Y’all, the aisles at big box stores are already stocked with Back to School supplies for kids and teachers. It feels like summer literally just started! And yet…right now really is the best time to get ahead on some of your first Day of School to-do items, like prepping your Meet the Teacher strategy. Doing this now will set you up for special education success!
Why Meeting the Teacher Still Matters
In years past, the “preview” day was the first, best, and often only time you’d get to see your child’s teacher. Other than some vague newsletters, an invitation to the holiday musical production, or report cards, you might not hear from the teacher again. Now, we all have apps that are constantly pinging with alerts about attendance, the next field trip, or requests for PTA donations. It feels like you’re in constant contact with your child’s teacher all the time.
But you’re also not getting to see them or make a strong positive connection. As a teacher and parent, I can assure you that establishing and maintaining a bond with the teacher still matters in our digital age.
First, teachers are tasked with shepherding 20 or more students through each school day, ensuring that all their physical, emotional, and educational needs are met. It’s hard to do that if parents aren’t staying in touch.
Second, teachers never want the first time they speak to you to be about something “bad”, like a bad grade or poor behavior. Getting some facetime on a low stakes, no stress day like Meet the Teacher is a great way to start on the right foot.
Third, teachers almost never hear what a great job they are doing. If they are reading emails from parents, it’s almost always about something negative or at best neutral. Starting the year with a totally positive interaction can help later if you need to share something that’s less than wonderful.
Basically, meeting the teacher still matters because you, as the parent, want to get started on a positive note, with real in-person connection. It will only help your child later!
How to Meet the Teacher
Every school and school district runs their before school meet and greet day a little differently. This can be based on the actual grade levels of the students, the teacher training schedules, or district policies.
Preschool and Elementary School
In general, many elementary and primary schools will hold an open house style drop in session during the week right before school starts. In our area, the schools often do this on the Friday before school. They also pair this with releasing the teacher assignments for the year, making it extra important to be there in person.
Teachers will be in the classrooms for a set period of time, often 9-12 or 8-11. Families are welcome to swing by the school at any time during that window.
Students will be directed to their homeroom classrooms by school staff. Inside the classroom, they can check out their desk location, make sure any pre-ordered supplies have arrived, and see if any friends are also in that class.
At the same time, the teacher will likely be sharing some critical information, like:
- Homework policies
- Specials schedules, for PE, Art, Music, etc.
- Daily schedule, so that kids and grownups generally know when recess and lunch are happening
- Class-specific things, like how to enter the room, where to put supplies, best way to stay in touch
Parents can ask questions, share (brief) information, and reconnect with other families after a summer away from school.
Middle and High School
As kids transition into middle and high school, they also move away from the single teacher/single classroom model. Now, they will have different teachers for every single class! It’s a big change for kids and parents.
Some middle schools or high schools may also offer a drop-in style Meet the Teacher day. This will likely resemble the elementary version. Teachers will be in their classrooms to meet and greet students and families, sharing information about how their class operates and what to expect on Day 1. Students will have the chance to navigate the halls and try out different routes between locations. This is also a good time for students to practice locating and opening their lockers, if this is a thing in your school.
Others may provide a trial day for students who are moving from elementary to middle or middle to high school. In our district, rising 6th grade students follow a typical school day from start to finish, arrival to dismissal. Students can practice how they are getting to and from school as well as meeting each teacher, walking around the building, and getting a sense of how their day will run.
The biggest change is often for parents, as we move from a very hands-on model in elementary school to a more hands-off model in middle and high school. As kids mature, they are typically expected to take on more ownership of their education. With this comes less routine communication between teachers and parents. Students are charged with remembering due dates, test days, and their schedules. Of course, there are absolutely supports in place at school and parents should still be involved!
Set Your Child Up for Special Education Success
Meeting the teacher before, or very in, the school year is a great way to set up a positive relationship. This is a time to share information and establish trust.
A great way to help the teacher know your child is with an All About Me page. Basically, it’s a single page of paper that includes all the essentials:
- Child’s name
- Child’s picture (or a drawing of themself)
- Strengths at school
- Supports that work
- School concerns or challenges
- Your contact info
- How your child gets home each day
All About Me pages are great for every child, but are really important for students with education plans like IEPs and 504 Plans. Truthfully, keeping track of the IEP goals and accommodations for multiple students can be a lot! Having a quick reference for what your child needs can help the teacher follow the IEP or 504 more effectively. Special education success and compliance is all about communication, follow through, and partnerships.
If you’re making an All About Me page for your child with an IEP or 504 Plan, you might want to also add (as applicable):
- Basic IEP goal info
- Accommodations
- Behavior strategies
- Calming strategies
- Preferences
- Triggers/non-preferred things
- Tip and tricks
I also like All About Me pages because it allows parents to share the most critical basic information without a long conversation. And all of that information is in writing!
For older kids, help them make their own introduction. Create a script that they can use at the Back to School meet-and-greet. Then rehearse several times beforehand.
You can also work on an email from your child to their teacher(s). This email should introduce your child, share some background, showcase his/her personality, and include information about any education plan (IEP/504) in place. Your child can send the same email to all of their teachers at once or personalize it for each person.
Build Better Communication Systems with the Teacher
Starting with Meet the Teacher and an All About Me page is great, but it’s what you do next that will really set you and your child up for success at school. It’s truly all about establishing communication and then following up regularly.
During the first week or so of school, reach out via email with a friendly email, like this:
We’re excited to be in your classroom this year! I know that CHILD is happy to (positive thing 1) and (positive thing 2) in GRADE/CLASS. Please reach out at any time.
That’s it! Short, sweet, to the point, and establishes that first point of contact.
It’s also easier to reach out with future questions, concerns, or wonderings. Plus, it lets the teacher know that you’re both on Team Child, working together to benefit your student.
To cement your positive communication routine, you could plan to send a friendly email at regular intervals, once per grading period or every month. In these emails, highlight something that your child enjoyed, learned, or was excited about at school.
Regular, positive communication between home and school truly does make any tough moments that pop up simpler and less stressful. It builds trust and rapport. Plus, you’ll be setting your child up for special education success.