In room 115 I teach using the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching.  This approach recognizes the importance of the social piece of school in addition to the academic piece.  I believe that teaching ways to interact with one another appropriately and kindly helps maximize what students can learn academically at school.  Here is the foundation of Responsive Classroom:

Responsive Classroom Approach

• The social curriculum is an important as the academic curriculum.
• How children learn is as important as what children learn.
• The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.
• Children need a set of social skills in order to be successful academically and socially.
• Knowing the children we teach is as important as knowing the content we teach.
• Knowing the families of the students is as important as knowing the students.