Morning Meetings Provide the Ritual and Community Kids Need Right Now
Kimberley Moran on April 9, 2020
For nearly every teacher I’ve ever met, morning meeting is the
teeth brushing of the classroom—it feels good, it’s good for you,
and it has lasting effects. The human connection made during
morning meeting might feel different online, but it’s no less
valuable.
Here’s what it can look like in K-12 online classrooms:
teeth brushing of the classroom—it feels good, it’s good for you,
and it has lasting effects. The human connection made during
morning meeting might feel different online, but it’s no less
valuable.
Here’s what it can look like in K-12 online classrooms:
#1 Rule For All Ages: Don’t make online morning meeting mandatory
I know this goes against everything you want for your students.
How can they benefit from something if they aren’t there? But
these times call for flexibility and support. So instead of making
anyone feel badly for not making it to a meeting—in some cases
it’s outside their control—let’s try to make online morning
meetings too irresistible to miss.
How can they benefit from something if they aren’t there? But
these times call for flexibility and support. So instead of making
anyone feel badly for not making it to a meeting—in some cases
it’s outside their control—let’s try to make online morning
meetings too irresistible to miss.
Tips for Elementary Online Morning Meetings
Include everyone who used to be in the classroom on the call
Kids need predictability and consistency more than ever. If you
had an aide in the classroom or your morning meeting involved
a co-teacher, ask them to join the meeting.
I teach k-2nd grade kiddos with ASD!
I wasn’t sure how it would go or how many of my
students would get on. But it went amazingly well.
We had our classroom aides join us and we did our
typical morning meeting routine.
I couldn’t be prouder of them. They were waving at
each other and saying hello to one another
(they never did in class) … they sang with the songs,
parents were helping them form the ASL signs (as part of our meeting we do ASL
and visual phonics).
Parents were singing and participating with the students
and loved learning the ASL signs with their students! –Patricia Ann Coates, Reno-Stead, Nevada
had an aide in the classroom or your morning meeting involved
a co-teacher, ask them to join the meeting.
I teach k-2nd grade kiddos with ASD!
I wasn’t sure how it would go or how many of my
students would get on. But it went amazingly well.
We had our classroom aides join us and we did our
typical morning meeting routine.
I couldn’t be prouder of them. They were waving at
each other and saying hello to one another
(they never did in class) … they sang with the songs,
parents were helping them form the ASL signs (as part of our meeting we do ASL
and visual phonics).
Parents were singing and participating with the students
and loved learning the ASL signs with their students! –Patricia Ann Coates, Reno-Stead, Nevada
Show up early
Even the bravest students don’t like to be alone in a morning
meeting. Show up five minutes early and have casual
conversation as students join one by one.
My daughter’s teacher welcomes each student as
they join and I can hear them happily greet her as well.
meeting. Show up five minutes early and have casual
conversation as students join one by one.
My daughter’s teacher welcomes each student as
they join and I can hear them happily greet her as well.
Take attendance so you can connect with every child
No matter how many students are on the call, I find calling each
one by name and asking them a question helps them stay
connected. Even the shyest of students lights up when asked
about a puppy or the blueberry pancakes still on their face.
Keep a list of your students next to your computer and check
off each as you talk with them. If there are kids not on the call,
mention their names each call and ask anyone if they’ve heard
from them. Say out loud that you miss them. I’ve found word
gets around quickly and even if some students never get on the
call because they can’t, they’ll love knowing they were missed.
one by name and asking them a question helps them stay
connected. Even the shyest of students lights up when asked
about a puppy or the blueberry pancakes still on their face.
Keep a list of your students next to your computer and check
off each as you talk with them. If there are kids not on the call,
mention their names each call and ask anyone if they’ve heard
from them. Say out loud that you miss them. I’ve found word
gets around quickly and even if some students never get on the
call because they can’t, they’ll love knowing they were missed.
Give them a method for response
You’ll find out quickly that others get cut off if more than
one person speaks at a time. With a lot of children on a call,
you’ll want a system for responses. Consider asking
yes/no questions so they can use thumbs up and
thumbs down. Or ask your students for a solution
that works for everyone. Think of these first weeks
with online morning meeting as September all over again.
It’ll probably go more quickly, though, since you
already know each other so well.
one person speaks at a time. With a lot of children on a call,
you’ll want a system for responses. Consider asking
yes/no questions so they can use thumbs up and
thumbs down. Or ask your students for a solution
that works for everyone. Think of these first weeks
with online morning meeting as September all over again.
