Meet the teacher is a great event to calm the nerves of both parent and child. It is a chance to peek into your child’s classroom, meet other families who will be in class with your child, preview the curriculum and say hi to the teacher.
As a former teacher, and mom to 3 – I’ve gone through more than a few meet the teacher events.
Here are some of the best Meet the Teacher Tips for parents.
We applied for our daughter to be enrolled at a local charter school with a healthy living focus. Unfortunately, we didn’t “win” the lottery in the spring. They called us the week before school started and with an open spot. We said “Yes!”
Although I wasn’t excited about a full-day kindergarten, I was happy at the opportunities she will have.
The school believes in educating the “whole child” and starts the day with Yoga, allows only healthy foods and gives children the opportunity to play.
Needless to say, we were all a little nervous. It was our first kid, first time in school, first time as a parent at a meet-the-teacher event. Luckily, I’ve done quite a few Meet the Teacher events as the teacher, so I knew a little bit of what to expect.
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Meet the Teacher Tips: Making the Most of Meet the Teacher
1. Show up a few minutes early.
This will give you and your child a moment to take a deep breath, exchange a hug, and put on your happy faces.
2. Listen and only ask questions pertinent to the whole class.
If you would like to know the school’s daily schedule and the teacher didn’t talk about it – ASK. If you want to know how the teacher will be able to keep your strong willed child focused and organized – SAVE this question for a private meeting either in-person or by phone.
The meet the teacher is a very general get-to-know you meeting and is NOT for 1:1 conferencing.
3. Sign up to volunteer.
I’ve got 3 kids and it is near impossible for me to volunteer in the classroom. I always put my contact information on the list and offer to cut and prepare projects at home. I was sent home from Meet the Teacher with a stack of papers and asked to make these stars.
I love that her teacher was willing to welcome me into the classroom community in the capacity that I was able to handle.
4. Ask for the classroom wish list.
If your family is in a financially sound place, ask the teacher if there is a classroom wish list or supplies that need to be purchased for the classroom. Many times teachers purchase items for their classroom with their own pocket money.
When parents can help out – teachers are able to do more science projects, hands-on art, and maybe even cook with the kids.
5. Take pictures of the classroom.
This may sound silly, but I like to take pictures of the classroom and print them out. We can make a home-made book with them and use the images to prompt discussions. These pictures also come in handy when you ask your child what they did all day.
I just take the class pictures out and ask her to point to the station she went to and have her tell me about it.
6. Take a picture of the class list of students
Take a picture of the class list that the teacher or school has posted. This is a quick way to help learn all the kid’s names as a parent and also be able to help your child begin to make new friends at school.
You can use it for making a Personalized First Day of School Book.
7. Find the Positives
There is NO perfect school. There is NO perfect teacher. I start at Meet the Teacher by looking for the positives and making a mental note of them.
Is your child’s teacher organized?
Did they smile when your child walked in the door?
Do they seem excited about the school year?
Is there something about the curriculum you enjoy?
Take note.
There will be things throughout the school year that are not “perfect.”
For example, I love the way that my daughter’s kindergarten teacher combines Montessori and Traditional Education. She is also the sweetest teacher and I feel like my baby will have many opportunities to learn and grow in a safe and caring environment.
When I’m frustrated about something that happens in the classroom, then I will make sure to remember these positive attributes.
If you need to you can also Request a Change in Classroom Placement.
7. Talk about “meet the teacher” with your child
After you have the opportunity to attend Meet the Teacher, and talk with your child about it. Ask questions. Point out the positive things you noticed.
In addition to talking to our daughter about her new classroom, we also read stories about starting school. My husband and I have tried to answer her questions and talk to her about what kindergarten is like.
I think the best advice was when she asked her Papa, “What do I do if I miss Mommy and am sad?” His response was, “Cry!” I was a little shocked at his answer, but my daughter busted out laughing.
I don’t think either of us expected him to say cry. But he followed it up with an explanation, “If you are sad, it is OK to cry. Sometimes it may help you feel better and then you will have an awesome day.”
WOW – isn’t that the truth and I don’t think I could have given her any better advice.
It is ok to be nervous.
It is o.k. to have questions. (both parents and kids)
Did I miss any Meet the Teacher Tips? Leave a comment below and let us know how your Meet the Teacher event went!
Are you looking for more back to school resources? We recommend:
- Kindergarten Supply List
- Open House Tips for Parents
- Morning Routines for School
- First Day of School Books
- First Day of School Poem
This is such a wonderful advice. Thanks for providing such great insights to help parents like us. We will be attending the Thanksgiving week event at our kid’s school, Montclare School. Your insights will surely be put to use.
I really like how you talked about signing up to volunteer. My boy is in elementary school and I’ve been trying to find a way to be more involved in his life since I work nights. Now that I know I can see him at his own school, I’ll be able to have more time with him! Thank you for the helpful school tips!
Fab ideas….I haven't met my youngests new teacher but will be making a point of seeing her on the first day back.
Great ideas. I will be meeting the boys new teachers not long after they start school and thanks for joining my back to school link up
Great ideas! We just had the Meet and Greet with our daughter entering kindergarten. I must confess that I was evaluating the teacher with teacher eyes….not mom's eyes!
How is she doing at school ?
Looks nice and happy you are happy with her and care so much about her education ,
I am a children's yoga teacher!
Thus looks like a wonderful school! The teacher gift is such a cute idea.
Thanks Anne – I have been guest blogging and family blogging and LOVE it – so this blog seemed like a natural way to combine my love of teaching, parenting, and blogging. We love your book posts!! Thanks for joining!
Sounds like a fantastic educational experience. Hope your little girl loves it! thanks for becoming a follower at Little Sprout Books. Looks like you're just getting your blog off the ground – looking forward to seeing more of you!