Cultivating Connection with Morning Meeting Sharing Time

A Guide on How to Get Started With Your Morning Meeting Sharing Questions

Morning meeting sharing time offers an opportunity for students to open up and practice important listening and speaking skills.

It can take anywhere between 3 and 10 minutes depending on how you have your students share.

Here we will delve into the importance of morning meeting sharing time and explore how to lead it effectively.

The Importance of Morning Meeting Sharing Time

Morning meeting sharing time offers a range of benefits that go beyond just sharing stories.

Here’s why this time is so significant:

1. Fostering Connection: Sharing time provides students with the opportunity to learn more about each other’s lives, interests, and experiences. This fosters a sense of belonging and a stronger classroom community.

2. Developing Communication Skills: As students share their thoughts and experiences, they practice articulating ideas, listening actively, and responding thoughtfully to their peers.

3. Boosting Confidence: Sharing time allows quieter or more reserved students to have their voices heard. As they gain positive feedback and support from their classmates, their self-confidence grows.

4. Cultivating Empathy: As students listen to their peers’ stories, they gain insight into others’ lives, experiences, and feelings. This helps them develop empathy and a better understanding of their classmates.

5. Building Memories: Sharing time creates shared memories and inside jokes, which contribute to a sense of nostalgia and unity as the school year progresses.

How to Lead Morning Meeting Sharing Time

Effective facilitation of morning meeting sharing time involves creating a safe and respectful environment that encourages open expression.

Here’s how to lead this time with success:

1. Establish Ground Rules: Set clear expectations for respectful listening, no interruptions, and non-judgmental responses. This encourages a supportive atmosphere.

2. Select Thoughtful Questions: Choose sharing questions that are thought-provoking and inclusive. Questions should promote positive experiences and steer clear of sensitive topics. If you need more ideas for sharing questions, click here.

3. Model Sharing: Begin by sharing your own response to the question of the day. This sets an example for students and shows that sharing is a two-way street.

4. Provide Equal Opportunities: Ensure that each student has a chance to share. You can use a variety of methods such as going around the circle or using popsicle sticks with students’ names. You can also occasionally do a partner share if you are short on time.

5. Encourage Active Listening: Teach students to actively listen when their peers are sharing. This can involve making eye contact, nodding, and responding appropriately.

Example: Who Remembers

Instead of simply going in a circle and taking turns answering a question, spice up your sharing time with a quick activity called “Who Remembers.”

Here’s how it works:

First, pose your sharing question as usual. Ask a sharing question, such as “If you could have the voice of any singer, who would it be?”

Then, give each student a chance to share their answer to the question.

Next, do a recall challenge. After everyone has shared, transition to the “Who Remembers” phase. Ask questions like “Who remembers who said Ariana Grande?” Students raise their hands to recall their peers’ answers.

Encourage students to engage their memory and connect with their classmates’ responses. This promotes attentive listening during sharing time.

Morning meeting sharing time is a treasure trove of experiences, stories, and connections that shape the classroom environment. By valuing each student’s voice and fostering an atmosphere of respect and curiosity, educators can create an inclusive space where students feel valued and understood.

The “Who Remembers” activity not only encourages active listening but also transforms sharing time into an interactive memory-building experience that stays with students long after the school day is over. 

Grab 200 sharing questions that you can project onto your board for the class to see here!