Meet the Teacher night or Back to School night is the time for you to meet your students and their parents, but it’s also the first impression of you. Here are just a few tips to make Meet the Teacher run smoothly.
Classroom Ready
Having a classroom that’s ready for Meet the Teacher Night and the first day of school is quite different. This is your first impression, so you want it to be cleaned and organized on the surface. What’s behind closed doors…no one will know. Have the desks arranged, your area set up, classroom library cleaned, and bulletin boards covered are all the essentials really. You can continue to decorate and get things ready later. Check out my classroom setup post for more ideas.
Sign Ups
Meet the Teacher night might be the only time a parent is in your classroom. So use that to your advantage and get the information you need. I always have parents give me an email address because that’s how I communicate with parents. I also like to make sure I know how students are getting home on the first day of school. Often parents want to pick their kids up on the first day instead of the bus. This is also a great night to get volunteers and such.
Give Direction
You will be talking with so many people that night and you may not see some as soon as they walk in the door. So setting up signs that direct parents on what to do can be helpful. I use the plastic picture frames from The Dollar Tree. If students bring in supplies, make sure you have signs to direct students where to put things.
Wish List
Parents always ask if there’s anything you need to let them know. So make sure you have something to give parents right away! A wish list of items you need or want for the classroom can be very helpful.
Student Desk
If there’s certain information or forms you need to give to every student, put them on each desk. This will help you see who did come and receive their forms.
Need those forms and signs done for you and easily editable? Check out my Meet the Teacher pack.
