group. This helps reinforce the importance of each child in the group and helps build a sense of community. Also, by doing a daily morning meeting, a routine is set. Children thrive in an environment where they can be secure in a regular routine. Teachers can do greetings in a variety of ways. For example, a stuffed animal or a ball can be passed around and each person who receives it takes a turn answering. Poems or directed question can also be used.
Another important facet of the Responsive Classroom is a cooperative learning environment. Instead of always competing, the Responsive Classroom focuses on working with each other to solve problems and to complete a task. Recognizing that every person is unique and has different strengths, this type of learning encourages children to use their strengths to help one another. A variety of cooperative games can be used throughout the subject areas to put this into practice.
When children have ownership in creating the classroom rules, they feel more responsibility and determination to see that they can keep the rules. This empowerment helps improve the classroom environment. One suggestion is to have children write down their own personal goals and then share these goals with the class. Then the children should determine what classroom rules will help them meet their goals. It is wise to revisit the rules and goals after a few months of school, just to encourage the students on their progress.
Sharing and taking turns are important social skills. These important skills can be modeled and practiced in the classroom and will encourage positive growth in the lives of the children. There are many stories and games that help children learn about sharing and taking turns. If conflict arises, the teacher can help the students talk through their feelings and work out a solution. With continued practice, the children will become more adept at sharing, taking turns and working out disagreements.