These free printables are a wonderful reference to parents asking how to help their child at home. Perfect for back to school or parent teacher conferences.
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School opened a new classroom this month, but instead of students doing the learning, this time it’s the parents.
Family and Community Engagement is essential. It is important to involve the entire school in creating an environment that supports parents. We
Fin décembre 2014, mise en place de nouveaux cahiers de liaisons : Cahier de transmission.pdf 2009 à 2014 Les Couvertures des cahiers et présentations Autres présentations Notre cahier de vie C&rsq…
How do I know it's back to school time? My plants are dead. All of my plants that I grew so lovingly in the spring, watered all ...
Parent involvement matters. In this post, the benefits of having parent support are shared. Parent handouts for teachers are included.
Editable preschool parent handouts. These editable back to school handouts is designed to help your preschool parents support their child.
Just a quick note before I link up with Cara, but don't Happy 4th of July! Make sure you run over to my Facebook page and get TONS of freebi...
Parent involvement matters. In this post, the benefits of having parent support are shared. Parent handouts for teachers are included.
Vous avez été plusieurs à me demander un modèle de cahier de liaison, c’est donc chose faite 😄 !
Ok, so we may *technically* be in our second week of school, but I wanted to share my “Meet the Teacher” day with you! So we’ll just call this little post a “Back to School Rewind”. 😉 Now, I don’t know about you, but I just absolutely <3 Meet the Teacher day! I […]
I'm the kind of person that likes to get ready for the next year before the end of this year. I know. You can call me crazy. It's ok. I understand. But it's the way I am. So what am I getting ready? Forms to send home during Meet and Greet: My Parent Survey (it's free!). I keep this in my communication folder. This is what I send home so that I can take pictures for my blog. I know it has my information on it, but if you need it for something else, then maybe you can use it as a template. Click HERE to download it. And I send this home so that I can show some movies that are apparently PG. Click HERE to download it. Click the picture below to get all these forms in my {TPT store} I'm also restocking my calendar bins for next year! Head over to {THIS} post to see how I organize all of my monthly calendar-type activities. I already have my calendar pieces done...but I'm getting ready all the pages that I want to use IN the calendar bundle. Check out my post on the calendar bundle HERE. Our monthly poetry covers are printed up for the year. Find out how I use poetry in the classroom and download the covers for free {HERE} I also have our monthly writing journal covers ready to go... the journals themselves aren't done yet, but hopefully I'll have a wonderful parent volunteer next year to do them for me. See how I use the journals and download the covers for free {HERE}. I've also sent my Spelling Journals to the Print Shop. I'm opting to use these this year instead of doing my phonics notebook, only because it's my first year in First grade AND at my new school, so I want to see what they can handle before I dive in full force! haha. But I used my Phonics Notebook this year and LOVED it...You can check that out HERE. I've also sent my Vocabulary Journals to our print shop (I like send things to the print shop because they copy off a whole class set, with a cover and back cover AND bind them with a spiral thingy.... to me, NOT having to do it is worth me paying for it! lol) Check out my vocabulary Journals HERE. I also have copied off all the writing pages and family notes for our Monthly Family Projects! IF I have enough time, I might even get frisky and run off all the templates for the crafts! I'm also getting ready our Memory Books for next year... as we're finishing up this year's Memory books! lol You can read more about them {HERE} There are "All About Me" pages for the beginning of the year and the end of the year, so you can see the difference between the 2 times of year. It's always so fun to see the changes! Then, there are monthly writing pages, so the students can write about what they learned that month. The kids have really been having fun with this. Check them out in my TpT store {HERE}. You can grab a FREEBIE from these memory books {HERE} I have also printed out and laminated my personal behavior charts that I use from Rachelle. You can read my post on how I use them {HERE}, although, I must say, I am thinking of changing the plan...again! haha! I've also printed up my name tags for next year - I love that I don't have to go on a hunt to buy them every year! They have everything I want on them! You can download them for free on {THIS} post. I've had my wonderful parent volunteer trace and cut out my jerseys for me. In the beginning of the year, the kids decorate their jersey with their number on it and I leave them up all year. Why do they have numbers? FOR SO MANY THINGS! I have a post on what I use numbers for {HERE}. And last but not least, I got all planned out for next year! I came across Traci's curriculum planner, and I knew it would be perfect for me since I don't use the district adopted series. I have my whole year planned out! This is such a beautiful sight. I wish I had this for this year as a first year 1st grade teacher. but now I won't be so "lost" next year - haha! Check it out on Traci's blog {HERE}! WHEW!! That's a lot! And I still have more on my list to do for next year! And, um, this year isn't even over yet - haha! Oh well. I will be thankful next year in the beginning of the year.
