Title: The Effects of Responsive Classroom and School
Climate in Grade 3
Needs Assessment:
The purpose of conducting
this research is to determine if the district initiative to train all K-5 staff
in the Responsive Classroom approach has helped to improve the overall school
climate. Although initially scheduled to train the entire staff, during the
2011-2012 school year, the third
grade teachers selected to begin the training process and were trained and
began implementing the strategies from this approach. The goal was to create a
common language throughout the building regarding student conduct and
responsibility. The initial push for this move was based on the new state
mandates regarding school climate and bullying. There was also an evident need
for this change based on the student survey conducted at the end of the
2010-2011 school year. This survey showed that there was still an great need
for the faculty to address the students to feel safe and supported when they
are on the campus. The data showed that students felt that there was not enough
done to protect them from feeling bullied, teased, or left out on the
playhround, and in unstructured environments. The data also showed that all
students felt safe and supported in the classrooms there are still several
rooms where the language is not supportive and protective. Overall 93% of the
student population felt like our campus was a safe learning environment with a
positive school climate. Of the remaining 7%, 5% of those students felt that
our campus had to do a lot to improve upon the school climate to make them feel
safe.
Objectives and Vision of the Action Research
Project:
The vision for this
research is to create a school climate where all students feel safe, and that
there is a common language used among all students and staff in the building
regarding school wide discipline. We
have been using pieces from different PBIS models over that last several years.
With the new state mandates regarding school climate and the development of a
“bully intervention” model, it has become imparative that we create and use a
common behavior model across all classrooms and disciplines. The initial plan
was to train all 110 faculty members during the 2011-2012 school year using a
release model. Due to cicumstances beyond the control of our adminstration that
was changes to train only grade three teachers during the 2011-2012 school year
and then build from there for the 2012-2013 school year. The new proposal that
has been presented to our supeirintendent and board of education has all staff
being trained by the end of the 2013 school year and able to fully implement
the Responsive Classroom approach building wide for the 2013-2014 school year. The
school administration and I are hoping that we can reduce the number of
bullying incidents in our school to less then five incidents in a year during
the 2013-2014 school year, once all staff have been trained in the Responsive
Classroom approach. In the short-term when looking only at grade three our goal
is that all classrooms will be conducting a Morning Meeting and using Logical
Consequences to address students actions. The goal is for all students to
understand the three types of consequences and that with consistency among the
teachers the number of behavioral instances will reduce in grade 3 during the
current school year.
Literature Review:
One of the main reasons
for conducting this research is because Sara Rimm-Kauffman (2006) found that,
“children whose teachers used more Responsive Classroom practices had greater
growth in prosocial skills and assertiveness over a singe year.” She also found
that students “appreared to be less fearful and anxious.” (Rimm-Kauffman, 2006)
Not only are prosocial skills important in building a positive school climate,
but Rimm-Kauffamn also found that there were direct correlations between the
Responsive Classroom practices and student achievement and and student attitude
toward school. The purpose of the
study that had been conducted by Rimm-Kaufman was to determine what effects the
Responsive Classroom approach has on students social and academic learning. The
study she conducted was done in an urban environmnent with students in a very
different demongraphic from the school where I teach. The purpose of my
research was to see based on Rimm-Kaufman’s findings if there was an effect on
our school climate based on our demographic of students. The Social and
Academic Learning study was able to conclude that by using the Responsive
Classroom approach there were gains in test scores, greater teacher
self-efficacy and more posotive attitudes towards teaching; better social
competence among children; better classroom quality; children’s more positive
perception of school; and increased formal collaboration among teachers.
(Rimm-Kaufman, 2006) Hoping to extend from these findings that it will have
simalr effects on our campus across the entire grade level.
It is important for schools to have a postive
school climate. Research shows that a positive school climate is a
critical dimension of effective risk prevention, health promotion efforts and
learning. (Pickeral, 2009). Pickeral continues to explain that through a
positive school climate students feel connected to the members of the
community. The Responsive Classroom approach was developed to foster the same
idea that Pickeral states. The
Responsive Classroom approach is based on seven guiding principals that are
based on education theory and developmental science. In order to make effective
changes to school climate the policymakers need to learn of current,
scientifically sound findings and resources that support school climate
improvement efforts and acknowledge the importance of engagement with parents
and community members at large. (Pickeral, 2009) Pickeral suggests that there
is a need for schools to use a school climate tool to measure the climate. He
suggests a variety of different surveys and inventories that can be conducted
at different invterals throughout the year to get an accurate measure of the
current climate. By having these measurements, policymakers are better equipped
to make changes to policy and programming to address any needs they develop in
the assessments. (Pickeral 2009)
According for Woods and Freeman-Loftis (2011)
Responsive School Discipline is a way of creating a school climate that enables
optimal academic and social growth for students. It is a way to ensure that positive
discipline is used throughout the school in a consistent way. There are three
steps to the Responsive School Discipline approach. (Woods & Freeman-Loftis,
2011)
1.
