I remember my very first pre-k "meet the teacher night" ...my palms were sweaty and I was anxiously counting down the seconds on the clock till my new little students and their parents would enter through my classroom door. I had on a new cute outfit and was proudly wearing my first teacher badge. I felt like a looked the part on the outside, but I didn't feel confident on the inside! Me, talking in front of four year olds... no problem! Me, talking in front of parents.. that's another story! With practice and little organization, added each time Meet the Teacher came around, the years got easier!
As a new teacher, "Meet the Teacher" night can be both exciting AND nerve-wracking, let me tell ya! To calm those jitters and make the day a successful experience, FOCUS ON PREP and STAY POSITIVE! : ) Remember, parents (and kids!) are just as eager to meet you and learn about your teaching style as you are to meet them!
First things first, SETUP - organize and clean the room, set up welcoming displays, and having all necessary materials printed and ready.
DON'T have all your manipulatives & learning centers fully stocked! I repeat.. DO NOT have all those bright and shiny centers bursting with the fun games you worked so hard on over the summer! Let me tell you why... You will spend 2 hours after those kiddos leave cleaning and reorganizing all of those centers! Those students have learned how to play with those items and where they go. Have the open cabinets empty or face them toward the wall. You don't want the pretend center exploded with play food and costumes either as the next family walks in. It is also a good idea for families not to linger tooo long!
DO, however, have a few baskets of manipulatives on tables. One or two baskets filled with manipulative toys like linking cubes are easy to clean up. A table with crayons with coloring pages are easy and kids can take home their pictures. Also, a basket of picture books are a quiet activity and familiar to young children.
Don't be afraid that your classroom will look bland and boring without the centers fully stocked. You can still express new school year excitement with the decorated bulletin boards, cubby labels, posters, and what not on the walls!
You can also set out labeled baskets or tubs for students to sort their school supplies in. This makes putting away the supplies easy and already organized! I've made some helpful labels that you can use HERE!
Secondly, PREPARE THE PRINTABLES - plan what you want info you want to say to parents and be genuine in your approach. Do you want to have handouts, a slideshow going, or both?
Meet the Teacher events can vary from school to school. At a few of my schools it was very formal and the families sat down and listened all together as I talked. It was about a 30 minute long meeting. At my other schools, it was very informal. Students basically showed up for five minutes to greet me and see their new room.
In either situation, I would say having printables ready to go is key!
Must-have items you will want to have printed and ready to give to parents:
- Welcome note
- Class schedule
- Your contact info
- Have them fill out important info cards
It's also fun to include a "teacher favorites list." Parents love to know what special things you enjoy and often surprise you during the year or with holiday gifts!
Creating a power point slideshow is is an easy aide to guide you and remind you of what to say! If you are doing a slideshow, focus on these things:
- Your first slide can be about your background and teaching style.
- Then, talk about your class schedule and what the pre-k day will look like.
- Explain your daily folder system if you have one.
- Give info about snacks, nap time, and/or field trips.
- Note important events or dress up days coming up.
- Provide ways parents can volunteer.
- Open up Q & A at the end for parents to ask questions or concerns.
- Thank parents for coming & say how excited you will be to start teaching their children soon!
Other printables to have ready:
- Welcome poster (Post this on the door or near the door. This can instruct parents what to do when they enter.. you can say something like "Please sign in, sort school supplies, take a photo in the photo booth, find your child's packet and fill it out, etc.")
- Sign in sheet (then you can easily see who you met & gave info to)
- Volunteer sign up sheet
- Snack sign up sheet
- Transportation sheet (How will your kiddos get home? Car, bus, daycare?)
I place all the sign up/sign in sheets, in a line, on one table. That way parents don't miss a form. I also put student packets, labeled, and in one tub on the same table. And don't forget the pens!
If this feels overwhelming to you or you need to get this done quickly... I've got you covered! My meet the teacher printables are easily editable and come with step-by-step guide posters for parents to follow. Click on each photo to see more of what's included!
Practice your greeting...
As a new family enters you can say something like "Hi, I'm ________! It's so nice to meet you. (Shake hands and even the hands of the kids.. or give students a hug!) Let me show you where your cubby is...OR... Sallie, you can go check out those baskets of toys while mom fills out your papers! Don't forget to take a photo in the photo booth before you leave!"
And if you are doing a slideshow presentation, run through it a couple times! Often you will find you need to add some things!
Then, LEAVE STUDENTS (& PARENTS) WITH A SMILE - You can have a small treat bags in students' cubby, gift them with a coloring page to take home, or offer a fun photo booth for them to take pictures in!
Last, TREAT YO' SELF! Grab one of those big Sonic drinks & a bag of snacks to get yourself thought the event! And reward yourself after! Remind yourself that it's okay to feel nervous; it shows that you care about making a great connection with your students and their families!
You WILL survive, I promise! You will feel CONFIDENT knowing that you are well prepped and ready! Taking a few deep breaths before you start the event and focus your excitement on the upcoming school year! It will help ease those nerves and make the day a memorable and enjoyable experience for EVERYONE involved!
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