Sylvia Allen's Visit

Last week when Sylvia Allen came to teach us about morning meetings I learned a lot about how to create a community in my classroom.  Morning meetings are a great way to create a sense of community.  It is a safe time for students to take risks and really stretch themselves to be better.  It is here that the close connections between students are formed, because when people take risks together they become closer than they could have in any other way.  By forming this connection between students they start to work together and help one another without being asked and can learn to solve their own problems.  This time also gives the teacher a chance to really get to know their students.  As they are in morning meeting a teacher can see what is hard for them and what comes easily so they can help their students later in the day.  It also gives them a chance to hear from all of their students when they have something to say instead of trying to find time throughout the rest of they day to get recognised.