Book Review: The First Six Weeks of School: From Responsive Classroom

“The Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based way of teaching that offers practical strategies for bringing together social-emotional and academic learning throughout the day. The approach is associated with greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate.” -The First Six Weeks of School

According to The Responsive Classroom, the 4 Key Areas of Teaching are:

Offering engaging academics

Building a positive community

Effectively managing the classroom

Matching instruction to students’ developmental strengths and needs

The First Six Weeks of School gives excellent ideas for building community, creating academic routines, setting a positive tone for learning, and how to respond to misbehavior.

Sample schedules are provided for all grades K-6 for the first day of school and the first six weeks. Usable and easy-to-implement classroom activities are given that foster classroom community and build upon each other as students learn expectations, rules, and classroom procedures.

A brand new teacher will likely have a grade-level team of colleagues to use as resources for traditional schedules and activities for the first six weeks of school. For a new teacher that does not have the benefit of a grade-level team, or is looking for unique ideas, this book is a great resource.

Aside from the sample schedules and lesson activities, ideas and strategies are given for classroom set-up and classroom management, as well.

If you are looking for a guide specific to the first six weeks of school with activity and lesson ideas specific to grade level groups (K-2, 3-4, and 5-6) then this is the resource for you!

For a FULL SCHOOL YEAR worth of ideas, strategies, and content access Perfectly Grown’s How to Teach Elementary School series.

KEY IDEAS from THE FIRST SIX WEEKS OF SCHOOL:

From Responsive Classroom