Walk into Kelly Grahl’s fourth grade Lomond classroom first thing in the morning and you’ll see his students seated in a large circle on the room’s carpet, quietly engaged with the lights low, listening to each other and speaking only when it’s their turn. It’s a daily ritual called “morning meeting” that lasts a full 20 minutes. Sound too good to be true? Not so, says Mr. Grahl, who is a first-year Shaker teacher. He’s just practicing something called Responsive Classroom, an approach to teaching that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness. Mr. Grahl says his students have worked hard since August to achieve their morning zen state and better, it sustains them throughout the day. Learn more about Mr. Grahl in our Employee Spotlight Q&A:
Tell us about Responsive Classroom.
It’s really powerful. I realized that this was something that could be helpful last year when I was teaching in Tampa. I realized that at the beginning of the day, kids are in no state to sit down and do math or whatever else they’re supposed to do that day. So I started doing the morning meeting this year at Lomond and it's proven to do exactly what I'd hoped. The students need to feel like school is a fun place where they can feel comfortable and safe. And my goal is to help them feel comfortable and safe.
How does it work?
First, we greet each other with positive body language. All the students have worked on being respectful to each other, so things like looking people in the eye and shaking hands. It’s really impressive the amount of time they’re able to sit and listen to each other because we work on this every day. We have some time for a chant, we read a morning message and reflect on it and then we play a five-minute game. It’s a really good community builder and it’s a great way to start the day. And once you see the results of it, there’s no way that you can see it as a waste of time.
What results have you seen?
I have one student who was flat in both reading and math MAP test scores for the past few years. But from fall to winter, the student’s MAP scores went up 14 points in reading. It’s not like I’ve done some amazing work, but I do think this student feels safe and comfortable in this class and the results of that are really positive. Also, every Friday the students write a letter to their parents. And almost every time, the kids write about our morning meeting. Clearly, it’s important to them, so I know it makes a difference.
Is there something for the end of the day?
We do a closing circle when we can, but not every day. It’s less structured, but we do have a quiet packup to end the day. As I improve in planning, I know I’ll be able to chunk that time and talk about big ideas with the kids.
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I grew up in southeast Michigan. The type of redlining that’s happening there is striking, so I joined City Year for two years in Detroit after I graduated from college. And that was life-changing. I saw these teachers, who---despite everything you hear about children and families in Detroit---were building beautiful, but messy relationships with kids. They were able to provide stability for their students and that was an inspiration to me.
It sounds like you’re all in for your students. What do you like to do when you’re not at Lomond?
I just moved to Cleveland last year, so I'm still exploring things here. I love old weird restaurants. I exercise and I read a lot. I recently bought a house near West Boulevard in Cleveland and I'm really excited to do some work on it.
What do you want your students to take away from their fourth grade year with you?
It’s cliche, but I want them to remember how they felt. And I think they’ll remember feeling good in fourth grade. If I can nurture the feeling that school is a place that they want to come to, then I’ll have done my job.