Davis Joint Unified School District

Mr. McGrew's 6th Grade Monday Meetings - Bright Spots

Communication

About this project

Mr. McGrew is supporting his grade 6 towards becoming ‘Life Ready Communicators”. Every Monday morning, student's in Mr. McGrew's 6th grade class arrange their chairs in a circle for Morning Meeting. Some may think such meetings are for primary grades, but they are an essential time for students in intermediate grades to build communication skills such as being purposeful, clear and choosing language to fit the audience. It also takes place in a social setting, supporting students to listen actively and comprehend different ideas and perspectives. In each meeting, students greet each other, share their response to the daily question, participate in a group activity, and read the message of the day. This provides a space for students to express themselves while also learning about their classmates in a welcoming and casual environment. The teacher provides sentence frames and models answering the question to demonstrate the language goals. During these meetings, students are always given the right to pass (not speak). Initially, many students decide to pass, but as the year progresses students feel comfortable speaking in front of the group. As we spend more time together, we realize we are building more trust as a community and we know more about the people in our classroom. Morning Meeting highlights the value of good communication.

Project Testimonials

Morning meeting helps students learn to appreciate one another, and helps build their confidence with communication.

-Mr. McGrew 6th Grade Teacher