It’s almost time for my favorite night of the year- Back to School Night! Just kidding, it is most definitely NOT my favorite! Speaking in front of a room full of parents is so much different than speaking in front of kids, and 6 years later I still get nervous! BUT I have found some strategies to make it less stressful than it was during my first year of teaching! I have 7 Back to School Night tips to share with you!
Back to School Night/ Meet the teacher Night
During the second or third week of school we host an event for parents only called Back to School Night. At this event, parents attend informational presentations in their child’s classroom given by the teacher.
We share things like
- School Policies
- Classroom Management and Procedures
- Curriculum
- Grades
- Class Parties Etc.
It is a great time for parents to get to know the teacher and ask any questions. Students do not attend this event, so it is really focused on sharing expectations and information!
My first year ever doing this was SO nerve-wracking. As a first year teacher, I was feeling major imposter syndrome! I barely knew my way around the school let alone my classroom management policies and procedures! Luckily, my students’ parents were so wonderful and supportive and at least made me feel like I knew what I was talking about!
The next year I knew I wanted to feel more organized and prepared. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite tips for a successful back to school night!
Back to School Night Tip #1
Use a Visual
I’m sharing this tip first because it is the number 1 thing that helped me to feel more confident while giving a Back to School Night Presentation!
To help me to feel super organized and prepared, I created a PowerPoint slideshow with all of the information I wanted to share with the parents. I had a slide for every topic I wanted to discuss and bullet points with the exact things I wanted to say.
Having something to look at and reference while I was speaking made me SO much calmer.
The best part is I can use it year after year! I save my slideshow and just make adjustments as needed!
You can grab my Editable Back to School Night Slides to create your own! It includes over 40 editable slides to share important information about your classroom. Simply add your own text and you are good to go! Select and arrange the slides that fit your needs!
Back to School Night Tip #2
Give parents a copy of your information
I have found that giving parents a copy of the information you share during Back to School Night will save you from answering a TON of emails during the first few weeks of school with questions. (Although there will definitely still be some!😂)
I used to give a flip book with all of our classroom information! The ones pictured are from Learning in Wonderland!
However, to save myself time the past couple years I have either:
- Emailed a copy of the Powerpoint I made to parents OR
- Printed the PowerPoint using the notes setting with multiple slides per page -this option is nice because parents can look at it while you are presenting and take any notes they need to!
This way I am working smarter and not harder!
Back to School Night Tip #3
Have a drop off area for school supplies
Our Back to School Night happens after school has already started, but I wanted to share this tip for those who have it before the first day of school!
We have an open house the week before school starts, and I always send an email encouraging parents to bring in their child’s school supplies.
I have a station set up in my classroom with colored, labeled baskets for parents to quickly sort the supplies. This saves me so much time and cuts down on a lot of chaos during the first day of school!
Back to School Night Tip #4
Showcase some fun student work
If you have already started school before your Back to School Night, this tip is for you! I love showcasing some of the work that students have done during our first week together.
I use this Back to School Night student writing activity so students can share about what they’ve done in first grade so far!
You can grab this Back to School Night Student Writing Activity here!
I also like doing one of these No Prep Writing Crafts to have hanging up in the classroom! These are perfect as a first week of school activity!
You can grab them here for free!
Back to School Night Tip #5
Have a cute donation station
Another one of my favorite Back to School night tips is to set up a Donation Station! If you are at a school that has great parent involvement, a donation station is a wonderful way to get some supplies for your classroom that you would normally have to pay out of pocket for! I have found that there are so many parents who what to help, but don’t know what you need!
Back to School Night Tip #6
Give parents something fun to take home
I love having a fun snack set out at each seat for parents to have during the presentation or to take home!
These tags by Glitter and Glue 4 K-2 are adorable! She uses them for blow pops, but I attached them to little popcorn bags!
Back to School Night Tip #7
Remember parents can be nervous too!
When you’re feeling anxious or feel that imposters syndrome kicking in, remember this is brand new for parents too! They love their child more than anything and just want to know that you’re going to love them also! Make sure, above all else, to communicate to parents how much you care about your students and that you are a team. ❤️
What are your favorite Back to School night tips? Let me know in the comments!
