Teaching Tip #3 (Inservice Week)

(In honor of our amazing guest speaker today)

Teacherscribe’s Teaching Tip #3

More tips on what to do on the first day of school.

My favorite part of this article is the final tip on this article: Connecting with Parents.

Ideally, this would occur on our Open House night, but since we don’t have great attendance, that’s a wash.

So connecting with parents is vital, and I’m not talking in the lame “Parent/Teacher” contract letter many of us send (guilty as charged.  I used to do the same thing.).  I didn’t really think twice about this as it was just something that everyone else did so I did it too.

Then one night my wife was looking over a “Parent/teacher” contract that KoKo had brought home.  And she had a great question, for the bottom read something like “If you have read the classroom rules and agree, please sign below.”  Kristie asked, “What if I don’t agree?”

And there was no place for her to voice her questions or disagreement!

I amended my “parent/teacher” letter the very next day.  How stupid of me not to leave it open for parents to ask questions!

Another way I engage parents early on in the year is by sending home post cards noting something their kid did great in class.  This is another example of catching kids doing something right.

I heard recently that if you write a letter (as opposed to call or email), a person will read it up to 20 times.

Think about the hand written notes or letters you’ve received.  How many times have you looked at them?

So I sit down and try and write postcards to parents and get them sent out by the end of the second week.

And it works.  I have students come in and tell me that their parents were so proud when they got the letter.  I had a student say that once her mother cried while reading it.

I’m always amazed at how big little gestures really are.  I see this at the end of the year when I write my seniors who take College Comp I and 2 what I call “senior letters.”  I wish them well, note what I will always remember about them, give them advice for college, and offer them some reading suggestions over summer.

When I went to graduation parties, nearly every single parent mentioned how much that letter meant to them.  A few even had the letter displayed at their parties!

It’s a great way to end the year.  And connecting with parents is a great way to begin the year too.