Building Classroom Community Through Morning Meeting (Part 3: Activities)

Today's installment of my series Building Classroom Community Through Morning Meeting is focused on the ACTIVITIES portion.

You can find Part 1 on Greetings HERE. Part 2 on Sharing HERE.

First off: a disclaimer. My ideas presented are just my thoughts and opinions. My way is only one way. There's no right or wrong way to have a Morning Meeting. 

Keep your INTENTIONS and GOALS clear at all times and arrive at them YOUR WAY. 

What works best for my kids may not be best for yours. Take gems you find on your journey but remain faithful to your philosophy. Your purpose. You know your kids best.

When I first started implementing Morning Meeting, I felt they were a bit draggy. No spark. Dry. Didn't flow. 

I didn't feel that I was laying a strong foundation to sustain a thriving community. So I asked a colleague for help.  

Karen opened her smaller special needs classroom to my class for a WHOLE WEEK. Then we joined together each Monday for the rest of the year because our classes benefited from working with one another. 

She changed, thankfully, the trajectory of my Morning Meeting path.

Now that's an awesome colleague, isn't it? Asking her for help was the best decision I ever made. 

Seeing Morning Meeting in action helped me understand all of the components and allowed me to see how flawlessly each section could be transitioned into. 

If you are struggling or not feeling that cohesive element, reach out to someone.

What kind of ACTIVITIES can be integrated into Morning Meeting

It isn't always a game and doesn't have to be. As long as you're moving your goals forward, I think it can be ANYTHING that engages students and fosters the positive classroom community climate you're striving for.

Want to see my kids' favorite?

When I first introduced it, they didn't quite believe me but what better way is there to get to know someone and connect? (See the P.S. below for their 2nd favorite game that I want to give you!)

There are hundreds of activities you can implement.  Ask your librarian to purchase these:

   

   

You don't need the books though because you have ideas all around you!

Need more time to practice balancing equations and you found a game to reinforce it? Play it!

Need to read The Veggie Monster before Writing Workshop but you have music and snack right before it?  Read it here.

That Brain Pop video that you planned for Monday but it's now Friday and you're nervous time won't permit it? Watch it here.

Your kids loving peer editing journals but there is never time to do it? Bring out the erasers!

You're still incorporating all of the social/emotional skills you want reinforced just in varied ways.

Even though academics are squished in above, I still look at the above examples as bonding time. They're still getting to know, interact, and ENJOY the company of our friends while practicing key social skills C.A.R.E.S.

That's why I love Morning Meeting.

You get to steer the ship and decide which direction to go.

Need to change course?  No problem. I'm always adjusting some part of a Morning Meeting.

Sometimes a time intensive activity will be scraped for a quicker one if our Sharing took additional time.  Other times, I've realized kids were sitting too long and changed my activity to a movement activity.

There are no Morning Meeting police. And if your principal or supervisor acts as one, then simply be prepared to JUSTIFY what you're doing.

Some Common Concerns I've Heard about Morning Meeting ACTIVITIES?

1. I don't feel like I can justify taking 15-20 minutes out of my day for Morning Meeting. Activities seem frivolous so I often skip them.

I feel I can't afford NOT to spend time engaging in all of my Morning Meeting components. The payoff certainly, in my eyes, justifies the 20 minutes. While I have a 20 minute block set aside for MM, I no longer think of it as a separate entity.

It's an integrated part of our day where I weave a little of this and a little of that from past lessons into present ones. That mindset switch up has made all the difference to me.  My Morning Meeting often infuses our language arts, math, science, social studies, character ed programs, etc. together.

As I mentioned in Academic Shares in my last post, you can incorporate academic activities as well.  In fact, a large portion of mine are.

Traditional Four Corner isn't academic.  Switch it up.  Think of all the possibilities:

Just like you can have Partner and Whole Group shares, the same is true for activities.  And remember when I said you need to see what your own class needs?  Not going to lie...sometimes it's an individual activity.  Those Mother's Day Cards aren't being written themselves.  Just keeping it real.  (To make more collaborative, you could probably let them peer edit, share their cards, give suggestions to each other BUT maybe not.  Depends.)   

