Teaching and learning with morning meeting in elementary social studies methods courses

Abstract

PurposeUsing morning meeting, an evidence-based practice that is part of the responsive classroom (RC) approach, the authors (two teacher educators [TEs]) created opportunities for teacher candidates (TCs) to experience representations, decompositions and approximations of practice in multiple iterations of an elementary social studies methods course.Design/methodology/approachThe authors detail how TEs can expose TCs to social studies content (e.g. the National Council for the Social Studies themes) that can be incorporated into structured, daily classroom routines, such as morning meeting.FindingsThe authors include TE-created morning meeting facilitation guides with components such as a morning message, greeting, share, group activity and theme justification. Furthermore, the authors outline TCs' reflections on planning and implementing a morning meeting with a partner in addition to their own reflections on the TCs' feedback.Originality/valueThis work has implications related to TEs and TCs in elementary social studies methods courses as well as current and future students in elementary classrooms.

Pre-service teachers’ understanding of sacrificial listening as a pedagogical framework

“…More surprisingly, however, was the fact that 60% of students felt that the key tenets of sacrificial listening had some application to math. Morning meeting is a student-centered, responsive classroom learning approach that allows teachers to implement and demonstrate social and emotional learning skills while providing students opportunities to develop an active role in a democratic classroom community where student voice and participation is valued (Cornett & Quinn, 2021;Tilhou, 2020). Studies have found that a responsive classroom approach can result in students having better pro-social skills promoting the importance of valuing others' feelings and experiences (Rimm-Kaufman & Chiu, 2007).…”

“…Studies have found that a responsive classroom approach can result in students having better pro-social skills promoting the importance of valuing others' feelings and experiences (Rimm-Kaufman & Chiu, 2007). As an engaging way to build a responsive classroom community of respectful learners, morning meeting involves four key components: greeting, sharing, group activity and a morning message (Cornett & Quinn, 2021;Kriete & Davis, 2017;Responsive Classroom, 2016). In each component of morning meeting, learning becomes a social experience that stresses the importance of learning how to listen, research problems, ask questions, and examine other individuals' perspectives (Gardner, 2012;Kriete & Davis, 2017).…”