Reducing Stress Through Morning Meetings

Abstract

Stress in the lives of urban students, caused by multiple factors, specifically from violence and bullying, can affect their ability to do well both academically and socially. Student observation notes that the majority of students lack the coping mechanisms needed to deal with this stress in healthy and productive ways. This thesis project examines some of the causes of urban childhood stress and how educators can help their students reduce that stress and develop appropriate coping strategies for dealing with situations students may encounter daily at school. As part of this action research project, the use of daily morning meetings, student journals, weekly surveys, and group meetings were conducted. The literature review section briefly discusses the following as they bear on the research topic: family, violence, bullying, coping strategies, stress, and social constructivism. The project was conducted in a third grade classroom in an urban school district in western New York. Analysis of the research data confirms the positive effect of morning meetings to reduce stress and increase coping strategies for students.