Ensuring that all adults in the school have
consistent behavior expectation of students.
2. Providing
staff with professional development in the teaching of positive behavior.
3. Establisihing
schoolwide procedures for responding to misbehavior.
Although Woods and Freeman-Loftis state clearly
that Responsive School Discipline and Responsive Classroom strategies are not
an anti-bullyin program they do address those needs. They state that by giving every
child a voice in the morning meeting, providing role playing opportunities to
problem solves helps students speak up. By speaking up students are more easily
able to address a situation that they are in that makes them uncomfortable or
one that they witness. (2011) Responsive School Discipline is something that
needs to be done over a period of time so that teachers and other faculty members
are able to teach students the appropriate expetations and behaviors. School reform
takes several years to effectively become part of the community culture. (Woods
& Freeman-Loftis, 2011)
Articulate the Vision:
Once
my research was designed I presented my proposal to my school administrative
team for approval. The project idea was developed because the Assistant
Superintendent had stated that he was to implement the Responsive Classroom
approach district wide on a K-5 level. I felt that there needed to be some way
to measure the effects of this implementation. I decided that since there was
such a push on school climate and bullying I would look at the effects that
this approach would have on these areas.
After meeting with the administration I gathered all of the third grade
teachers to present the study to them. I explained the purpose for the study
and what I hoped to find. These research project was not presented to students
or parents.
Manage the Organization:
The strategy that I used
to manage my research was to create an action plan table that included the
timeline for completing the steps in my research process. By creating this
table I am able to clearly see what needs to happen in a sequential order. This
also allows me to effectively delegate tasks to others involved in my research.
Since there is no individual student research being conducted I have not had to
worry about student safety. The surveys that are conducted are done through
SurveyMonkey using anonomous reporting. Teacher identities are protected in the
same way. I have been using my plan created early on in this process to keep me
on my target timeline so that my research continues to move forward even with
the bumps that I have hit along the way.
Manage Operations:
After designing my project
the first step was for me to review the school wide school climate survey that
had been conducted. I was able to use this to gain a baseline for where
students felt we were as a school with regards to school climate. From there we
began to implement changes to have a more positive effect on school climate
while focusing primarily on grade three since this is a transitional year for
the students. After reviewing data we began to develop a plan to train teachers
in the Responsive Classroom approach and then a strategic plan to help teachers
begin the implementation process. At this point in my research the third grade
teachers are all conducting a daily Morning Meeting. During this time students
area working on different social and academic skills to develop their prosocial
skills. Although the research is not finished, the guidance department staff
report that they informally notice a difference in the way the third grade
students treat each other. They report that there are fewer instances of “bullying”
or “teasing” happening on repeated basis. I am very curious to see what the
final student and teacher surveys will show once the research comes to a close.
Respond to Community Interest and
Needs (ELCC 4.2)
The
research that I am conducting will benefit the entire student population. It
will serve the needs of both special education students and exceptional
students because the goal of the implementation of Responsive Classroom is to
create a safe learning enviroment for all students and to ensure that students
begin to take responsibility for their actions. The use of Morning Meeting in
class is the way teachers will be able to differentiate their instruction to
meet all of the needs of their students. Through this meeting students will be
able to work on the individual social skills they need to communicate
effectively with their peers and work through problem solving strategies.
References
Pickeral, T., Evans, L., Hughes, W. &
Hutchison, D. (2009). School Climate Guide for District Policymakers and
Educational Leaders. New York, NY: Center for Social and Emotional
Education (www.schoolclimate.org)
Rimm-Kaufman,
S. E. (2006). Social and academic learning study on the contribution of the
responsive classroom approach. Northeast
Foundation for Children, Oct(1),
3-18.
Wood, C., & Freeman-Loftis, B. (2011). Responsive school discipline: Essentials for elementary school leaders.
Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.
