0 Back to School Night

Back to School night is one of those nights that can set the stage for the rest of your school year.  Parents come in with questions, anxiety, and a few may even have less than positive feelings about you.  It may not be anything that you've done as a teacher. 

• Maybe they had their heart set on their child being in the teacher next door's class because their neighbor's child had such a great year with that teacher.  It's not that their child can't have a good year with you, but you do have to work harder to change their feelings.
• Maybe you are a new teacher to the school this year and the parents don't know you.  It takes time to establish your reputation and build trust at a new school, even if you are an experienced teacher.
• If you are a first year teacher and you look young, you have a double whammy.  

My first year I heard comments like "you look more like my child's babysitter than a person old enough to have a college degree".  I began the year behind the eight ball.  Several years down the road, I stumbled across an idea that idea I really wished someone would have told me about earlier.

You've heard the expression "a picture is worth a 1,000 words".  Pictures do amazing things to help you start off your year the right way.  Take pictures, pictures, and more pictures of your students throughout the day so parents can see what a typical day is like in your room.  Arrange the pictures in a slideshow and have that playing when your parents arrive for Back to School night.  It sets the tone for the night.  Many of the concerns and anxieties that parents have will be relieved by seeing the pictures.  

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