Open House

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Home : 2004 : August : 29

Open House
By JJ

Here's what I just did at our Open House. I prepared a checklist for parents and put it on each child's desk. It said things like: Look at math and writing journals on desk, fill out information sheet on your child, look
at computer, math, and reading centers, check out the Giving Tree, meet Mrs....(me), visit also with (and I listed the other two teachers that have this child), go see the band teacher about your child playing an instrument this year, stop for snacks in the gym. Then on each desk I put a note explaining book order procedures, the handbook, and a sheet telling exactly what I expected from

each child with his daily planner. I also prepared a business card with my school address, phone number, planning times available, and email address that I put on a magnet. When parents came up to me and started asking personal questions about their child, I said, "Did you pick up my magnet? I think this is something we should discuss privately, my number is on the card, so you can call me at my planning times and I would be more than happy to discuss this with you." It doesn't ALWAYS work, but most of the time it does.
My Giving Tree was drawn on the board. It is a tree with apples on it. Each apple can be plucked from the tree and has something specific that parents can contribute to your room. It is things like resealable plastic bags, kleenex, erasable pens, paper plates, room deodorizers, plastic silverware, cups, napkins, packs of pencils, a book of stamps, etc. Almost everyone took one and I received three things back in two days.
Hope this helps.