Take a Break- Morning Meeting and Writers notebook

     Most of you have called this blog up on you're computers expecting the next post of my breakdown and take on Carol Ann Tomlinson's book Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom.  My intent was to give you just that, but you will have to wait.  I planned on going over to the UVU food court immediately after Differentiation class and finish reading chapter six while I ate my Costa Vida burrito.  Guess what?  It ain't happening, at least not before I clear my head.  I tried to read chapter six, but it was not fair to the book as my head was still back in class listening to the information on Morning Meetings.  I could not stop thinking about the presentation by Principal Allan on how Morning Meetings change lives and make a huge difference.  I need to get my thoughts down on print before they disappear.  I can not guarantee that this post will make any sense, nor that it will not ramble.  I do not know if it counts as a post for my side dish assignment.  I think I can justify it by saying I think Morning Meetings apply to differentiation in the classroom.  You can not provide differentiated instruction to your students until you know your students.  I can not think of a way that lets you know your students any deeper or in a faster way than having Morning Meetings to start your day.  If my justification is not enough to count these posts I am using two of the decision makers favorite things, Morning Meetings and Writers Notebook.  You may be wondering what does writers notebook have to do with differentiation or Morning Meetings.  Well, this post is something that belongs in my writers notebook.  Never have I felt like I must write something down before I lose the thoughts and feelings I have.  Few times have I felt compelled to get something out of my brain and permanently onto a storage device for later review.  I feel this way right now.

     I have always liked the ideas of having a Morning Meeting in my class, but I thought it was just something that would be nice to have.  I figured I would do them if my school or my grade level team was doing them.  I wanted to do them, but did not figure them to be a necessity.  When I found out that I would be interning in 6th grade I figured I would not be doing Morning Meetings as my kids were going to be way to old for that feel good stuff.  I was shocked when Dr. Peterson announced that Principal Allan was a 5th grade teacher and the Morning Meetings took place in a 5th grade class.  I was excited to know they can be used and were effective in the upper grades.  Remember all of the videos and information I had on Morning Meetings were from the lower grades.

    Morning Meetings seem like they justify why I wanted to be a teacher.  I wanted to make a difference in students lives and, probably out of selfishness, I wanted to be a key person in their lives.  A little background, I always knew someday I would get into teaching, but I was sure it would be at the Secondary level.  I figured I could teach and coach in order to have an impact on young people.  When I was talked into Elementary education I thought "well" give me the older grades and I will be okay, but I will move on to Secondary once I get the foot in the door.  From m first field experience I have known I liked Elementary.  I still prefer the older grades, but I figure I could do the younger grades as well.  So how does all this tie into Morning Meetings?  I can not think of a better place to touch lives and provide a positive impression on young students than in a Elementary class and especially one that incorporates morning meetings.  I believe that high school, junior high, and even college professors can effect students lives for the good, but you can get so much more "bang for your buck" at the elementary level.  I think you start to deliver that "bang" when you learn about your students in a personal, but appropriate way through Morning Meetings.  Not only can I learn about them, but I can have them learn so many life lessons while we are sitting in that circle as a community of learners. 

    As mentioned above, I had questions about Morning Meetings.  Questions about what grade level morning meetings stop being effective.  I now believe they do not lose effectiveness.  I hung around after class as I wanted to ask Principal Allan how you could squeeze morning meetings in if your school does not do them or your grade level team is against them.  I never asked the question, because I answered it myself after class.  I do not care who believes in them and who does not, because I will find a way to get them done. 

I think I have cleared my head.  We will now return to the regularly scheduled program.  On to chapter 6 of Fulfilling the Promise.