In the spirit of our “whole child” approach to learning, which emphasizes and balances all of the domains of academic, social-emotional, spiritual, and physical growth for our students and the middot/values that rest at the core of our educational philosophy and program, Morning Meeting is an essential element of each and every school day at the Lower School. Adopted as one component of our Responsive Classroom practices, Morning Meeting (MM) purposefully serves important roles and facilitates the achievement of learning goals predominantly in the area of social emotional learning but also in the areas of executive function and academics. 

Transitions can be challenging for students of all ages, and MM is a consistent launch to each school day that follows a predictable structure. It is a way to welcome each student to their day of learning, to create a community of trust and belonging in the classroom, and to set a respectful tone for how the day in class will look, sound, and feel, putting our kavanah/intention of 

“Derek eretz kadmah la-Torah/Respectful courtesy precedes all learning” into action. Each MM is preceded by a Morning 

Message, which often calls for brief written individual responses from each student in the class and which may be shared during the meeting. The remaining main components of MM are: 

Greeting: Students are invited to greet one another in a variety of different creative and formal ways. 

Share: Students share something with the class that is of importance to them, which invites the practices of public speaking skills and receiving feedback. 

Activity: Students engage in a fun activity that promotes social interaction and a positive atmosphere in the classroom to start the day. 

The community-building aspect of MM is essential to the practice. The culture of empathy and trust are two elements of community that are cultivated through MM for the group as a whole, and within each individual. Developing and nurturing a sense of personal significance and membership within the group by the way we treat each other and fostering active and meaningful participation in MM activities are also key goals of MM practice. MM in particular and Responsive Classroom as a whole model the idea that “how we teach is as important as what we teach.” 

The way that we collaborate with and treat one another as members of the class and larger community says everything one needs to know about the culture of a school and the quality of the educational experience within it. When our students and teachers feel safe, joyful, respected, confident, valued, and included is when their best work can take place. 

The 20-30 minutes of each school day that are dedicated to MM set up children and classrooms for successful and productive days of learning. They are an investment in creating a learning environment that focuses on the whole child and honors each and every member of the class, adults and children alike. We are proud of the type of community that MM helps us to create and to be, one which sees each and every individual for who they are and celebrates the unique gifts and contributions they offer to the class.