It’ll probably go more quickly, though, since you
already know each other so well.
I am learning to ask some questions they can answer
with 👍 or 👎.
I also use the mute feature and I unmute them one
at a time to share.
-Nicona Becker, Westerville, Ohio
with 👍 or 👎.
I also use the mute feature and I unmute them one
at a time to share.
-Nicona Becker, Westerville, Ohio
Read a book aloud
If you are in a group with just your students, it’s okay to be
reading a picture book aloud online (according to copyright rules).
This is a perfect activity to keep kids engaged and excited
to hear your voice. They miss you and this might be the only
chance they get to hear a story each day.
Want some ideas for books to read?
Check out our Best Books For the Classroom by Grade & Topic.
reading a picture book aloud online (according to copyright rules).
This is a perfect activity to keep kids engaged and excited
to hear your voice. They miss you and this might be the only
chance they get to hear a story each day.
Want some ideas for books to read?
Check out our Best Books For the Classroom by Grade & Topic.
Have a morning message ready
You’ll want to jump right into something kids can do right away.
Having a morning message gives everyone the chance to participate.
Here are some great morning messages to get you started.
Having a morning message gives everyone the chance to participate.
Here are some great morning messages to get you started.
Send a postcard reminder about morning meeting
Many families don’t know how to stay connected online and
they aren’t looking at school or district announcements.
Getting a handwritten postcard from you letting them know
that you miss them during morning meeting might make a big difference.
they aren’t looking at school or district announcements.
Getting a handwritten postcard from you letting them know
that you miss them during morning meeting might make a big difference.
Keep it short
This connection is so important, so anything that makes kids
disengage should be avoided. For that reason let kids know
exactly how long the morning meeting will last and stick
to that time. You might even have an onscreen timer running
so kids know what to expect. For younger children, 10
minutes is probably the right amount of time. Older children
might be able to stay engaged in an online meeting
for 15-20 minutes.
disengage should be avoided. For that reason let kids know
exactly how long the morning meeting will last and stick
to that time. You might even have an onscreen timer running
so kids know what to expect. For younger children, 10
minutes is probably the right amount of time. Older children
might be able to stay engaged in an online meeting
for 15-20 minutes.
Tips for Middle and High School Online Morning Meetings
Much of the suggestions provided for elementary morning
meetings will hold true for this older age group,
but here are a few that are more specific to students
in middle and high school.
meetings will hold true for this older age group,
but here are a few that are more specific to students
in middle and high school.
Make morning meeting mandatory (if possible)
Call the meeting whatever you like, but make sure students
know that logging on is your preference. Yes, there are still
some kids unable to logon, but for those kids who can
make it, this may be the only thing that keeps them
connected. It’s hard enough as a tween or teen to stay
focused and motivated. If you make the meeting a very
short check-in, you have the opportunity to make
a lasting impression all day long.
know that logging on is your preference. Yes, there are still
some kids unable to logon, but for those kids who can
make it, this may be the only thing that keeps them
connected. It’s hard enough as a tween or teen to stay
focused and motivated. If you make the meeting a very
short check-in, you have the opportunity to make
a lasting impression all day long.
Open the door to questions
One of the toughest life skills to learn is to be brave
enough to ask questions that clear up confusion.
Use morning meeting as a way to ask if anyone had
trouble with a difficult problem. “Did anyone have trouble
with problem number 15?” When you put such a
specific question out there, you model for kids
how to ask questions.
Talk about metacognition skills and the different
thought processes they might use to come to a solution.
Your students will realize that they don’t have to be
confused when they are learning at home alone.
enough to ask questions that clear up confusion.
Use morning meeting as a way to ask if anyone had
trouble with a difficult problem. “Did anyone have trouble
with problem number 15?” When you put such a
specific question out there, you model for kids
how to ask questions.
Talk about metacognition skills and the different
thought processes they might use to come to a solution.
Your students will realize that they don’t have to be
confused when they are learning at home alone.
Do an activity once a week
If kids only logon once a week, consider
adapting some of these activities to suit online learning.
This time to share can be helpful for keeping kids
connected to school and engaged with their peers.
adapting some of these activities to suit online learning.
This time to share can be helpful for keeping kids
connected to school and engaged with their peers.
Using morning meeting for 5-20 minutes of your day
might end up being the best part of everyone’s day.
We all need to connect and here are some ways to
make that possible.
might end up being the best part of everyone’s day.
We all need to connect and here are some ways to
make that possible.
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