Summer is quickly coming to an end which means it’s time to start preparing for back-to-school night or back-to-school open house. This night is a great time to get to know your new students and their parents and kick off an amazing year.
This is likely going to be your first time meeting your new students and their parents and it’s natural to want to make a good impression. If you are looking for some school open house tips, you’re in the right place!
How do you prepare for a school open house?
Open house or back-to-school night is going to be different for each teacher depending on the school you’re at. So first things first, you’ll want to see what the school expects of you. Generally, parents and students will filter in and out of your classroom to meet you and get acquainted with the new classroom.
Think about things you want to make sure parents and students know before the first day of school. You can create a short presentation on Google Slides or put together a short “About me” document that covers all of the basics.
Some things to include in your presentation:
- Fun facts about you
- What they can expect from you and your classroom
- Any fun plans for the school year
- Daily Schedule
- Class rules and behavior management basics
- Contact information
You can make the most of this time by setting out important forms that parents need to fill out, volunteer forms, and other important hand-outs. While parents are occupied, students can take this time to do a quick little “about me” activity themselves so that you can learn a little about them as well.
What should teachers do at an open house?
Open houses are generally very busy and you will have a lot of people wanting to chat with you. This means that you likely won’t have a lot of time to talk to each parent. Having everything important set out ahead of time along with your preferred method of contact information will give families everything they need regardless of how much face-to-face time they are able to get.
Remember, the best thing you can do is be yourself! Parents and students will love seeing your personality shine and they will feel more comfortable when they feel like they know a little about you.
Looking for some back-to-school open house activities for your students?
I have you covered! This cute, personalized people Mini-Me Craft is the perfect activity to keep students occupied! These printables will help personalize a little mini-me for your students just in time for school.
You can also use them for measurement or All About Me Projects. Students can design their own shirt, use their own colors, cut, paste together, and add yarn or doll hair to help make their Mini Me special.
What is this download?
Heads
Boy Shirt
Pants
Girl Shirt
Skirt
Girl legs (pants) and arms
Boy legs shoes and arms
Accessories (hat, glasses, bows)
Shirt Choices
Girl legs with shoes (for the skirt and dress)
I hope you love these back-to-school open house ideas! What are your favorite open house tips? Let me know in the comments!
For more open house tips, check out my post here!