Building Relationships with Parents/First Days of SchoolGrades 3-5

Welcome! A little about me!

First Day Jitters

Establish Classroom Climate• Can you tolerate noise? Must the room always be quiet? • Must your classroom be neat (orderly rows, clean boards,

limited clutter) or can you stand it messy?• How do you want student to turn in work?

Important First Days Advice

• Be Professional (dress, attitude, manner)• Be Prepared• Be Organized (whatever this means for you)• Be Patient• Be a Real Person, and Honor Each Student as a

Real Person• Be Sensible with Discipline• Be Aware of Your Own Needs

Reasons to Contact Parents?

• Thoughts on this? • Good reports?• Bad days?• Test days?

Biggest Reason for Most Parent Contact is…Discipline!• Be consistent!• Rarely sit down!• Quickly learn and use student names• Find an effective means of quieting students,

avoid “SHHHHH”• Avoid using threats for control of the class but if

you do, be prepared to carry it out• Don’t make promises you can’t keep• When possible discipline a child one-on-one

instead of across the room

How will you contact parents?• In my situation, it depends on the reason…• Agenda?• Phone call?• Notes?• Request a conference?

My thoughts on parent contact• Establish a positive rapport with parents and administration

(you will have some meeting with both)• Keep good, strong lines of communication open between you

and parents • Decide how you want to be contacted (email, school phone,

personal phone, text messages, face-to-face)…My advice is NOT to communicate through social medias (our district does not allow it)

• Don’t be afraid to contact parents• Contact parents about positive changes also• Encourage parents to be proud of their children• Provide opportunities to volunteer/participate in the

classroom

Keep a Parent Contact Log• Some school districts will require this• Make it simple and keep it handy!• I don’t use a log to keep track of notes in agenda books, but for

conferences and phone calls I try to make quick notes!

• Date Type of Contact Reason for Contact Outcome

Attention Grabbers• Teacher: Ba da ba ba ba (McDonald’s Theme) Students: I’m Lovin’ It!• Teacher: Na na na na, na na na na Students: Hey, hey, hey, goodbye• Teacher: Hocus Pocus Students: Everybody focus!• Teacher: Macaroni and Cheese Students: Everybody freeze!• Teacher: Tootsie Roll, Lollipop Students: We’ve been talking, now let’s stop!

•Don’t Get Stuck…ask for help!

•Have Fun!•In memory of some great role models!

Have Fun!!!!

Fun Sites to Check Out…if we have time!• www.teachertube.com• Brainpop and Brainpop Jr• Learn360• www.storylineonline.net/• Edhelper• www.superteacherworksheets.com• Education World