Karen: Good morning, Dianelys.
Dianelys: Good morning, Karen. Good morning, Angell.
Angel: Good morning, Dianelys.
Valerie Gallagher: I think before any learning can take place, the students really need to feel safe, feel like they’re seen, and feel like they’re cared about. The impact I see from morning meeting is that classes are true communities. We’re learning from each other’s strengths, we’re helping each other. It’s a foundation for everything that comes after.
Students: Good morning, Ms. Gallagher.
Valerie Gallagher: Morning meetings are a really important part of the responsive classroom model, which we use here throughout Highlander Charter School. It’s a chance for the students to make that transition from home to school. It’s a way for everyone to settle in and feel that they’re a part of a community.
Monica: It puts me in a focused and good mood. It makes me feel ready to learn.
Dan Baldassi: So, welcome. I’m so excited to see you guys today.
Dan Baldassi: Our morning meeting lasts about fifteen minutes and we have four parts that we do together. Each classroom might be a little different the way the teacher runs it. We start with our greeting. The kids choose what their greeting is for that day that helps them want to participate.
Student: Good morning, Apple.
Student: Good morning, Analise.
Valerie Gallagher: We make eye contact. We’re having our ears, our eyes and our brain on the person who’s speaking.
Student: Good morning, Benjamin.
Jane Picciotti: “How are you feeling today? Are you ready to learn?” If you’re not ready to learn, what can we do to get you there?
Dianelys: After the greeting, we do share. I like it when people share because we get to know them a little better.
Jamarie: There’s like a little board and whoever went, you have to check them off and you have to say what you did on the weekend.
Student: I went to the movie.
Student: What was is in the movie?
Student: When they died–
Valerie Gallagher: We’ve had a lot of interesting issues come up through shares, whether it be deaths in the family, politics and people feeling safe or not safe because of that– you know, things you might not normally talk about in a first-grade classroom. Morning meeting gives you the space and the time to have those conversations.
Student: Today my grandparents are coming. I’m ready for questions and comments.
Valerie Gallagher: They get to answer questions. “Somebody cares about me. All these hands are interested in me.”
Student: Didn’t they come last time?
Student: Yeah, but they had to go back because something happened in their country.
Marcella: Morning meeting makes me feel calm and happy. My favorite part is the glitter jar.
Dan Baldassi: We shake the glitter jar, we put it in the middle. The kids have a moment to watch.
Adrian: Mr. B puts the timer on for a minute. We reflect on what we can do to get yourself ready for the day.
Monica: Today we got to think about how you can be helpful to your friends.
Dan Baldassi: So, is there someone who would like to share? Chrisana.
Chrisana: If somebody’s sad, you can help them feel better by playing with them.
Dan Baldassi: Okay, I like that. Nice job.
Dianelys: After the share, we get to do a game.
Student: One, two–
Dianelys: Someone counts without looking and people go into corners–
Student: –nine, ten! Corner number three!
Valerie Gallagher: Oh!
Student: One, two–
Valerie Gallagher: It really gives them a chance to get that last burst of energy out before it’s time for them to sit down to the serious business of literacy.
Student: Corner number one.
Valerie Gallagher: Ooh!
Valerie Gallagher: Then after that I go over the agenda every day, knowing what’s going to happen next is really important to kids.
Valerie Gallagher: After that is–?
Students: PE!
Valerie Gallagher: Then we get to eat our–?
Students: Lunch!
Valerie Gallagher: Then we’re going to have some–?
Students: Math power!
Valerie Gallagher: So that kind of sets the tone. We’re here together, morning meeting. We know what’s going on with everyone. We’re ready to go.
Dan Baldassi: So, I know fifteen minutes can sometimes be a hard thing to try to put in your schedule, but students in each classroom know that they’re coming into safe places. This is a chance for them to have voice in their classroom.
Jane Picciotti: It’s about respecting each other, respecting your teacher. It’s rooted in positive interactions. It definitely helps set our culture.
Adrian: I think it wouldn’t be as easy to do the rest of the day. It helps me a lot.

Schools That Work

Highlander Charter School