21st Century learning in a Responsive Classroom

WAHPETON, N.D. (AP) - A few Lidgerwood second graders rocked quietly in their chairs while reading library books.

Rocking is the key work here since most school chairs are hard, plastic and do nothing more than groan slightly if a squirmy child sits atop them.

A number of Lidgerwood students sat at the feet of teacher Tammy Oster while she offered grammar words so they could create a sentence.

This room is only marginally comparable to other elementary classrooms at Lidgerwood Public School. Sure, there are desks, chairs, students and a teacher, but that is where all similarities end as the district created a “responsive classroom,” a new buzzword in education created to form a more positive environment to help children learn.

The Daily News (https://bit.ly/2jKUemZ) reports that a responsive classroom approach creates a safe, challenging and joyful classroom climate for all children. It’s geared around their academic, social, emotional and physical needs, creating an environment that responds to all of their needs.

Still in the early phases, Oster said the new educational tool is working here. Better yet, students even have choices when it comes to utilizing this room. They can choose where to sit and what types of chairs they want to utilize each week. There are small purple rocking chairs, a cube-style chair that moves in all directions, and even a slender stool-type of chair that also moves in a rocking motion.

There are three levels of tables - small, medium and tall. The small and medium tables afford students the opportunity to sit in their modified chairs, while they can stand at the taller table. There was even a smaller table that Oster could have ordered in which the students sit on the floor while working, but she opted for the next three sizes instead.

The entire concept allows a sense of movement and open areas where students can sit on the floor while working with the teacher or independently.

It has changed the classroom experience for the children and teacher, Oster said.

“The ones who need to move around a little bit, they can move while they’re working. Being able to move that little bit while they’re working helps keep them on task,” she added.

Putting the responsive classroom teaching elements into practice, Oster held up grammar words for her class of 18. More choices abound as most students opted to sit on the floor while writing their sentences, while three girls sat in their rocking chairs instead.

Tatum Stenson was sitting on a cube. It isn’t her favorite chair, but she likes the medium desks and this type of chair works best in that setting.

A grouping of chairs was piled mid-room, the old chairs, the plain blue ones that do not rock. These chairs are not the ones that Tatum selected for the day’s lesson. In fact, most students are not using the age-old static chairs. Tatum “sort of” squirms during the day and likes the sense of movement because it’s easier to focus on her studies, she said.

Tatum sighed when pointing out it was easier to focus when the boys weren’t being loud like when she led the class with grammar words while their teacher was talking about the responsive classroom.

“Guys, Tatum has the next word for you,” Oster said, interrupting the discussion about this new classroom since a few youngsters were forgetting to work on their grammar words and sentences.

“The boys are talking,” Tatum pointed out.

Another quick look from Oster and her second graders were back on task.

“After observing this fall in a couple of the other classrooms and seeing the kids in that environment, I was all for it. I don’t know if I lost my mind after 22 years of teaching. I just needed something different,” Oster added.

Oster said there is a lot of movement inside her classroom. She said that with a smile, pointing out how education has changed since she was a youngster and children were told to “sit still.”

It’s almost constant movement for Oster, by design as she moves students to the open space in front of her white board. A little later they shifted to the back, their desks, and then later to another open area at the back of the class.

“It keeps them moving, just a different aspect of what we are doing,” she explained.

Implementing this interactive classroom is not cheap. It costs about $10,000 per classroom, said Elementary Principal Wayne Hinrichs, since it involves installing carpet, new tables and chairs.

Hinrichs and Oster saw this type of classroom in operation at Mapleton before incorporating it in Lidgerwood. They were impressed with what they saw and thought to give it a try here with the hope it will progress into other elementary classes and possibly some aspects of the high school as well.

“Jokingly, I was always talking to (Superintendent Doug) Jacobson, that if I had my own classroom today I would have nothing but couches and chairs. I wouldn’t have desks,” Hinrichs said, because students respond well to a more informal setting. “Kids can learn that way. There is all this new stuff out there, you see it in the new schools. Yes, we’re an older school and a small school, but I still thought, ’hey, let’s make some changes.’”

Hinrichs is liking what he sees in this responsive classroom, especially how engaged the students are, using every part of the classroom to do their projects and school work.

The second graders are benefiting from the new classroom approach, Hinrichs said, especially their need to move as they learn.

“I think (moving is) in their chromosomes now. That’s the way they are. They need to move around. Don’t you as an adult?” Hinrichs asked.

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Information from: Wahpeton Daily News, https://www.wahpetondailynews.com