Morning Meetings with Sylvia Allan

Today, I learned about a different type of morning meeting. This morning meeting format was introduced to me by Sylvia Allan in my differentiation course.  Allan's morning meeting format includes:

• Class Creed
• Greeting (Monday only)
• Pledge
• Memorization
• Class business
• News
• Share
• Class Cheer

This format of morning meetings appeals to me because it provides many opportunities to build classroom community.

The class creed provides opportunities for discussion and growth. The class creed that Sylvia Allan uses is:

      Now I am the VOICE
      I will LEAD not follow
      I will BELIEVE not doubt
      I will CREATE not destroy
      I am a FORCE for GOOD
      I am a LEADER
      DEFY THE ODDS
      Set a NEW STANDARD
      Step Up! Step Up! Step Up!

Doing greetings once a week saves time while still helping everyone to feel welcome and like they have friends. 

Not only saying the pledge, but discussing its meaning is something that I want to incorporate into my future classroom.

The memorization section of the morning meeting reminds me of my experiences in home-school.  I want to incorporate memorization into my future classroom with discussion so the students have worthwhile things they have memorized to reflect on.  Some of the poems that Sylvia Allan shared with us were: Good Timber by Douglas Malloch, and I Am Important by Virginia A. Braxton.

The class business seems to be a very important part of the morning meeting. In this part of the morning meeting the teacher gives direction to students, telling them what they are doing well and what they can improve. If there is a need to correct problems the teacher uses some of this time to do it. Also, time in the business section is used for introducing a literary term and a quote.

The news section provides a time for discussing current events.

The share section allows students to share with the class in a way that will foster friendships.

The class cheer is a good way to end the meeting with everyone standing in a circle, with their hands in the middle, to do a cheer together.  After the first week, different groups of students can come up with a positive uplifting cheer for the class.

After Sylvia Allan's presentation today I am excited to try out morning meetings in my own future classrooms.  Sylvia Allan has set a wonderful example for me in my future teaching.