Morning meetings are often a topic of conversation in the world of education and they are a game-changer in the classroom. They have so so so many benefits and I truly believe they are crucial for establishing a positive classroom environment. But, how morning meetings look in your classroom is completely dependent on you and your classroom needs. That is the best part about them because there aren’t any steadfast rules in implementing morning meetings.
Morning meetings set the tone for the day not just for the students but for teachers as well. I will be honest some days the morning just starts rough, I spill my coffee or there’s too much traffic, I’m crabby. I will be the first to admit that after a great morning meeting my students reign me back in and I instantly feel better after that morning meeting. Guess what??? Our students also wake up crabby. Perhaps they get in an argument with their sibling that morning or just downright don’t want to be at school that day. This is why we have morning meetings! It sets the tone for the day, it helps our students feel heard, connected and it motivates them to have a good day. There are so many other reasons why morning meetings make a difference in your classroom!
Establishes Trust
Morning meetings create consistency with routine and predictability. Students feel safe when they know what is coming and what to expect. Trust will develop as students begin to feel that they are in a place where they can talk, share, and listen in a safe environment. Morning meetings consist of engaged sharing where active listening is crucial for being respectful to one another. I know when I feel heard, and listened to, trust naturally begins to build.
Supports Social and Emotional Learning
Morning meetings, in my opinion, are the best space to teach social and emotional skills. These are life-long skills that our students need and as educators, we can build the foundation for these skills. One of my favorite ways to incorporate SEL skills is simply making greeting an important and expected aspect of our mornings. When we provide an emphasis on SEL skills students have better classroom behavior, improved mental health, and a positive attitude about school, themselves, and their peers. You can easily incorporate discussion topics like friendships, coping skills, goal setting, decision making, and coping skills into your morning meetings. Students can’t learn if their social-emotional needs aren’t being met.
Builds Strong Relationships and Community
A classroom community is so important. It sets the foundation for classroom management, relationship building, and the overall tone of our classroom. I always tell myself we can’t control it all but we can control our classroom community. We have a big impact on what goes on between the walls of our classrooms. It is important for students to feel safe and part of a community. They want to do well when their relationships within the classroom walls are strong. Building relationships and fostering them is vital for classroom management, it makes a world of difference when relationships are strong. This allows students to build relationships and gives them time to talk about issues and lets students collaborate to find solutions to those issues.
Students Build Confidence
Morning meetings are a time where we can come together and have constructive conversations and it prepares students for the day ahead. Students can build confidence by stepping out of their comfort zones by voicing their opinions, engaging in sharing, and talk through any issues. Not all students are the same, and not everyone is comfortable with talking in front of a group or even sharing details about themselves. But, as time goes on students begin to feel safe, trusted, and their confidence builds. Students who feel confident are likely to succeed in all different academic areas as well.
Strengthens Student and Teacher Relationships
As educators sometimes we get caught up in teaching all the things. Our days are busy! This is why I love morning meetings, it is the time we come together. Morning meetings are not the time to sit and talk at your students, it is the time to connect and talk with them. There isn’t a ton of time in our day for our students to share personal stories and so morning meetings give us a clear-cut scheduled time to do that, which I love!
If you aren’t using morning meetings in your classroom but you want to start, don’t be discouraged, there are so many great resources out there to help you. Do a bit of research and figure out what would work best in your classroom. Ask your colleagues what works for them, and simply start. Grab this resource or this one for SMARTBoard to help you get started. Morning meetings play a huge role in so many aspects of relationship building, classroom management, and the overall success of each of our students. Students need to talk, feel, connect, be heard, feel safe, and have a sense of belonging. All of these components are met during our morning meeting, which you can read about here.
What is one benefit you notice in your classroom from doing morning meetings?
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