2. Kids aren't satisfied with their partners.  They want to pair up with a best friend.

This happens in all areas from time to time. Again, model. Role play what good sportsmanship looks like AND make sure you provide varied partner match ups. Modeling must happen BEFORE you make partners. Be proactive, not reactive.

3. My kids want to play the same game over and over again.

Mine too! Mine would play POP or POP 1-2-3 every single day if I'd agree. If your kids are hooked on some activities, congratulations! You've created a bonding activity that most likely strengthened your classroom community.

What do I do? I play POP a few times a month BUT will use it as a quick Brain Break, end-of-the day activity, or play when we have a few minutes before lunch.

I'm a big believer in using EVERY SINGLE SECOND of the day. Use it for fun? Heck yes! Why not? Remember: keep your goals and philosophy in sight and you're good to go.

4. Some of my kids who need this social interaction the most are being pulled for small groups (Guidance, Instructional Support, etc.) during Morning Meeting.

Ugh. This happens to me. A lot. TOO MUCH. In fact, I voiced my concern that my ELL students were being pulled from an area they needed most: social interaction and use of language. It was finally switched up this year.

It doesn't hurt to voice concerns. Maybe you can adjust your time a bit? Switch times with another grade level? Push back the time by 10 minutes so kids are present for at least a portion of your meeting? Raise awareness and open a dialogue with a proposed plan in place. Good luck!

5. My kids are way too silly during this time.

Model, model, and model again.  Set expectations WITH the kids.  Never assume that they are maturing and will rise to the occasion without modeling.

The first time I played Me, Too it was a disaster.  Can you guess why?

Yep! Kids jumped way too far and bashed into each other. Kids fell all over and one got hurt. Hasn't happened since and my kids know what happens if they get silly. So, yea, expectations and modeling.  Modeling and expectations.

Let me know if you have any questions about incorporating ACTIVITIES into your Morning Meeting.  If you do, send them to me and I'll update here.  (Lisa@firstgradebloomabilities.com)

As I said in my last post, I recently decided to put all of my Morning Meeting materials together and turn them into a paperless/projectable product. (Unless you want to print out.)  It doesn't mean I show the kids each slide each day when up on screen. It depends. But to me, it's having everything in one place to save me time especially since I have Morning Meeting twenty minutes after arrival.  (On those few days when I don't have time to write a Morning Message, I use one of the five pre-made messages.)

I firmly believe that creating a strong classroom community and positive climate shouldn't be overwhelming or frustrating. Here's a ONE WEEK Morning Meeting freebie that you can download now and have it ready in your Back-to-School file. It might just get your juices flowing for some ideas of your own.

If you're a new teacher or someone who's looking to lay a strong foundation to start building your classroom community on Day 1 but are short on time, (your juices have too many places they need to flow!) you may want to peek at my monthly packets or the bundle.

Updated:

Ready to read Part 4: Morning Message? Click Here!

Any questions or something you want to share with me? Let me know! In the meantime, if you know a teacher who might like or benefit from this post, please send them the link.

Have a great day!

P.S. My kids also love to play I Have, Who Has games for an Activity.  I had a love-hate relationship with them but read this post to see my light bulb moment.   I'd like to send you one of my I Have, Who Has games for free to use during your Morning Meeting just for being a reader of mine.  On that page, pick one of the vowel games you want  (a, e, i, o, or u) and let me know if you want the short or long vowel by emailing your request to me at Lisa@firstgradebloomabilities.com

Building Classroom Community Through Morning Meeting (Part 2: Sharing)

I'm going to continue with my series: Building Classroom Community Through Morning Meeting You can find Part 1 on Greetings HERE.

Today's focus is Part 2: SHARING.

Why is SHARING So Important?

Especially during the first 6 weeks of school, SHARING is such an easy, fantastic way to get to know each other. It plays a critical role in developing and nurturing your classroom community which you need to start working on as soon as the first child steps into your classroom.

The kids love to share in all capacities! Sharing during Morning Meeting not only contributes to a positive classroom climate, it allows the kids to practice their social skills and build/strengthen communication skills.

Take a look at the Common Core Standards for Listening and Speaking:

The Morning Meeting Share is a natural fit for working on these standards.

Right after you finish your greetings, you move into the Sharing portion of Morning Meeting.

What kind of Shares can be integrated into Morning Meeting?

