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Dear Second Grade Families,
I would like to share with you how our class begins each day. It is called
Morning Meeting, and it is a great way to build community, set a positive
tone, increase excitement about learning, and improve academic and social
skills.
Morning meeting takes about 30 – 40 minutes. Each day, we gather in a
circle on the carpet. We begin in the dark and light our prayer
candle—reminding ourselves of God’s light with us and within us. This
Devotion time changes throughout the year. We may sit in silence, pray
spontaneously, read the Bible or other text, each share what is in our hearts
at the moment, sing, dance, draw, or explore concepts/life together. The
candle is then extinguished.
Next, we greet one another. Again, the format varies from day to day. We
might give a formal handshake one day and speak in Spanish another. We
will learn some simple sign language, games, and greetings. In this way,
each person is recognized daily.
After briefly pledging allegiance to the United States flag and asking God to
Bless America, we move into the next component: sharing. Usually 2-3
students share aloud something about themselves—a special event,
something they’ve created, recent news, and such. Each sharer then seeks
“comments and questions” from the audience. This helps students learn to
listen carefully, think about what they hear, formulate good questions, and
learn from each other. I caution students not to turn sharing into “Bring and
Brag.” The intent is to share our lives and ourselves; our belongings do not
make us who we are.
Then, it’s time for an activity. Through games, poems, songs, or academic
fun, we come away smiling at one another. The short activity time helps the
class feel united as a group, reinforces academic skills, and helps the
children learn to cooperate and solve problems.
Morning Meeting concludes with the reading of the News and
Announcements from the board. This establishes expectations for the day
and provides information. We practice reading strategies and skills, learn to
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edit and revise writing, and check out student responses to the morning
“Cloud Activity.” (This is a quick written response from each child as they
get settled into the day. Some examples follow: When will our first butterfly
emerge? Write an equation that equals 20. Do you like rainy days?)
Every day Morning Meeting lets children know that school is a safe and fun
place where everyone’s feelings and ideas are important. We’d love to have
you visit Morning Meeting later in the year. It’s a powerful way to start your
day!
In Peace,
Denise Russell