Attention schools, and districts—Contact Origins for discounts on larger orders!
At the Origins Bookstore you will find a wide variety of resources that support educators in implementing the Responsive Classroom approach. Some are in-depth studies of the philosophy, political and social environment, and developmental realities that are the foundation of these approaches; others are handy resources for songs and games, greetings, and the like; others are practical guides for day-by-day implementation. Where to start?! Here are five important titles:
Teaching Children to Care: a broad and deep look at community-building and classroom management in the Responsive Classroom. At nearly 450 pages, this is not a cover-to-cover read, but an essential resource and practical guide for establishing and maintaining a classroom community of respectful, friendly, academically rigorous learners.
Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14, 3rd Edition: a concise description of the developmental realities of children, year by developmental year. Each year’s chapter includes descriptions of physical, social, language, and cognitive growth patterns typical for the age, as well as appropriate curriculum and classroom approaches for the developmental age.
The First Six Weeks of School: When teachers teach and practice with the children each component of the Responsive Classroom during the first six weeks of school, the rest of the academic year is a great deal more peaceful and productive. The book offers specific, detailed steps for each day of the six weeks, including goals, lesson plans, activities and games, and daily schedules for grades K-6.
The Morning Meeting Book: a thorough presentation of the five components of the Morning Meeting, with extensive discussion of Morning Meeting as part of the academic day, not merely a social time; resources for the Greeting and Activities components, as well as appendices on modeling as a teaching technique; Morning Meeting with second-language learners; and more.
Learning Through Academic Choice: Academic Choice is a powerful tool for increasing students' motivation and academic skills and building community in the classroom. This book guides teachers step by step through introducing Academic Choice into their teaching and shows how to build a strong foundation for Academic Choice. There is a detailed guide for planning an Academic Choice lesson as well as lesson plans and activities for grades K-6.
Children not only need to know the isolated facts; they need to see connections that bridge the disciplines and discover how ideas are connected. Without a comprehension of larger patterns, we prepare our students not for wisdom but for a game of Trivial Pursuit.
—Ernest Boyer
