MSC embraces the philosophy known as the “Responsive Classroom.” This approach to elementary teaching emphasizes social, emotional and academic grown in a strong and safe school environment. It is based on the premise that children learn best when both academic and social-emotional skills are reinforced. This philosophy is reflected in Morning Meeting, Rule Creation (students participate in creating classroom rules that allow all class members to meet their learning goals) and a specific vernacular among teachers for feedback that promotes active learning, a sense of community and self-discipline. The “Responsive Classroom” approach also relies on parents reinforcing these ideas at home — in other words, supporting your children with positive feedback, establishing a consistent homework routine, and sharing their insights and questions in a constructive dialog with teachers. The Responsive Classroom provides a framework for keeping our teachers, classrooms and school moving in the same direction.

The classrooms at MSC incorporate two spatial concepts, learning centers and activity areas. Each classroom has a unique arrangement created by the classroom teacher to promote involvement and learning. The teaching staff move around the room supervising, teaching, playing, talking, listening — helping the children individually and in groups to be involved in a variety of projects. The classrooms emphasize learning through doing, and the children can choose from a range of supplies and materials to explore different topics. Themes for study are designed to develop the children's curiosity and provide a means for the children to develop their academic skills. Each classroom has its own leveled library of fiction and nonfiction books, as well as project supplies and computer resources to provide each student with multiple opportunities to explore the classroom topics at his or her individual level of development. While the school does not maintain a library, books are housed in small resource areas so that teachers have access to an array of books and can use appropriate and topical reading material in their classrooms.

Parents are given a supply list before school starts. This is a list that teachers have compiled to make up for the gap between what the school budget allows and what materials and supplies they would ideally like to provide for the children. We ask that parents bring the requested supplies on the first day of school. This is greatly appreciated by the teachers and the students, as the supplies help the teachers maintain a tidy classroom and provide the means for the students’ creative endeavors.