As teachers, one of our greatest resources can be the parents of the students we work with. It takes time and effort to foster strong relationships with parents, but it is often more than worth it in the end. I've worked with parents that are ready to jump right in and become a partner right away and others that needed more coaxing. There are several things you can do to create a welcoming environment that produces parent allies or even parent partners. This list is going to contain things I have done in my classroom, things my friends have shared with me, and things that I have thought about implementing when I get back into the classroom after my parental leave is over. Do not feel the pressure to do all of these things at the same time. You know your classroom and the parents you're working with best. You want to include them without overwhelming them. Do what feels right to you! Reach Out Right Away The easiest was to open a positive dialogue is to send a letter home before school even starts. Include something in the envelope for the student and something for the parents to introduce yourself. Give them your contact information and when you're available to take phone calls. Something I have not done, but I will consider doing in the future is including a photograph of myself and any other adult working in the classroom. My daughter's teachers did this and it lessened a lot of her anxiety as she prepared for the new school year. Teach Them About the Programs Often times, our parents have been out of the classroom as a student for years and have never been in the classroom as a teacher. Some of the programming may be confusing or overwhelming. I like to share which reading and math programs we will be using, along with any websites that may be helpful for them to use at home. Another thing I like to share with the parents I am working with is some information about the special education program their child is in. I created a Parent's Guide to Co-teaching that has been very helpful and well-received. If you're co-teaching, I encourage you to check it out! Accept Help When it is Offered How many times has a parent offered to help you and you politely declined? I know that sometimes it feels like it can be more work to find something for them to do, but often times the parents are literally willing to do anything to help! At the beginning of the year, create a list of things that you would be willing to hand off to a helpful parent, should they ask. Some of the help I have accepted (and offered as a parent) are running centers during rotations, organizing the classroom library, making copies, making play-dough, cutting out lamination pieces, and creating bulletin boards. Regular Communication Regular and expected communication is so important. Whether you send home a communication log, behavior charts, or newsletters, it is important to be consistent. When you have consistent positive communication, it will be easier to approach a parent about any issues that may arise. For some of my less verbal students, that means a daily communication log. I found that a lot of parents felt that the book was mine and they didn't feel comfortable writing in it so I created a printable version that I love! Not only does it encourage the parents to write in it every day, I can easily check off information and add in details as needed. Having a layout to write in saves me a lot of time when I have multiple logs to fill out at the end of the day. Newsletters are also great for communication! I know that as a parent, I love knowing what is going on in the classroom. I like to include a lot of photographs in my newsletters so that it makes the families I work with feel like they are a part of the classroom. Encourage Questions Welcome questions! Most of the time, when a parents is questioning something that you're doing in the classroom, they are honestly wondering the reasoning or research behind it. They want to know more so they can understand what is working and not working for their child. Take the time to answer their questions and alleviate their concerns. Make yourself approachable! Put Your Listening Ears On Do you know what goals the parents in your classroom have for their children? Are you aware of their short term and long term concerns? You may be the expert in education, but they are the expert in their child. They are a valuable resource and you will learn so much if you just listen. Before special education meetings, I like to ask for parental input. You can either call or ask on paper. I like to send home an IEP Parent Input sheet a few weeks before a meeting which gives the families enough time to really think about any questions, concerns, or goals they have. Do Not Judge or Take Offense Every family situation is different. Do not be judgmental if something is going on at home that you do not agree with, such as a child being allowed to stay up until midnight on a school night. You do not know the reasoning behind that decision or the parent may not know that is difficult for their child to focus after those late nights. Present your concern. Listen to the parent. Offer suggestions if opportunity arrises. Just like you, they are more likely to share their difficulties when they are confident they will not be judged. Do not take things personally. You are working with humans and sometimes it can become stressful for everybody involved. Sometimes harsh words are thrown in your direction. Do not take critiques or negative words personally. Take a deep breath and move on. Don't forget, that you are the professional. Of course, sometimes the negative comments can get out of hand. In this case, ask another teacher or an administrator to sit in on any contact you have with that parent to protect yourself. You can read more about how I handle difficult meetings in this blog post. Share Data Teachers are not the only ones that like data! When you do an assessment, send it home. If you are progress monitoring, keep the parents informed on how things are going. I have checklists upon checklists that are helpful in these situations. The parents you work with will thank you for the constant educational updates! I am always looking for more ways to involve parents in my classroom! I would love to hear what else you do to encourage parent involvement!
Are you looking for ways to have classroom parent volunteers? Here is a list of 50 ideas to use parent volunteers int the classroom. #parentvolunteers #classroommanagement
Our students spend 8 hours a day in our classrooms, and even though I’m not a parent, I can’t imagine not knowing what’s going on. So from Weebly, to Twitter, to newsletters, to Y…
Are you looking for ways to have classroom parent volunteers? Here is a list of 50 ideas to use parent volunteers int the classroom. #parentvolunteers #classroommanagement
Learn more about creating a classroom handbook flipbook that houses all of your back to school info in one handout, and parents will actually keep it.
14. Le cahier de Liaison Quand des parents se séparent, la relation de couple est finie mais la relation de parents subsiste. C’est la fameuse coparentalité qui demeure même après une rupture car l’enfant commun reste évidemment commun. Dans une séparation...
Every teacher must keep a few important things in mind when communicating with parents. Do you know what they are?
One of the first rules of parent communication is documentation. Ideas and a free printable to make documenting and organizing parent communication easy!
Do you want to develop lasting relationships with your parents and families? Use this ultimate list of parent workshop topics and start engaging today.
Intentionally fostering interactions among teachers, parents, and community partners helped one school create a more inviting event.
Family and Community Engagement is essential. It is important to involve the entire school in creating an environment that supports parents. We
