Off to the Right Start!

A lot of teachers worry about parents. What if they don't like me? What if they complain? What if the parents don't trust me... on and on.  Parents can make you or break you!  A bad reputation amongst the parents can ruin a good teacher's career- especially if your school takes parent requests for classes, which mine does.

Having the parents on your side, and making sure they truly understand what's happening in your class is incredibly important. The last thing you want is the kids going home and saying this or that happened, and the parents getting concerned and going to the principal.

A few people have asked me how it is I can break the mold of the traditional teacher with my creative and inspiring ideas without getting in "trouble."

Well, I'll tell you my secret.

It all comes down to this simple saying:  You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

Like all great teachers, I begin the year with positive communications.  In my last post, I wrote about the magic goodies I will give to the kids for the night before school.  I do something similar for the parents.

At our open house I do all of the regular things.  I give out a letter to the parents, which highlights the rules and policies of our classroom, share a little about myself and my teaching philosophy.  It's what happens AFTER the open house that makes you or breaks you.

Immediately afterwards, I sit down and handwrite a note to each family.  I use their first names and try to include something I enjoyed or learned about them.  A lot of teachers try to keep it formal with the parents, referring to them as Mr. and Mrs. and using a formal name for themselves. However, with parents, I want them to know me, like me and feel like a friend.  So being on a first name basis is important.  Then, here's the best part.  I include a little gift.  Like almost all teachers, I receive a lot of gift cards during the year.  I save them up, and then give one to each parent in their little note.  This communicates to them: I value you.  You are important to me.  I better be just as important to you!

I try to find a way to meaningfully incorporate the gift card into the note.

I just use a simple notecard.  I got these in the dollar section of Michael's.  I stock up on them whenever I go to Michael's, as I send parents little handwritten notes throughout the year.

This is the typical note that I send after the open house.  A couple of points to note; which will hopefully help you as you write your parent notes:

1- Compliment the child.  Even if the child is a nose-picking, shit-head who breaks crayons at the open house, find some way to tell the parents how much you like their kid.

2- Mention their line of work, especially if it has any usefulness to you.  For example, parents who are fitness trainers can come help with our health unit- or better yet, offer me free sessions! I just need to amp up the hints as the year goes on. They will figure it out.  Good lines of business to have extra strong connections in: lawyers, bookstore owners, bail bonds, police officers, dentists, politicians and jewelers.

3- Sneak in a good reason why you're giving them a gift card.  Make them feel appreciated.

I promise you that this strategy works!  I have parents begging to have their child in my class. Not only that, but they definitely reciprocate my appreciations of them, back to me.

Remember the simple saying:  You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.