With the first day of school approaching on September 1, 2026, Sant Bani School teachers underwent a day-long training with Responsive Classroom (RC). The Responsive Classroom teaching philosophy is an evidence-based approach to classroom management that prioritizes student joy and well-being, builds supportive academic routines, and fosters classroom cooperation and cohesion. A key takeaway from the day, beyond hilarious brain-energizer and team-building activities, is that every child needs three things to succeed in a classroom: Belonging, Significance, and Fun. RC emphasizes that all student behavior is a form of communication – namely, a way to communicate how well each of these needs has been met.
Sant Bani School teachers are tasked with discovering how to meet and prioritize each of those needs in the classroom, and to ask the question: “What does this behavior tell me about the student’s needs?” Here are just a few ways SBS teachers foster a supportive classroom and school community at the beginning of the year:
- Creating welcoming, personalized classroom spaces. Students feel excited to learn in their classrooms that reflect who they are and what they do.
- Using first names for all members of our community, to build a sense of trust and to level the playing field.
- Annual Middle School Camp Bani, where students build teamwork through outdoor adventures and learn about the new responsibilities and routines of middle school with fun and ease.
- Student-led playground safety walk-throughs in K-5, where students practice safe use of playground equipment and walk the playground boundaries together.
We are so looking forward to having students back tomorrow! Welcome back, Swans.