1. Partner Shares: We sit in a circle for Morning Meeting. There are many days where a greeting or a share needs just one partner.  (or two...one on each side of child.) I usually point to first two kids and say PAIR UP.  They actually turn bodies toward each other with both knees practically touching. This allows for eye contact.  After I pair up the first group, the rest pair up on own by simply turning their bodies. In the beginning this takes an extra minute but they get the hang of it pretty fast. 

An example share could be this:

After both finishing speaking, (I usually give them a signal  like a chime, clap or bell to switch partners to assure both have a turn speaking and listening) they turn back to the regular position and put thumbs up on their knees and stop talking.  This is an important management strategy.  For a minute or two, it's chatty/loud and then the volume slowly trickles off as each group finishes.

NOTE: Depending on whether there is an odd or even amount of kids, sometimes I am a partner.

2. Whole Group Shares: I do so many group shares in September/October so we get to know each other better.  I'll introduce the share and then we go around the circle, one by one, to answer.  At this time, I am reminding kids about maintaining eye contact with the speaker and squelching side conversations.

3. Academic Shares needs special mention here.  When I first started, we were told that there shouldn't be any "academic" shares/activities.  That has changed and I'm glad.  I still make sharing and activities fun even though I often incorporate academics into them.  (Partner or Group.)  We have so much to learn and only so many hours in the day.  I find myself doing more of them and find a lot of value in reviewing past content so it stays fresh in their minds. Here 's an example:

3. Assigned Day Shares: Some teachers assign kids (4-5) to share on specific days. Usually they share something from home or just about themselves. I did that for about two weeks which equates to a hot second in the teaching world.  Not a fan of this format mostly because I want the kids to share EVERY DAY so they can practice their social and CC Standard skills above. If a child only shares every Tuesday, does that really help us get to know the student or give the child enough opportunities to practice skills?  If absent, do they present the next day?  Although I don't use this method, I know teachers who are happy with that format.  Do what feels right to you. Experiment.

How To Avoid Common Pitfalls During Morning Meeting SHARING Time

1. Some whole group shares drag on. It takes forever to get through 22 kids!

It can feel endless when 21 students talk about their favorite vacation! Been there. Those types of shares might be better off as a partner share. Another tip: Divide large group into 2-3 smaller groups and have those kids share/discuss in smaller circles while you monitor them. This still provides a larger audience and drastically cuts down the time needed without sacrificing your goals.

2. During partner shares, I don't feel all kids are actively engaged in listening to partners.

Agree!  Here's a strategy that holds ALL kids accountable. When I have partner shares, I use my Name on Sticks jar and pull a few names for kids to share out. When I call on those 3-4 kids, they must tell me WHAT THEIR PARTNERS SHARED.  The first time you do this, call on someone who you know will nail it so they can set a good example. I use this method daily. Since the kids know this is always used, they are clearly more engaged and actively listening. What happens if the called on child wasn't listening and can't tell me what partner shared?  I don't make a big deal out of it but send them off to share again and then child reports to us.  No getting off the hook!

2. Some students are low talkers.  It's frustrating because no one can hear them including me!

When I first started teaching, I would constantly say, "I can't hear you." or "Use your Loud and proud voice."  I sounded like a broken record which negates effectiveness.  It was distracting to kids and wasted time.  One of my supervisors had a great suggestion. Simply say, "Voice."  That's the signal that more volume needed. (Don't forget to model appropriate volume during this time.) It is much less intrusive. 

Sometimes low volume is a confidence issue while, other times, the child is simply a soft-spoken. I've asked some parents to work on volume at home and have appreciated their help.

Remember this episode of Seinfeld?

3. Kids want to respond to others and shout out.

It is hard for a six year-old to refrain from saying, "I love Disney too!  And Space Mountain is my favorite ride, too." But since you can't have everyone chiming in, use the "Me, too" thumb/pinky  gesture. It really works because it allows the child to be heard.

NOTE: Every once in a while the share is SO GREAT that you need to let them all talk/discuss at once. When that happens, I simply say, "Well this seems to be something that we all have a lot to talk about. You have a minute to chit chat about it with a friend."

This works well but if you're going to implement it, be certain your have a signal in place to get kids quieted down and back on track in 1.5 seconds.  

