Open House A Set-up Guide for Teachers Presentation

Open House: A Set-up Guide for Teachers Presentation by: Amanda Scout Juli Trush

Who Are We? v Amanda Scout English teacher 7 th grade Clyde-Savannah Jr. /Sr. High School 3 rd-year teacher v Juli Trush Art teacher Studio Art grades 9 -12 Elementary Art grades 1 -5 Chittenango Central school 3 rd year teacher

What is the Purpose of “Open House”? v For parents to meet teachers and vice versa. v Gives parents the chance to find out what their children are learning in each class. v Gives parents the chance to see the environment their students are in each day.

What to Have Available: v. Parent sign-in sheet Parents sign their name and the name of their child Let’s you know who came (and who didn’t) Especially helpful if a lot of parents attend

What to Have Available: v. Handouts Ø Course outline • Class rules • Class expectations • Consequences • Grade calculation Ø Homework policy Ø How to access teacher/class website • Example: Miss Scout's Page

What to Have Available: v. Updated student grades Have grade book so parents can see their child’s grades Have copies of grades (ex. grade printouts) for parents to take with them

What to Have Available: v. Parent-teacher conference sign-up Good for parents who want an indepth conversation with you on their child’s progress Not a good idea to try to have on Open House night – too many other parents want your attention

What to Have Available: v. Current student work Have them in folders (ex. by class period) Have samples posted around the classroom Examples:

Variations: v The suggestions given in this presentation can be modified for different grade levels (elementary, middle, high school) Example: Some schools have parents follow their child’s schedule: • Each class is a certain length (5 -10 minutes) – this way they go to each class • Parents/students come and sit down while the teacher gives a short presentation: • Good idea: Have an agenda written on the board of what you’ll talk about • Have a short question/answer session at the end

Tips to Remember: • Smile - parents want to see that you are welcoming, upbeat and like what you do. • Have materials available for parents to pick up – especially good for kids who don’t/don’t like to bring things home. • Don’t try to have an in-depth parent-teacher conference – there are other parents there and you don’t want to neglect them. • Make sure your classroom is neat and inviting: Ø This will make parents more comfortable being there. Ø It will also make them more comfortable that their children attend a clean, safe environment every day.

Are There Any Questions?