• act as a coach -- providing guidance to the student leader, when necessary.
• keep discussions on topic.
• let students know if they are out of order.
• ask questions, clarify or restate problems or ideas
• use veto power sparingly
• summarize and synthesize ideas

As teachers and students get more comfortable with class meetings, they can be conducted in 10-15 minutes. Class meetings can be conducted any day of the week, anytime of the day that makes sense. Few tools have the flexibility and potential that Class Meetings have for creating Peaceable Classrooms.

Educators for Social Responsibility offers a useful listing of the many different ways you can use Class Meetings, extending the ideas we have reviewed here.

Educator and author Donna Styles provides a Class Meetings support page with information on the video Bridgette: The Power of Class Meetings and sample materials. Included are comments about class meetings from students.

You might also take a look at some other ideas submitted by teachers at this site.

Students gain important facilitation skills during class meetings when they are encouraged to take part. See these ideas for encouraging students to take part .

In an article from Professional School Counseling, Dana Edwards and Fran Mullis provide details on how to maximize the positive impact of your meetings: Classroom meetings: encouraging a climate of cooperation

See also:

Classroom Meetings Chapter from Discipline without Stress by Marvin Marshall

How We Use Morning Meetings (ProTeacher Website)

Circle Time: Some Basics (ProTeacher website)

Kriete, R., & Bechtel, L. (2002). The morning meeting book. Strategies for teachers series. Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. 

Nelsen, J., Lott, L., & Glenn, H. S. (2000). Positive discipline in the classroom: Developing mutual respect, cooperation, and responsibility in your classroom. The positive discipline series. Roseville, Calif: Prima Pub.

Styles, D. (2001). Class meetings: Building leadership, problem solving and decision making skills in the respectful classroom. Markham, Ont: Pembroke.