In order to engage children and foster a feeling of community in our classrooms, we lay the groundwork for this throughout the transition back to school. We know that taking the time to reestablish connections and give kids the chance to check in with one other is essential as we look for strategies to create safe and inclusive settings. Hosting morning meetings is an exciting approach to start the school day while encouraging teamwork and kindness. Morning meetings are a scheduled daily routine that provides a supportive transition for kids as they enter the classroom. Morning meetings are a school-wide classroom management strategy used to meet daily demands of kids for social-emotional learning. Teachers gather their kids each morning to start the day off with interaction.
The most common format of a morning meeting consists of four key components: greetings, sharing, activity, and a morning message. However, these daily warm-ups will appear different in different classrooms as educators alter them to meet the particular needs of their students. When greeting one another, teachers and students typically do so at the entrance as they enter the classroom. Students are able to share details about personal experiences. Activity motivates students to engage in a quick activity that builds relationships and offers chances to apply SEL or academic abilities. Last but not least, during the morning message, students practice listening and reading skills of a brief message written by their teacher to prepare them for the tasks they will do that day. In elementary schools, morning meetings are most frequently conducted as a class gathering at the start of each school day. For the duration of the school year, many primary teachers hold morning meetings to foster a sense of community and make sure that every student is treated with respect and feels heard and valued.
In the following pictures, you can see PK-4 teacher, Mr. Guillermo Zavala, leading the class through a morning welcome song with movements as a part of their morning meeting.
