At the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, responsive teaching is a core tenet of our progressive pedagogy. Part of maintaining classroom responsiveness means evolving our teachers’ practice through relevant and impactful professional development. In 2024, ECFS began a partnership with the Windward Institute, a fellow New York City independent school recognized for its research-backed work in executive functioning. These skills that enable planning, focus, emotional regulation, and flexible thinking have become more critical than ever in a post-pandemic educational landscape.
Recently, Ethical Culture and Fieldston Lower faculty participated in a full-day professional development with experts from Windward. “While last year we focused on executive functions as broader concepts, this year, we focused more specifically on self-regulation and attention,” shared Ethical Culture Principal Dr. Erik Landgren. “These are the areas where teachers are most frequently requesting additional support.”
Throughout the day, educators explored practical, evidence-based approaches to help students become more aware of their thinking and behavior. Through various activities, teachers were asked to examine ways to incorporate metacognitive prompts that encourage students to pause and reflect. During this reflection period, students may ask themselves questions such as What is my plan? or How will I know I am on the right track? Teachers also practiced reinforcing turn-taking, exercising patience, and other social skills that help students remain grounded during classroom interactions.
“One ‘aha’ moment for me was realizing how much invisible cognitive work students are doing when managing multi-step tasks or complex projects. Being mindful of that when planning and scaffolding assignments feels like a helpful focus,” shared Fieldston Lower 4th Grade Teacher Maggie Morrison.
Another particular strategy that resonated was the use of “think-alouds,” in which teachers model the internal self-talk that strong learners could use to navigate challenges. By verbalizing their process, I’m feeling stuck, so I am going to reread the instructions, or, I’m noticing I am distracted; let me shift in my seat, teachers can help students internalize similar habits.
This professional development plan is ultimately part of a broader plan guided by the Executive Director of Learning, Francesca Pisa, who has been leading alignment initiatives across all divisions at ECFS since last year. One such initiative includes creating more opportunities for faculty across divisions to be in the same room together and discuss their teaching methods.
In afternoon breakout sessions, teachers met in grade-level groups, including faculty from both Ethical Culture and Fieldston Lower. For many, this cross-divisional effort was one of the most impactful parts of the day. Fieldston Lower Principal Joe McCauley observed just how meaningful these conversations were. “It was affirming for teachers to share the great work they are already doing and to realize they have the same goals. I saw many teachers from both campuses inspiring one another and building relationships for future collaborations.”
Looking ahead, both principals emphasized the importance of the next steps. “Setting aside time to put ‘theory to practice’ is a necessary step after enriching professional development,” said McCauley. Landgren agreed, adding that this professional development aimed to expand our teachers’ already impressive toolkits while also establishing consistent classroom processes, preparing students for more advanced studies and busier social schedules at Fieldston Middle and Fieldston Upper.
“I hope to see students become more confident and resourceful learners as we strengthen these skills in the classroom. Over time, our goal is for them to shift from relying on external prompts to independently noticing what they need and advocating for themselves,” said Morrison.
The day made clear that our teachers bring a depth of knowledge and expertise that, when shared across divisions, can strengthen and better support every student’s learning experience as they progress.
