On December 5, 2025, Bank Street Graduate School of Education hosted its 11th annual Emotionally Responsive Schools Conference. The virtual event, titled “Emotionally Responsive Practice as a Foundation for Learning: A Conference on Supporting Children’s and Adults’ Well-Being in a Changing World,” brought together teachers, social workers, and administrators to deepen their mastery of techniques for building safe and nurturing school communities.
Dr. Suzanne McCotter, Dean, Bank Street Graduate School of Education, welcomed attendees by noting that ERP represents the college’s commitment to the whole learner, saying “We don’t just teach people about what should be done in classrooms with young learners; we actually do that with the caregivers who are in front of us.”
The day featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Soyoung Park, Director of Online Programs in Early Childhood and Childhood Special Education, Bank Street Graduate School of Education. In her talk, “Emotionally Responsive Practice (ERP) as Resistance: Reclaiming Democracy and Humanity in Schools.” Through the lens of ERP, Dr. Park explored how the practice can serve as a source of liberation and a safe haven for children amidst a global rise in authoritarianism and dehumanizing policies. She emphasized that ERP is the foundation for all learning because it frees both students and educators from the pressure to suppress their humanity in favor of narrow academic performance.
“When we engage in emotionally responsive practice—a practice that sees children as whole people whose full emotional selves deserve to be valued, seen, and heard—we are radically resisting an authoritarian status quo in our schools,” Dr. Park said.
Following the keynote, attendees participated in morning and afternoon workshops led by the Bank Street ERP team and other professionals. Workshops covered a variety of topics, including “An Introduction to ERP: Concepts and Techniques,” and “The Therapeutic Value of Play.” Sessions also addressed supporting families and cultural and linguistic relevance, with “How ERP Can Help Us Support Families in Crisis”, and “Languaging Is Emotional: Translanguaging, Multilanguage Learners and ERP.” Some of this year’s workshops were also presented in Spanish, including “Prácticas Emocionalmente Responsivas con Niños Autistas.” As demonstrated in the “Creating Forest School in the City” workshop, each session gave participants a takeaway they could immediately put into practice.
The conference also featured “Cozy Corners” and a “Virtual Cafeteria” to provide attendees with spaces for authentic conversation, reflection, and community connection.
Participants joined from across the United States—including New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Michigan, North Carolina, Baltimore, Colorado, Maryland, Rhode Island—and from Mexico City. In the closing session led by Margaret Blachly, Interim Director of the Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College of Education, attendees shared takeaways and reflected on building a future rooted in radical love and humanity.
One participant said, “I have been losing faith in the public education system, but this conference has renewed my passion and purpose.” Another noted, “My takeaway is the impact that ERP can have on the life of a child and how that can reverberate generationally.”
Blachly reinforced that ERP is an essential framework for nurturing the whole child and fostering resilient, compassionate communities, saying “Emotionally responsive practice is liberating because it allows us to feel our humanity while it supports well-being and the social and emotional foundations for learning and parent engagement.”
Learn more about the Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice