Responsive Classroom Approach: A Literature Review - Research Paper Example

In addition to that, it is believed by teachers that children learn better through social interaction than that of learning alone (Rimm – Kaufman, 2006). This is for the reason that, according to Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg and Walberg (2004), social interaction aids the cognitive development. More to that point, the academic curriculum is viewed as similarly important as the social aspect (Zins et al. 2004). That is to say, what the students learn is as significant as how they learn (Zins et al. 2004). In order to be successful socially and academically, it is vital for the students to learn to socially interact with others through cooperation, empathy, assertion, responsibility as well as self – control (Zins et al. 2004). For the points of view of teachers, on the other hand, Zins et al. (2004) suggested that good teaching has the fundamental characteristics of recognizing children individually, culturally and developmentally, and also, knowing the families of students as well.

Moreover, a lot of studies suggested how responsive classroom approach effectively improved the cognitive skills of students whether through test scores, achievement scores and other measures (Rimm – Kaufman, 2006; Coon, Carey, Fulker & DeFries; 1993; Hara & Burke, 1998). According to Rimm – Kaufman (2006), students exposed to responsive classroom approach for more than a year had demonstrated an increase of scores in reading and math. Meanwhile, the involvement of parent in students’ educational activities is one of the elements of responsive classroom approach.

Hara and Bruke (1998) identified in their study that the involvement of parent in students’ education, especially the more direct one through interacting with them through reviewing lessons at home, is a key to an improved student achievement. However, despite the fact that various researches found association between parent involvement and student achievement, the controversy of the said relationship had persisted over the years due to the fact that from the biological point of view, having such shared genes for intelligence between parent and child is of course a driver for the student achievement in school.

To address this controversy, Coon, Carey, Fulker and DeFries (1993) studied the effects of school environment on the academic achievement scores of adopted and non – adopted children. The researchers’ purpose is to disentangle the potential influences underlying school effects on children from parental IQ. One among the findings of their study as suggested by the several variables and measures of their study was the direct environmental relationship between reading and math achievement independent of the effects of paternal IQ (Coon et al., 1993). On the one hand, the responsive classroom principles had also led to organizing classrooms in such ways which foster social interaction, independence as well as productive learning (Rimm – Kaufman, 2006).

That is to say, the school environment is deemed as one of the main important aspects that help children learn at their best. According to Scott, Murray, Mertens, and Dustin (1996), the humanistic type of school climate which is typically characterized by a democratic rather than