It's that time again! Back to School time! And chances are you are preparing for your Meet the Teacher to meet all your students and parents for the first time. (Or Open House, Back to School Night, whatever your school calls it) Your main goal is to make a great first impression with your new students and their parents/guardians! Today I am going to share my best ideas for Meet the Teacher with you.
Rewind 6 years ago, and I was prepping for my first Meet the Teacher. I was working at a new school and they decided to have this event a full week before school started! Yes, that year I had two full weeks of training… Amid all those meetings and PD's, I had to find the time to set up my classroom. And I had to prepare for Meet the Teacher, all in less than a week! I was NOT prepared for my first Meet the Teacher.
Every Meet the Teacher is different. Ours was a 4 hour block, and parents could come and go as they please. At some point in the day, I was juggling 5 different parents, asking me questions about the forms to fill out and what I needed to do next, what do I bring on the first day, etc. It was CRAZY! It was such a hassle trying to get all their paperwork back and I realized there were two parents I never met! Lesson learned: be prepared with a plan!
The next year, I spent time preparing for Meet the Teacher, rather than focusing solely on decorating my classroom. Let me tell you, Meet the Teacher does not scare me anymore! The past few years, everything has flowed so nicely and parents were very impressed with my preparedness and organization. Making a great first impression is a good way to start the year.
Before I even start to decorate my classroom, I do a “brain dump” and write down EVERY LITTLE THING I need to do before the first day of school. I use my whiteboard to keep track of my to do's and I can easily add to it, as I'm working in my classroom. Once I have it all down, I put it into a to-do list for each part- Meet the Teacher, First Day of School, and Classroom To Do. This helps me stay focused and not work on random things for my classroom when Meet the Teacher is the next day! All my ideas for Meet the Teacher are planned out ahead of time. You can grab an editable Meet the Teacher/Open House to do list here!
(Make sure you download and save, then open it using Adobe, if you want to use the editable portion)
For the past few years, my classroom has not been “ready” before Meet the Teacher. Why? Because you are making a GREAT first impression, not your bulletin board decorating skills. I make sure to have my bulletin board backgrounds, borders, and headings up first. If I have time to finish the bulletin board, then I do! However, it is so much more important to be prepared and organized for Meet the Teacher, than have your Word Wall up and completed. This is what part of my classroom looked like. I didn't have anything that I normally would on this table and there were no word wall cards up yet. And no one noticed! Underneath the table was a HOT MESS, but on the surface it looked fine.
While your parents are filling out paperwork and talking with you, those kids will need something to do or it will get CRAZY! Remember, they may not know how to act in a classroom, so they may play like they are on the playground! You need to make sure your students have something to occupy their time. My favorite idea for a Meet the Teacher student activity is a fun scavenger hunt to explore the classroom! They grab a clipboard, crayon, and then go on a hunt for the places they see on their paper. Once they find each spot, they color in the picture. After they are finished, they will bring it to you for a treat! (See below) I even print extra, so siblings can play too! You can grab this free resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store: Classroom Scavenger Hunt FREEBIE
But if scavenger hunts aren't your thing, here are some ideas to keep the kids busy. Make sure to have a specified area with these activities already out and open.
ABC puzzles, Go Fish, matching games, coloring sheets, blocks, books to look at- Just make sure the kids tidy up before they leave. If they have an older sibling, I give them a book to read to their younger sibling.
We already have 20349 things on our plate, are running low on school funds, and need to utilize our time wisely. However, it is a nice gesture to leave a little something for your new students! I see so many cute pins/ideas on Instagram of a cute ideas for a Meet the Teacher treat, but I like easy and cheap! Here are a few ideas that I like to use as a “Thanks!” for coming to Meet the Teacher.
You can find these Treat Posters in the Meet the Teacher Editable Packet.
Every year, I create a “business card” for parents to keep on their fridge, or in their wallet. I give them two versions, one with a magnet attached and one without. I create a business card with all my information, print, cut them out, laminate, and stick a sticky magnet to the back! It's free and easy and parents are always impressed by this detail.
You can find this editable business card template here: Editable Teacher Business Card. This year, I am going to create my own and order from Vistaprint. They always run great deals and are fast with shipping!
This is definitely the most important tip I have for you! I know it's called “Meet the Teacher” but this is the first opportunity you will have to meet your students. After you introduce yourself to their parents, take some time to chat with your new student. Ask them questions, like “What is your favorite food?” or “What are you excited about for school?” This will help your students feel more comfortable with you as their teacher, and hopefully alleviate any first day tears or fears! You can also tell them a little about what to expect on the first day or show them where they sit or the library! The goal is to build a classroom community from Day 1, and it starts at Meet the Teacher.
