Building a Culture of Joyful Learning: A Case Study of Improvement at the Harvard-Kent Elementary School

Located in the heart of Charlestown [Boston, MA], Harvard-Kent Elementary School serves 365 students in grades Pre-K to 5. The school serves the highest percentage of children living in public housing of any Boston school. It is home to a specialized program for students learning English as well as a therapeutic program for children with emotional disabilities. Students represent a range of races, ethnicities, and home languages. Over the past five years, a focus on meeting the needs of the whole child and strengthening early literacy instruction has catapulted academic performance at the Harvard-Kent, one of the most racially diverse schools in Boston. The Harvard-Kent is now shrinking opportunity and achievement gaps for low-income students, students with disabilities, students of color, and English Language Learners. This case study explores how the Harvard-Kent made academic gains by engaging teachers to create a school culture where students feel valued and where learning is experiential and engaging. Information presented in this brief represents findings from a comprehensive data and document review; focus groups with students, teachers, and administrators; and a set of classroom observations meant to uncover key practices, both academic and non-academic, at the school.