We wanted to take this opportunity to zoom in on our Hello Meeting and share how it has grown and shifted over time. Over the school year, this routine has changed as children have taken on a more active role within it.
We notice these changes in ways both big and small. We see it in the way bodies move. Children who once preferred sitting outside the rug now scoot themselves closer. Children who like to observe are beginning to join in new ways, sometimes through singing, sometimes through small hand movements. In these moments, we see growing confidence and sense of belonging within our classroom community.
Hello Meeting Progression
September 2025 – October 2025
During this period, Hello Meeting was the only structured activity in our day and one of the times we gathered together as a classroom community. Meeting time typically lasted three to five minutes, depending on how the children felt that day.
November 2025 – February 2026
We said goodbye to the mats, woohoo!!!! We also incorporated a review of the day’s schedule as a class, where children interacted with visual cue cards. During this time, meeting time usually ran for five to ten minutes.
February 2026 – Present
We introduced attendance using pictures labeled “home” and “school.” When children see their picture, it is their turn to share whether they are at “home” or “school.” Alongside the home and school pictures, we also introduced a “work time” card with a laptop image. When a teacher steps outside of the classroom to work, their photo is placed under this card. This helps children know where their teachers are when they step out of the classroom. During this time of the year, our meeting typically lasts 10 to 15 minutes.
Snack Time
Some new changes have been introduced around our snack time routine! The first is assigned seating. The children are very familiar with the photo you shared at the beginning of the year – the one used in their cubby, in the class books, and now for attendance. They are also being used as place holders during snack time. During Hello Meeting, a teacher sets up the tables, with each spot receiving a plate of snack (another new thing!), a cup of water, and a photo. When children return to the classroom after handwashing, they are asked to settle into the spot that is “labeled” with their photo.
You may have noticed that we prep the children’s snacks by cutting large fruits into smaller pieces. We recently began to give children more of a role in this, particularly with bananas and clementines. Rather than removing the peels beforehand, we now prep bananas by creating slits in the peel and cutting them into smaller pieces. When they sit down with their piece, children need to independently remove the peels, using the slits as guidance. For clementines, we start the peeling process by creating an opening at the top.
Ask Your Child
What hello song did you sing? Was it “Hello, How are you?” or “Hello Train Song?” How did your body move during the song?
What did you eat for snack time?
Did you go to the roof or the gym? What did you see? What did you play with?
Did you cook in the kitchen? What did you use? What did you make?
