1. 1. The Social and Academic Benefits of Morning Meeting Lizzy Conroy
2. 2. One of six elements of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and learning Responsive Classroom: A teaching approach that is centered on the idea that students learn most effectively if they have both academic and social skills Morning Meeting is based off Circle Time, a routine most commonly seen in early educational programs Students and the teacher gather in a circle on the floor every morning for 20-30 minutes What is Morning Meeting?
3. 3. 1. Morning Meeting sets the tone for respectful learning and establishes a climate of trust. 2. The tone and climate of Morning Meeting extend beyond the Meeting. 3. Morning Meeting motivates children by addressing two human needs: the need to feel a sense of significance and belonging and the need to have fun. The Purposes of Morning Meeting
4. 4. 4. The repetition of many ordinary moments of respectful interacting in Morning Meeting enables some extraordinary moments. 5. Morning Meeting merges social, emotional, and intellectual learning. The Purposes of Morning Meeting
5. 5. Greeting Sharing Group Activity News and Announcements Four Components of Morning Meeting
6. 6. Morning Meeting in Ms. Noonans Fifth Grade Classroom
7. 7. Strengthens Speaking and Listening Skills Teaches Collaborative Learning Instills Responsibility Provides a Sense of Community and Positive Environment (Research paper also explored two case studies) Examples of How Morning Meeting Benefits Students
8. 8. Students need to learn how to properly communicate in order to be successful in life Most educators assume that listening is a matter of choice, not ability, however listening is something students have to be taught to do well (Smith, 2003, p. 2) Students practice active listening and speaking in front of a group during Sharing Speaking and Listening Skills
9. 9. How do teachers use Morning Meeting to help strengthen students speaking and listening skills? If students are consistently using incorrect verb endings for questions and replies, this becomes a mini-lesson, and in subsequent meetings students are asked to focus on their usage. -LaVan and Pezn (2005), two teachers at a Spanish immersion school Speaking and Listening Skills
10. 10. Cynthia Gardner, a fifth grade teacher, sees the positive effects of a sense of community during her classs science lessons Skills such as active listening, articulating ideas to others, reaching consensus, and respecting others' views are vital to working as a cohesive group and are skills that can be isolated during Morning Meetings (Gardner 2012). Collaborative Learning
11. 11. As I monitor my student teams during science, I encourage them to practice the skill we discussed during Morning Meeting. For example, if students have previously discussed what active listening looks like, I remind student groups to "show me" active listening. They might respond by looking at the student speaking or responding to the speaker. If a student group is examining their data and having difficulty agreeing, I direct them to our previous discussion on reaching consensus. Asking, What does reaching consensus sound like? prompts students to revisit earlier experiences (Gardner, 2012). Collaborative Learning
12. 12. During Morning Meeting, students are responsible for saying hello to their peers, asking relevant questions, and helping solve problems. As the year progresses, the teacher may allow students to run Morning Meeting all by themselves. We must believe that they can be trusted and will be successful in meeting the expectations we hold (Kriete and Bechtel, 2002, p. 23) Responsibility
13. 13. Students form a community during Morning Meeting For learning to take place, learners must feel safe. Morning Meeting helps to create a safety zone and maintain a climate of trust, respect, and belonging (Bondy & Ketts, 2001). Ketts found that students were willing to help each other academically, due to the family environment in the classroom A Sense of Community and Positive Environment
14. 14. While students may view Morning Meeting as a time to hang out with their peers, sing silly songs, and play games, the research shows this structured time can help students grow and develop both socially and academically. Based on the feedback provided by teachers implementing Morning Meeting and the case studies discussed, it is evident that Morning Meeting is an effective aspect of the daily classroom routine. Students become engaged in the school environment from the onset of the day. With every Morning Meeting students and teacher start on the same level, sitting on the floor in a circle, and are able to begin the day together. Conclusion