Responsive Classroom

Get info and pricing on the provider’s website

Go to Provider Site
Program description

Responsive Classroom, offered by the Center for Responsive Schools, provides a teaching practices approach to SEL. It includes programming for grades. K-6 and demonstrates evidence of effectiveness in grades 1-4.

Strategies supporting educational equity

Responsive Classroom provides strategies for working with bias. This includes training offerings where educators examine developmental characteristics and are challenged to address potential biases through this examination.

/
      • SEL lessons
      • Instructional practices
      • Relationship building
      • Positive classroom management
      • SEL generalization
      • Shared agreements
      • Student voice
      • Systemic support for SEL
      • Adult SEL
      • Student supports
      • Family Intervention Component
      • School Involvement
      • Activities and Resources for Home
      • Individualized Communication
    • Onsite in-person training
    • Virtual training
    • Offsite training
    • Train the trainer model
    • Administrator support
    • Coaching
    • Technical assistance
    • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
    • Online resource library
    • Self-report tools for monitoring implementation
    • Observational tools
    • Tools for measuring student success

Evidence of effectiveness

Results from a quasi-experimental evaluation published in 2007 (Rimm-Kaufman, Fan, et al.) supported the effectiveness of Responsive Classroom for elementary school students. This evaluation included 1,389 grade 2 through 4 students (white = 52%, Black = 21%, Latinx = 20%). This evaluation found that students in classrooms participating in the program demonstrated increases in standardized reading and mathematics test scores compared to students in the control (outcomes reported approximately 2 and 3 years after baseline while controlled for outcome pretest and relevant student demographics).

Results from a quasi-experimental evaluation published in 2007 (Rimm-Kaufman & Chiu) supported the effectiveness of Responsive Classroom for elementary school students. This evaluation included 157 grade 1 through 4 students enrolled in urban schools in the US Northeast (white = 74%, Hispanic = 12%; 19% resided in households with low income for the region). This evaluation found that students in classrooms participating in the program demonstrated increases in teacher-reported positive social behaviors, including assertiveness and prosociality, reading grades, student-teacher closeness, as well as reductions in anxious-fearful behavior, compared to students in the control group (outcomes reported approximately 9 months after baseline while controlled for outcome pretest).

/
  • Evidence shown in grades
    1, 2, 3, 4
    School characteristics
      • Urban
      • Northeast
    Student characteristics
    • Black / African American
    • Hispanic / Latinx
    • White
    • Low income
    Percentage Low Income
    • Low parent income levels: 19%
    Study design type
    • QE
    Greater than 350 students included in study design type
    • Yes
    Multiple school districts included at study design type
    • Yes
    • Improved academic performance
    • Reduced emotional distress
    • Improved identity development and agency
    • Reduced problem behaviors
    • Improved school climate
    • Improved school connectedness
    • Improved social behaviors
    • Improved teaching practices
    • Improved other SEL skills and attitudes

How does Responsive Classroom support SEL implementation across multiple settings?

“Supporting SEL in multiple settings is the foundation of our approach, as evidenced by Responsive Classroom guiding principles such as 'How we work together as adults to create a safe, joyful, and inclusive school environment is as important as our individual contribution and competence' and 'Partnering with families—knowing them and valuing their contributions—is as important as knowing the children we teach.'””
Access the latest, most trusted information on SEL
Sign up for our newsletters