Morning+Meetings+at+GES

Morning Meeting in Our Sixth Grade Class
**Monday** - //__Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down/Thumbs in the Middle - About My Weekend__// **What we do** - **Why we do it -**
 * Gather in circle at 9:15 (we've practiced getting in circle: quickly, quietly, safely)
 * Pass the ball to say - good morning to our classmates
 * Take a moment to think about what we'll share
 * Share - thumbs up/thumbs down/ or thumbs in the middle about our weekend. (we practiced how to express our ideas efficiently, in a "loud enough" voice, and about appropriate topics).
 * Students are allowed to pass
 * Learn how we are both alike and different - respect differences
 * Share celebrations and challenges in our lives
 * Start the day together


 * Tuesday **- __//School News and a Fun Greeting//__ [[image:rcatges/hello-different-languages.gif width="137" height="95"]]
 * What we do - **
 * Teacher plans a fun Greeting or Activity that takes 3-5 minutes
 * Discuss the "Green Sheet" and school events that apply to sixth graders
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Discuss upcoming projects, tests, and other academic issues
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Updates on field trips
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Pass the ball to discuss plus/minus/interesting - about school as it relates to our class and grade level
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Why we do it - **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Encourages participation in school events - which improves school outllook and engagement for students
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Reminds students of important events so that they don't miss deadlines and dates and then feel badly.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Teaches students planning strategies - we often get out our agenda books to record events and reminders on the calendar
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">The fun Greeting or Activity is a good way to build community and improve relationships

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**Wednesday** - //__Share__// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**What we do** -
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Gather in circle and pass the ball for Greeting
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Students sign up in advance on a calendar that is posted in the classroom

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">media type="youtube" key="FLgSRAxTbsE" height="167" width="185" align="left"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Presenter shares using the sequence of events similar to those shown in this [|Responsive Classroom Video]


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Sometimes students pass their "share" around the circle
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Presenter ends their share with this comment - "I'll take questions and comments from 5 students"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Presenter - calls on 5 students to comment/question about their share
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Class applaudes and we end our circle meeting

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**Why we do it** -
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Students enjoy sharing their talents, interests, and knowledge about a variety of topics
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Classmates enjoy learning about their classmates
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Practice presentation and audience skills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Teacher learns about students' interests so that lessons planned can be more motivational for students
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">We all make connections


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Thursday -** //__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Agenda Items __//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">What we do - **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">We start with "pass the ball" greeting
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">There is a box on our front table - labled "Agenda"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Throughout the week - students put their questions, comments, concerns on a sheet of paper and put it into the box - name is optional.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">On Thursday morning - I go through the box and select a topic to discuss. If there is nothing in the box - I write one about something I've noticed and sign it - Annonymous.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">If it is signed annonymous - I read the note. If a student signed it - I ask that person if they want to read their note.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">We pass the ball around the circle three times: Share feeling on the topic, Suggest possible solutions, Solve the problem. This is a rather complex process. Sometimes we pass and share feelings two or three times around the circle - and never get to solving. Sometimes this process extends over several days or weeks. I do not allow these sessions to take instructional time. I may use read-aloud or independent reading time if the topic seems urgent. Sometimes - it is the concern of only one or two people and I can address it later after allowing classmates to share and suggest possible solutions.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Why we do it - **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Children in school face a variety of challenges - it is useful for them to learn to solve their concerns.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Having input from their peers gives students a opportunity to know they are "not the only ones..."
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Often kids can help kids solve problems better than adults can
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Some children are suffering silently and need an opportunity to speak out about their concerns - this is one way to make this possible.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Solving concerns at this level can often keep them from growing into bigger problems that interfere with learning.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Students value this opporunity to speak about topics in school that concern and interest them

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**Friday** - //__Compliments and Appreciations__//

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**What we do** - <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">**Note** -
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Pass the ball for a simple Greeting
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">In the beginning of the year - we brainstormed about Compliments and Appreciations: Looks like/Sounds like/Feels like. This chart is posted in the classroom. (For more on this topic - see this resource:)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Students sit silently for a moment and reflect on their week - interactions and actions with peers and teachers (School/education focused)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Someone volunteers to go first - or I do
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">We pass the ball - and students share their compliments and/or appreciations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">The reciever - says "Thank you"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">The giver says - "You're welcome"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Students can pass on the first round - but everyone must share a quality comment
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">At the end - we all say "Thank you" and end our meeting time.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Compliments and Appreciations is the most challenging Morning Meeting activity for me to teach. It takes several months to get past "Thank you for giving me a pencil...." from one or two students.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">Sometimes instead of giving Compliments and Appreciations - we spend the time discussion how to improve these sessions.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">I try to limit the number of Compliments and Appreciations - sent my way (I've sometimes actually said - only 2 people can direct their comments to the teacher.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">The best part is when - Compliments and Appreications - moves out of the Circle and becomes part of our daily interactions and how we communicate with each other.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Sitting in a circle is different than "coming to the carpet". In a circle - the children, not the teacher, are the focal point. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">(In sixth grade we use chairs for comfort and because the room is too small to have a carpet space)