With the delta variant of coronavirus on the rise, students and teachers everywhere are grappling with the very harsh reality of entering a third academic year with pandemic precautions in effect. As it currently stands, our schools have every intention of returning to in person face to face instruction. Masks will be required and social distancing should occur when possible.
One thing I really felt missing during online instruction was that true sense of belonging. I mean, real talk: I spent most of my day talking to unresponsive black squares. This year, I’m hyping up our Morning Meeting routine and making sure we intentionally start our days together, in community, with positivity and purpose. Never had a consistent Morning Meeting routine? Maybe you didn’t even know it’s a whole model. If you’re the new kid on the block or stopping by to do a vibe check, here’s what you need to know:
Components of Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting is a community-building activity where students and teachers circle up and gather for meaningful interaction and purposeful engagement. The Morning Meeting model as defined by the Responsive Classroom typically runs 15 to 30 minutes with several key components:
- Greeting: Students and teachers greet one other by name.
- Sharing: Students share with the group important life events and personal information. Listeners are encouraged to extend empathy and ask clarifying questions.
- Group Activity: Everyone participates in a lively group activity. The activity focuses on strengthening group cohesion as well as an individual’s social, emotional, and academic skills.
- Announcements/Morning Message: Students read and interact with a short message written by the teacher. The message is crafted to help students focus on the work theyโll do that school day.
Benefits of Morning Meeting
There are several benefits to holding Morning Meeting routinely. Below are a few of my favorites:
- Morning meetings help establish class norms for respectful learning. Gathering together as a group sets the tone for the day. Because students are given an opportunity to preview what the day will consist of, the class begins shifting their mindset for the academic demands that lie ahead.
- Morning meetings positively influence class climate and culture. Greeting students by name and allowing them to share whatever’s on their mind creates a warm classroom climate. There is trust and understanding everyone will be truly seen and heard, motivating even the shyest of students to share and feel significant.
- Morning meetings support social-emotional learning. We grow through what we go through. Engaging in share time and groupwork encourages empathy for one another and builds comradery. Allowing talk time for the highs and lows of our day provides an outlet for high intensity feelings, helping regulate one’s emotions.
Morning Meeting Activities
Struggling to find resources for your time together? Don’t overthink it! Here’s a shortlist of next to no prep morning meeting activities:
- Read Alouds – Choose seasonal, thematic, and diverse books to spark guided conversation.
- Morning News – share kid friendly news for a social studies tie in! Flocabulary even does Week in Rap videos with current events.
- Thought Provoking Questions – I have several morning meeting games in my TpT store. Which One Doesn’t Belong (WODB) is a student favorite!
- Calendar Time – Discuss the date, weather, class schedule, and more. So many math connections here!
References & Resources
If you’re brand spanking new to all of this, welcome! I highly recommend you get the OG of resources, The Morning Meeting Book (affiliate link). This comprehensive, user-friendly book shows you how to hold Responsive Classroom Morning Meetings.
ACTIONABLE STEPS: Go slow! Morning Meeting can take weeks to fully implement well. If you have a question, leave a comment below so I can get back to you!
