15 years of home visits!

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15 years of home visits!
By Elizabeth

I teach at a Lutheran school and have always done visits for K, 1, & 3rd. Use a good map program like Microsoft Streets and plot out your kids before you make your phone calls; that way you can tell the family when you will
be in their area and see if that works for them. This helps to keep you from back tracking a lot. I usually bring an information letter for general beginning of the year info., some curriculum info., my phone # and the best times to reach me, field trips we'll be taking... I also bring a small bag of books with me for the child to look through and pick out one for me to read to them.

I can model how to read with their child for the parent as well as break the ice with the child; and it keeps them busy while their parent is asking questions. Reading with the child also gives you a pretty good idea where they're at in their literacy development. I choose books with a rhyme or repetition and check to see if they'll chime in when I give a little pause; make it very casual and non-threatening though. Later on in the year it's always exciting to them when I read the same book they picked to read at their visit (and they always want everyone to know!) I also give a small fun assignment like decorating a paper person to look like themselves (& show themselves doing something they like to do).