Such simple words but yet, so powerful!  At PNA, we start each morning with a morning meeting as part of the Responsive Classroom approach that we utilize in our classrooms.

Morning meetings are an integral part of our day as they build a strong sense of community and set the tone for a positive and inclusive day.

There are four parts to a morning meeting: a greeting, sharing, a group activity and a morning message.

Each day students read the morning message.  This message is written in a friendly letter format and either reviews something that we have previously talked about or sets the groundwork for that day’s events.

The next component of morning  meeting is a ​greet.  Students greet  each other by name in as they say  good morning.  This happens in a  variety of ways.  Currently the  favorite greet is saying hello in  different languages using this great  book, “Hello World”.

The ​group game or activity might arguably be the favorite of most students during morning meeting.  By playing and working together, students are developing important communication and sportsmanship skills.  They are engaging with one another in activities that encourage critical thinking, creativity and just pure simple joy.
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In the examples above, the students are playing “Burning Hot River of Lava” in which they have to work as a team to safely cross the “lava river”.

By greeting each and every student, to allowing them to share their voices, to coming together as a group to enjoy a bit of playful interaction each morning, we are setting the students up for a successful day where they are included and recognized as valuable members of our learning community.