Teachers: Back to School Night

I have my first one on Tues and am getting nervous... any words of wisdom?

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

elem or sec ed?

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Talk from bell to bell!!!

This is still my 11th one and I get nervous!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

TALk the WHOLE time. Dont let them corner you about individual kids,.

Leave a sign in sheet at the door with a space for phone call requests and say that they can sign up there if they want to speak provately about thier kid.

I usually print up a agenda ...with a bunch of bullets and the department phone number.

again...TALK TALK TALK.... show the parents the text book, what they should expect as far as homework, etc.

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

It's usually a night for the parents to meet you and hear about the curriculum. I usually plan a speech about my expectations and an overview of the curriculum. Also, if you need any paperwork or supplies from the parents, I would have everything, such as forms and handouts out. The parents just want to know that you care about their children and that you want them to succeed. Good luck!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Thank you all SO much!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

My school does things totally differently. They treat back to school night as mini- parent-teacer conferences. We are allowed 5-7 minutes max per parent.

I usually have handouts outside my door where the parents wait. I talk about the curriculum, NYS standards, NYS assessment, and how they can help their children to succeed.

Message edited 9/16/2006 9:09:52 PM.

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Just talk and talk and talk...AND REMEMBER this is NOT conference night like many parents try and turn it into...tell them they will need to make an appointment with you to talk indepth about their child...trust me...one parent does it and its all downhill and you will never get out!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

I agree with the above posters-talk, and tell them how wonderful you are!!!

you will do great! Can't wait to hear the details!!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

BELL TO BELL!!! Leave little room for awkward conversations about individual students. I def. agree to have a sign-in sheet with contact info if parents want to discuss anything. Again, BELL TO BELL!!!

(my back to school night is this Wednesday btw)

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

I HATE back to school night. Not for any reason other than I can never remember whose parents belong to who and we're in a small school and I ahve their kids every year since I teach music. SO I'm always afraid of calling them by the wrong name. Plus, no one comes to see me, because it's optional to come see me.

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Oh, I didn't add my advice...which I'll do now ....

My school is now promoting putting parents in their place (yay! right?). By that, I mean, if they ask you a question about their child at an inappropriate time, we are no longer allowed to answer them. We MUST say, "Mrs. or Mr. So and So, I'm not prepared to answer that question right now. Please contact me for an appointment so I can give your concerns my full attention." We had lots of parents coming in like guerilla warfare last year and cornering teachers. So my best advice to you other than talk as much as you can is to twll anyone looking for a personal conference about their child that you would like to give them your full attention at a more appropriate time.
Also, my school requires us to have at least one hand-out for the parents that covers everythign we will be talking about it. Make sure you have something with your contact info on it to hand to them so they have no excuses when they don't contact you.

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

This will be my 8th one and im in MS too. Dont let those parents who dont know how to crack a smile bother you. Thers always 1-2 of them w/ ZERO personality.

-Be yourself.
-Tell a joke.
-Make you policies (for HM, tests, etc) known and understood

GOOD LUCK!!!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Good luck! I hate Back to School night. I get so nervous. I try to focus on one person and that usually helps me calm down. My advice would be to talk the whole time. The less time you give them to ask you questions, the better off you'll be. Also some parents try to corner you at the end and try to make it a parent/teacher conference. Try to avoid those situations and if you do get caught, simply say, I would love to discuss so and so's progress. Let's set something up later this week or something like that. Also try to be funny, I always play on how nervous I am. It breaks the ice.

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

I agree--BELL TO BELL!!! Keep babbling--tell about the class, the standards, rules, whatever will fill the time! I show a powerpoint and have a handout. I also have a bunch of course descriptions (required in my school) if the parents want them.

And on your free periods, make yourself scarce!!!

Last year, an irate parent cornered me during my free period (I was just hanging out in the room waiting for the next period to start) and started BLASTING her soon-to-be-ex-husband and saying what a m-fer he was and how he was a cheating f'ing b, and he's ruining their kids' lives, and she's going to sue him for tons of money, I was like, OMG, HELP!

She had come in because she wouldn't go to the classes that he went to.

Later on, I had to meet him, and I was thinking in my head, Oh, hello, Mr. Mother Effing horrible ^*&^*S^*&!!

I was so embarrassed. So, long story short, keep talking, and then HIDE!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Make sure to leave with other teachers so you can't get cornered in the parking lot either!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

Posted by mrswask

Make sure to leave with other teachers so you can't get cornered in the parking lot either![/QUOTE


Words of wisdom! I've had it happen before.
Just be confident, be yourself, answer questions as best you can, and if you are not prepared to address a parent re: their child, offer to meet with them later one on one.
Good luck!!!

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

It's funny - I'm a school counselor and they always let us leave a few minutes before the "9th period" ends. When the school day is "over," all the parents make a beeline to the guidance office

Re: Teachers: Back to School Night

I used to teach HS and I always handed out a copy of the class syllabus and a breakdown of how grades would be calculated.

I generally tried to talk as much as possible to avoid questions like this one, which I got my first year:
Why do they have to take Algebra anyway? I mean are they ever going to use it?