4. Some of my kids overshare.  It can be pretty embarrassing!

Me oh, my!  When this happens, it can be awkward.  If I think a child's share is about to delve into private matters, I stop the child and say, "Is this something your parents/friend/sister, etc. would want you to share?" Usually, that stops them.  Usually.  If they insist it is okay to share, I have them share with me privately so I can determine if G-Rated.  Sometimes it's hard to know where a certain phrase/story is headed! (I once had a student start to describe seeing her parents getting cozy in the bathtub!)

NOTE: This does not relate to safety/abuse issues, obviously.  I make it clear that sharing to EMBARRASS someone isn't kind or acceptable and give examples. But if a child starts to share something that you know is a critical situation, I immediately call our Guidance Counselor to investigate. This has happened a few times during my career.

5. Some kids don't want to share or answer.  What should I do?

I ALWAYS allow a child to PASS on a share. They simply say PASS and that’s it.  I may talk to them IN PRIVATE at some point but I’m also respecting them.  I don’t say, “Are you sure?” or try to convince them to share. I find that many who pass eventually share.  That being said, I really spend time on modeling shares for kids and I usually go first.  I also ALLOW kids to “borrow” an academic share.  If someone says the same answer, that’s fine by me. If a child truly struggles academically and is always "borrowing" someone's answer, I'll discuss the SHARE with them while they are unpacking SO THEY HAVE AN ANSWER before coming to the carpet.  Some kids need it and I am all for feeling successful!  I don't want anyone feeling MM is a stressful time or anxious to join the circle.

While that's pretty much SHARING in a nutshell, I do a bit more and want to share here so you get the full picture of my Morning Meeting.  After the greetings are finished, but before I start the SHARING mentioned above,  I usually spend 1-3 minutes on MY SHARE which is news/problem solving that needs to be addressed.  While it's not officially part of the SHARING component, it usually kicks off my sharing portion and I feel like it's a good way to transition to sharing.

My sharing portion includes:

Quick News/Reminders.  This is quick and benefits all of us. Examples: Review weekly class goal/point to it, remind kids that I'm missing permission slips, a quick praise to reinforce behavior/work.  Usually no more than 45-60 seconds.  Some examples:

REAL TALK:  Reserved for problems that need to be addressed. Sometimes it's behaviors but I find a way to relate to my own kids or when I was younger so no one singled out. Or it could be a management problem. Example: Our coat closet was always messy. More coats on floor than on hooks. We problem solved and decided we were going to keep coats in backpacks so closet would be neater and kids would now be able to access what they needed in there without struggling.  This open discussion problem-solving really helps us bond as a class and contributes to a positive climate.  Everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the solution. Reinforces the notion that it is OUR CLASSROOM.  Not mine.

Real Talk, which only happens as needed, takes some time but the payoff is worth it and always leaves us with a sense of accomplishment.

After I share either my Quick News/Reminders or Real Talk (sometimes neither!) we go right into the SHARING as described above.

Let me know if you have any questions about incorporating SHARING into your Morning Meeting.

As I said in my last post, I recently decided to put all of my Morning Meeting materials together and turn them into a paperless/projectable product. (Unless you want to print out.)  It doesn't mean I show the kids each slide each day when up on screen. It depends. But to me, it's having everything in one place to save me time especially since I have Morning Meeting twenty minutes after arrival.  (On those few days when I don't have time to write a Morning Message, I use one of the five pre-made messages.)

I firmly believe that creating a strong classroom community and positive climate shouldn't be overwhelming or frustrating. Here's a ONE WEEK Morning Meeting freebie that you can download now and have it ready in your Back-to-School file. It might just get your juices flowing for some ideas of your own.

If you're a new teacher or someone who's looking to lay a strong foundation to start building your classroom community on Day 1 but are short on time, (your juices have too many places they need to flow!) you may want to peek at my monthly packets or the bundle.

Ready to Read Part 3: ACTIVITIES? Click here!

Ready to read Part 4: Morning Message? Click Here!

Any questions or something you want to share with me? Let me know! In the meantime, if you know a teacher who might like or benefit from this post, please send them the link.

Have a great day!

