Frequently Asked Questions
1) "Where am I going to find an extra 20-25 minutes per day to do Morning Meeting?"
Morning Meeting will be held first thing in the morning. All classrooms school-wide will be facilitating Morning Meetings at the same time.
2) "I already build community with my students. Why do I need to have a meeting every day?"
The Morning Meeting will set the tone for the day. All classrooms will be able to spend this time using common language to change the culture of our school to maintain a positive environment throughout the building. This makes it imperative that all classrooms actively participate.
3) "I am a specials/specialist teacher. What will be my role during Morning Meetings?"
You will assist in facilitating meetings. Your presence in the classrooms will also help students make connections with another adult in the building. By being a part of the classrooms during meetings, you will be aware of the skills that are being taught, and, in turn, you can transfer those skills and common vocabulary to your own classroom.
4) "Is it enough that I do classroom meetings once a week to address any problems my students are having?"
Typical "Classroom Meetings" are usually held to solve a class problem or to plan for some type of project. On the other hand, "Morning Meetings" are held on a daily basis and are used to learn and practice social skills as well as develop academics. They are not used to touch on general classroom business or solve day to day problems.
5) "Are the Morning Meetings scripted? Where do I get the resources for them?"
For those who like structure in the beginning, rest assured: There is a book entitled Morning Meetings by Roxanne Kriete that gives steps and details on how to begin planning and the implementation of Morning Meetings. We can also work together to share ideas and plan what to do during your daily meetings. We can also use this website, including the Forum section, to post concerns, questions, and ideas.
6) "Is it okay if I start the year off doing Morning Meetings, but once I feel like my classroom community is solid, I start to wean off of the meetings and take that time back for other things?"
...No. It's not okay. :) Morning Meetings are going to be a vital part of your day that infuse the necessary social/emotional education with academics. What your students learn during Morning Meeting time should and will transfer to the rest of the day.
Morning Meeting will be held first thing in the morning. All classrooms school-wide will be facilitating Morning Meetings at the same time.
2) "I already build community with my students. Why do I need to have a meeting every day?"
The Morning Meeting will set the tone for the day. All classrooms will be able to spend this time using common language to change the culture of our school to maintain a positive environment throughout the building. This makes it imperative that all classrooms actively participate.
3) "I am a specials/specialist teacher. What will be my role during Morning Meetings?"
You will assist in facilitating meetings. Your presence in the classrooms will also help students make connections with another adult in the building. By being a part of the classrooms during meetings, you will be aware of the skills that are being taught, and, in turn, you can transfer those skills and common vocabulary to your own classroom.
4) "Is it enough that I do classroom meetings once a week to address any problems my students are having?"
Typical "Classroom Meetings" are usually held to solve a class problem or to plan for some type of project. On the other hand, "Morning Meetings" are held on a daily basis and are used to learn and practice social skills as well as develop academics. They are not used to touch on general classroom business or solve day to day problems.
5) "Are the Morning Meetings scripted? Where do I get the resources for them?"
For those who like structure in the beginning, rest assured: There is a book entitled Morning Meetings by Roxanne Kriete that gives steps and details on how to begin planning and the implementation of Morning Meetings. We can also work together to share ideas and plan what to do during your daily meetings. We can also use this website, including the Forum section, to post concerns, questions, and ideas.
6) "Is it okay if I start the year off doing Morning Meetings, but once I feel like my classroom community is solid, I start to wean off of the meetings and take that time back for other things?"
...No. It's not okay. :) Morning Meetings are going to be a vital part of your day that infuse the necessary social/emotional education with academics. What your students learn during Morning Meeting time should and will transfer to the rest of the day.
Information on this website comes from:
Kriete, Roxann, and Lynn Bechtel. The Morning Meeting Book. Northeast Fndtn for Children, 2002. Print.