Dear Parents,

There's a wonderful new beginning to your child's school day!  It's called "Morning Meeting" and it's a great way to build community, set a positive tone, increase excitement about learning, and improve academics and social skills.

Morning Meeting usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes.  First thing each morning, we gather in a circle.  We begin by greeting each other with various greetings.  We might use a formal greeting, a snowball or number greeting, or a favorite for me, "What's the news?"  Every day, your child hears his or her name spoken by a classmate in a warm, friendly and cheerful manner.  A morning smile is always appreciated also!  

Next, a few students share some interesting news followed by a conversation with the class.  This helps students practice listening carefully, thinking about what news they hear, formulating some good questions, and learning about each other. When they share, they have a chance to feel that their ideas are valued and that the other children care.  

After sharing, there is an activity for the whole class.  We might recite a poem, play a skill-building game, or sing a song.  The activity time helps the class feel united as a group, reinforces academic skills, and helps the children learn how to cooperate and solve problems.

Finally, we read the Morning Message chart, which helps students think about the day ahead.  Sometimes, I use this time to review and practice a reading, grammar, phonics or math skill.  

Every day, Morning Meeting lets children know that school is a safe place where all children's feelings and ideas are important.  We're so excited about Morning Meeting and look forward to growing together.