This school year, Meeting for Worship (MFW) occurs from 9:15–10:00 a.m. instead of its previous collection time of 1:55–2:40 p.m. This shift to morning MFW is undoubtedly productive, as it helps calm students down and serves as a “reset” before the day continues. Morning MFW also benefits teachers as they receive space for quiet and relaxation during times of stress. Additionally, students will be virtually unable to avoid MFW, leading to more accountability.
Students also benefit from the time change as stress and anxiety levels decrease with a period of quiet, thus preparing them for the rest of the day. In addition, a student can take advantage of the built-in period to calm down and ready themselves for an upcoming assessment. Furthermore, quiet time will provide rest for students and allow them to gain respite from the exhaustion of school.
An issue with the afternoon MFW was that it directly preceded faculty meetings that lasted up to two hours, and so the absence of MFW in the afternoon means teachers do not have to sit in near silence for such an extended period of time. These faculty meetings will now be more productive. Although a morning Meeting for Worship replaces a morning class, it also allows for an additional afternoon class, where students are more focused than they would be if having the same class so close to the start of the school day.
With an earlier meeting comes a higher level of accountability in the community. Skipping MFW is significantly more difficult for students with its new placement on the schedule in between classes, leading to fewer absences. Consequently, sitting by advisory will no longer be necessary as it is much more difficult for students to skip MFW. As students much prefer sitting with their friends than being forced to sit in advisory, the earlier meeting time also boosts student morale.
Overall, MFW in the mornings is better than MFW in the afternoons due to its benefits for teachers, students and the community as a whole. The community is now more engaged and present, allowing MFW’s full benefits to sink in with community members focusing on reflection rather than thinking about an upcoming sports game or meeting.
