What a year it has been! As we send out our final Spotlight of the year, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journey we have shared together. We would love to take this opportunity to show you the progression of our Hello Meeting and reconnect it to the framework we introduced at Back to School Night: Being, Belonging, and Expressing.
Being: Being is really all about figuring out who you are. Each day, during our Hello Meeting, the children do more than just follow a routine; they are diving into understanding themselves and how they fit in with their friends, teachers, and community.
Belonging: Meeting time is a place where friendships bloom and a sense of community takes root. As the children interact with each other and the teachers in this shared space, they are building something special. They learn how to work together, trust each other, and create an environment where everyone feels valued and connected.
Expressing: When it comes to expressing themselves, the children are figuring out what feels right for them. Whether it’s picking a favorite song to share, saying hello to a friend, or singing along to a song, they are learning how to voice their thoughts and feelings in a way that feels safe and comfortable for them. This part of our meeting is crucial because it’s where they learn to turn their inner thoughts into outward expressions that can be verbal or non-verbal cues that others can understand and respond to.
Let’s look at our progression of Hello Meeting this year!
Progression of Hello Meeting
September 2023 – October 2023
During this period, the meeting was the only structured activity in our day and truly the only time we came together as a community. Our meeting time is usually 3-5 minutes, depending on how the children felt that day.
October 2023 – January 2024
We got rid of the mats—woohoo! Our meeting time usually ran for 5-10 minutes, depending on how the children were feeling.
January 2024 – March 2024
We introduced attendance taking, using pictures of home and school. When children see their picture, it’s their turn to come up and place it under “home” or “school.” We also incorporated review of the day’s schedule together as a class where children interact with the visual cue cards. Our meeting time is usually 10-15 minutes, depending on how the children were feeling.
March 2024 – Present
We replaced our home/school attendance system with a voting process, where children are encouraged to vote between two hello songs as another way to take attendance. Our meeting time is usually 10-15 minutes, depending on how the children were feeling.
We look forward to spending our final months together in the White Room, learning and growing from one another!
2, 4, 6, 8,
Who do we appreciate?
The White Room, The White Room
Go White Room!