Building Classroom Community Through Morning Meeting (Part 1: Greetings)

Creating a strong classroom community and positive climate shouldn't be overwhelming or frustrating but it must be your top priority on Day 1. Yep!  On the first day of school, I start building a strong foundation and work on creating a positive environment that fosters and supports my students' social, emotional and academic learning. The stronger the community, the less disruptive behaviors there are to derail the day.

That's why I 100% believe in Morning Meeting. I'm all in. The 15-20 minutes spent each day on Morning Meeting gives me the biggest return for my community building investment. Hands down.  When done correctly, it sets the tone for the day.

Morning Meeting is made up of four parts: Greeting, Sharing, Activity, and Morning Message.  I have been extensively trained in Responsive Classroom and have heard their mantra loud and clear:  Morning Meeting is designed to create a strong sense of community and sets the kids up for social and academic success. Does it work? You betcha! It has been the biggest game changer for my classroom climate.  What are the key social skills we focus on?

Today's Morning Meeting focus is on GREETINGS.

Why Are Morning Meeting Greetings So Important?

By the time my class arrives at Morning Meeting, I've already greeted them at the door upon arrival and have given a group greeting after attendance which is a minute before Morning Meeting begins.

Why all the fuss?

1. Greetings are a way to say, "Hey! I see you!  I'm glad you're with us today."  Your greeting may be the first time the child heard his/her name that day.  Who doesn't want to be seen and acknowledged? 

2. It creates a sense of belonging. In a perfect world, all my kiddos would be in loving environments where the parents are happy to see them when they roll out of bed and when they arrive home each day.  But that isn't our reality.  So when they are with me, you better believe I'm going to greet them enthusiastically and let them know how happy I am that they are with me.  US.   

3. It allows kids to practice social skills.  For example, eye contact is a must because it shows respect in our classroom.  That is hard for many of the kids to sustain at first.  And we rarely just greet with a wave or kind word.  We ALWAYS use names.  It's respectful and forces us to get to know our friends' names. This isn't always so easy!  Every year, no matter how hard we work at this, I will hear someone say after the holidays, "What's your name again?"  But if you are successful at Morning Meeting, the kids WILL ASK (taking a risk) instead of staying silent.

What kind of greetings are best for Morning Meeting?

1. INDIVIDUAL GREETINGS: We sit in a circle for Morning Meeting so most greetings involve students to the right and left of the child. This give the students TWO opportunities to use their loud and proud voice, eye contact, and say student's name.

2. GROUP GREETINGS: Usually we are standing in a circle for these.  They often involve a chant or a song like this:

I pick and choose greeting according to the time I have.  If a longer activity, usually a shorter greeting.  I vary them to keep Morning Meeting Greetings fresh.  I always MODEL the greeting first so expectations are known. The first time we did a quick High Five greeting, a child cried because the slap was way too hard. That was a quick lesson for me to MODEL everything and let the kids know my exact expectations.

NOTE: For the first 6 weeks of school, since I am laying the foundation to build a strong classroom community, I tend to focus more on GROUP GREETINGS so kids can frequently hear all the names in the class.  My GREETINGS usually run from 30 seconds to 3 minutes depending on which one I pick.

Speaking of names, it is imperative that you take time to pronounce each child's name the correct way. They deserve it. In the community where I teach, I admit to struggling with this especially during my first year in the district. Over 90% of my students are from India. I usually speak to the K teacher about correct pronunciation before school starts but still struggle. Often a child will say, "Say it how you want." to be polite but I point out that their name is special and beautiful like them and they deserve to have us say it correctly. I swear I see the kids sit up a little taller after that!

How To Avoid Common Pitfalls During Morning Meeting Greeting Time

1. The kids are losing interest in GREETINGS during Morning Meeting?

Switch it up!  There are a million greetings that can be used. Have your kids brainstorm some new ones. Keep a list handy and let kids vote (or a student) pick the one for the day. Remember, it can be as simple as, "Hi, Lisa!  How are you today?"

2. My kids love the songs/chants and silly greetings but they get carried away and act too silly!

Being PROACTIVE is better than having to be REACTIVE. Model, model, model! Again, make your expectations CLEAR on DAY 1. Review the PURPOSE of morning Meeting and stop the problem as soon as it emerges. I had one student this year who always got overly excited.  I often sat by him, gave nonverbal cues before the greeting or review expectations with him PRIOR to Morning Meeting.  

