Over the past couple of years, we have been sending Ezra teachers to receive training in Responsive Classroom. This training allows educators to continue to improve their teaching and learn ways to be more responsive to students' academic and developmental needs. This training focuses on creating better classroom communities, routines, and environments to give your student the best opportunities to learn and succeed. With professional development opportunities like Responsive Classroom, teachers at Ezra are always working to be the best teachers they can be for your child. Two of the practices we have put in place after this training are morning meetings and nest time.
Every classroom does a morning meeting each morning. During this time the group gathers in a circle and go through a greeting, sharing, group activity and morning message. This helps to set the tone for the day and practice important social emotional skills.
Nest time happens once a month, usually on Wednesday afternoons. The entire building is split into small mixed age groups. The groups meet to go over a social emotional concept and do an activity together.