Redefining School Culture With Listening

The authors vouch for a process that hears the voices of students, teachers and administrators equally for building a responsive climate

An elementary school teacher with well-established classroom routines for instruction is about halfway through the school year when a new student arrives, disrupting the learning environment with challenging behavioral, social and emotional needs.

The teacher, after unsuccessfully trying to deal with the new student in her classroom, resolves the problem by sending the student to receive specialized support for the full school day. With the student gone from the classroom, the teacher resumes her regular instructional practices. The challenging student receives her learning in a restrictive environment. Although her academic needs are being met, two negative consequences also ensue: The social and emotional gap between her and her peers widens, and differences are marginalized.

How might this situation have been approached differently?