3. Kids only want to do the "fun" greetings.  I don't want to bore them with simple greetings.

You are not a cruise director. Your goal is to ENGAGE, not ENTERTAIN your kiddos. Stick to your Morning Meeting Greeting philosophy and feel good knowing you're engaging them in a respectful process that is going to strengthen your classroom community.

4. My shy kids aren't into ANY aspect of Morning Meeting. What should I do?

I have had shy kids, select mutes, and kids that really didn't give two hoots about being in any learning environment. What do I do? Make adjustments, of course. Differentiate.  We differentiate for reading, math, writing, etc.  Morning Meeting is no different. But here's the thing: When you truly have a classroom community that promotes respect and empathy, the kids themselves will help each other out.  (NOTE: A post on how I differentiate is forthcoming.)

Let me know if you have any questions about incorporating Greetings into your Morning Meeting.

I recently decided to put all of my Morning Meeting materials together and turn them into a paperless/projectable product. (Unless you want to print out.)  It doesn't mean I show the kids each slide each day when up on screen. It depends. But to me, it's having everything in one place to save me time especially since I have Morning Meeting twenty minutes after arrival.  (On those few days when I don't have time to write a Morning Message, I use one of the five pre-made messages.)

Like I said earlier, creating a strong classroom community and positive climate shouldn't be overwhelming or frustrating. Here's a ONE WEEK Morning Meeting freebie that you can download now and have it ready in your Back-to-School file. It might just get your juices flowing for some ideas of your own.

If you're a new teacher or someone who's looking to lay a strong foundation to start building your classroom community on Day 1 but are short on time, (your juices have too many places they need to flow!) you may want to peek at my monthly packets or the bundle.

Ready to read Part 2: SHARING?  Click here!

Ready to Read Part 3: ACTIVITIES? Click here!

Ready to read Part 4: Morning Message? Click Here!

Any questions or something you want to share with me? Let me know!

In the meantime, if you know a teacher who might like or benefit from this post, please send them the link.

Have a great day!

Essential Ingredients for a Successful Morning Meeting (Freebie, too!)

I'm not sure if you need to read this but if you're struggling with your Morning Meeting (or don't have one in place) and are frustrated with your kids' lack of social skills, (which might be keeping you from building a strong sense of classroom community) maybe I can offer some tips and tricks that have helped me.

On Tuesday, I'm going to start a series on Morning Meeting and break down my implementation of it step-by-step.

I love Morning Meeting but it wasn't always that way. When I first started, I felt awkward. Clumsy.  There wasn't that easy breezy flow I craved. I struggled for three weeks before I asked a colleague who was such a MAJOR PRO when it came to engaged, purposeful Morning Meetings, if our class could join hers for a few days. That was one of the BEST teaching-related decisions I ever made!

Karen transformed my Morning Meeting, which in turn, truly strengthened not only my classroom community but all aspects of my year: from classroom management to the kids problem-solving skills.

So, if you're not feeling as successful or as comfortable as you hoped or feel like your program is stagnant, I'll give you some quick takeaways that you can implement on the first day of school. (Like joining in with a colleague above!)

Before I start the Morning Meeting series on Tuesday, I hope you download (click on any pic!) a week's worth of meetings now.  I designed this freebie to be used ANYTIME of the year. Then, check back here on Tuesday for the first entry of the series: The Morning Meeting Greeting.

A greeting inspired by this gem from The Office

(What's the secret to getting everyone to share?  Stay-tuned!)

(Is your district telling you to incorporate more ACADEMIC SHARES?  

I have such an easy tip coming your way!)

The message is an editable template that you fill in to personalize it for your class.

UPDATED: Here is the link to Morning Meeting Greetings. 
Do you have friends just starting their teaching journey?  Please share this series with them.  

See you Tuesday!

Superheroes Wear Masks Poster Freebie

Times are certainly changing!  I'm seeing that some schools have reopened after 7 weeks of remote learning.  In NJ, we're wondering what school will look like once we go back in September.  My friends and I are pretty sure wearing masks will be the norm.  I whipped this freebie up with that in mind.  Click on picture to download!

Stay safe!