BACK TO SCHOOL BOOTCAMP: Episode 3 - Summer Prep - MORNING MEETING!!!!
Hi WELCOME back!!! I’m thrilled to have you here for episode #3. Today, we’re diving into all things Morning Meeting. By the end of this, you’ll know why Morning Meetings are essential, what they are, and how to use them as a powerful classroom management tool!
WHO: Who is this Bootcamp for?
Honestly, this bootcamp is for EVERYBODY! Even experienced teachers need to prep and prepare for the first weeks back to school. While this bootcamp is especially targeted toward my LOVELY baby teachers in their first or second year, there's valuable insight here for everyone. So whether you’re entering your 5th year of teaching or switching grade levels, stick around, hang out, and hopefully learn a lot!
WHAT: What are we focusing on?
This episode of summer prep will focus on one main thing: MORNING MEETING!
WHEN: When should you prepare?
This episode is designed for summer prep, perfect for thinking about your classroom and all the wonderful things that will happen there in the upcoming school year. But, if you prefer a summer break without teacher prep, that’s okay! This can be applied during your teacher inservice days when you’re back at school but haven’t yet welcomed your students. For my summer prep champs, LET’S DO THIS!
WHY: Why are Morning Meetings important?
When envisioning your PERFECT classroom, you likely imagine fun and a strong sense of community. Morning Meetings are perfect for achieving that!
HOW: How to make the most of this information
The content in Episode 3 is A LOT!!! Take a week to digest all this info, avoiding overwhelm, and staying on course. Trust me, it’s worth it.
WHAT IS MORNING MEETING?
Morning Meeting is a daily gathering at the start of the school day where students and the teacher come together to set a positive tone. It’s a key component of the Responsive Classroom approach, designed to build community, foster social-emotional learning, and create a climate of respect and trust.
MESSAGE:
Purpose: To provide students with important information for the day, including special events, the weather, the date, or a preview of learning.
Example: Use a message slide for morning announcements and a to-do list for students to complete.
EXAMPLE MESSAGE SLIDE
This is what would be on the board as students enter the classroom!
GREETING:
Purpose: To make each student feel welcomed and acknowledged.
Example: Students greet each other by name with fun gestures like a jump high-five or a pinky shake.
Example GREETING
Students would greet each other following this prompt
SHARING:
Purpose: This is the part of the morning meeting where students will get to share more about themselves and get to hear and learn more about their classmates and you as the teacher. To allow students to share personal news and learn more about each other and the teacher, fostering a sense of belonging.
Example: Students share stories about their weekend or discuss pertinent classroom issues.
This is also where you as the teacher can plug and play pertinent issues that are happening within the classroom and have class discussions regarding them. This will also help students build connection and have a sense of belonging (:
Example SHARE slide
In this case students would share their answer with a peer and then a few share out with the class ᵕ̈
ACTIVITY
Purpose: The activity aka. My favorite part of morning meeting. This is an opportunity for your class to participate in some sort of group activity, where they have to work collaboratively and engage with one another authentically. This is my favorite part because in my classroom the activity is always a game or a team building activity and I have found that this gives students the opportunity to connect in a way that is super genuine to how they would connect in the real world.
Example: Participate in a game or team-building activity that encourages genuine interaction.
Example ACTIVITY
This is a game I play ALLL the time with my students that they love & I think you will too! ᵕ̈
Benefits and the WHY behind morning meeting:
Benefits:
You build community with your class, making your classroom a place where students want to be and want to be a part of. This allows you to use your classroom community as a bargaining chip to get students to buy into this thing we call “school” and get more bang for your buck in all areas of your classroom.
Social Emotional and Cognitive Learning is exemplified in morning meetings. It not only gives students the opportunity to express themselves, it gives students the opportunity to learn more about how to connect, how to be a friend, what emotions are and what to do when conflict arises. It also teaches students how to play and get along with other people they don’t necessarily like and I love that real world connection.
Why:
Morning meetings can be utilized in a strategic way to allow you to get better classroom management, it helps you build and maintain relationships and it is FUN for student’s to be a part of. There are a few ways I have utilized morning meetings to be a strategic classroom management tool and that is through the discussion and practice instead of the activity.
So for the discussion you can pose your “share” prompt as an issue or a topic that you need to discuss with your class, this will give you designated time everyday to deal with these issues and grow as a community. For the practice instead of the activity, it would be you replacing the class game for that day with whatever thing you need to practice, because your students are continuing to struggle with them. For example your students are struggling with their respectful language, you could skip the activity and do a reflection instead on what it looks, sounds and feels like to be respectful (:
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Conclusion of Episode 3:
Now you have a solid understanding of what a Morning Meeting is and how it can positively transform your classroom. I’m so glad you joined us for the summer prep series. I’ll see you back for teacher inservice prep. If you want a sneak peek of Episode 4, it’s all about prioritizing what to prep for going back to school.
Happy Teaching! (:
Don’t forget that if you need someone on your team I am here!
