Morning Meeting Monday!

Well, I lied.  It’s not really Morning Meeting Monday but it’s Afternoon Meeting Monday!  I absolutely love Morning Meeting.  It’s a great way to start your day!  It builds an amazing sense of family and community in your classroom and you can cover academic standards all while having fun!  We do a 20 minute morning meeting every day.  I loved how we started our day together and I wanted to extend that so we could end our day in a CALM and organized manner!  So I started doing afternoon meeting!  It’s about 15 minutes right before we dismiss.  It’s similar to morning meeting in many ways.  We say goodbye, we share and we sing! Oh, do we sing!  My kids LOVE to sing!  Here is what my afternoon meeting looks like:

We gather on the monster pit!  That is our circle carpet!  

We start off singing our closing song, “Firework” by Katy Perry.  We use the KidzBop version of the song so it’s more kid friendly.  I chose this song because I want my monsters to know that they are all special, unique and that they are my fireworks.  The lyrics are powerful for the population of kids that I serve.  I serve in a school that is tucked away in the largest housing projects in the city so we’re ignored and forgotten.  We really are the “wasted space” and “plastic bag floating…” and so we sing these words every day so my students know that they are anything but a waste.  They are a firework that is “brighter than  moon!”  Katy Perry, are you listening?!  We need a visit!

After our song, we go around the circle and share 1 thing we learned that day.  We make sure to share something academic that we learned.  Mr. Greg records the learning on our “Twitter Feed!”  This is a poster I had printed that is just a large iPad (graphic from my friend Ashley Hughes at The School Supply Addict!) and laminated!  I hand the “twitter” on the door so everyone can see what we learned!

After we share, we discuss our homework and what we need to do that night.  Finally, we say our goodbyes.  We do hugs, handshakes and high fives!  Hugs are the most favorite! 

After we say goodbye, we line up and pack up!  

It’s a great wa to come together as a family and bring our day together to a close!  It’s orderly, it’s powerful and it’s fun!  And everyone leaves on a positive note! 

Do you do afternoon meeting?  Will you consider adding it to your day?

And now…as to not disappoint my fans….it is Silly Hat Monday!

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

These hats came from Time 4 Kindergarten!    Go say hello!

We are thankful for the words we can read!    If you want this super fun sight words activity, it’s available in my pack!  We had a blast with this today!  And it really got my monsters motivated to learn those sight words!

And I had to share this.  I had a father come in today just to “observe” (his word) his daughter at work.  Can I just say that this is a huge huge huge deal in my school?  85% of our students have no father figure at home.  How cute is this?  Makes me teary.  He said, let’s see how fast you can read and match these words!  There is a lot to be said about the power of involved parents.  The turkey you see up above is her turkey.  She read the most words in our class.  Why?  Her parents have the sight words on flashcards all over their house and they place a huge value on learning.  And because dad is coming in to work with her at centers.  BOOM!  Highlight of my day!

OK OK OK I know you’re so tired of hearing about my evaluation scores.  But I wanted to share this awesome card my teammate gave me today!!!  I know….I know…but the quote from our administration at the beginning of last year (the first for this eval system) was “even Jesus couldn’t get a 5 and he walked on water!”  I got 5 fives.  So I am still celebrating!  

Sweater:  Heritage (Forever 21)

Shirt:  Aeropastale (was a gift from a student who I had in my class during student teaching.  She is now a senior.  I’ve had the shirt for 7 years.  And it fits!)

Pants:   Calvin Klein

Socks: Old Navy

And that concludes another day in the land of kindergarten smorgasboard!