Twas' The Night Before Back to School Night

Back to school night is one of my favorite school events.  I love meeting the kids I will spend my days with and their families.  It is also fun having former students and families drop by for a visit.  It's a long day though since it is in the evening.  One of the things that has helped me feel prepared and enjoy the evening is the organization in the classroom. 

 

Magic Fairy Dust for the children (and families) who might be nervous about their first full day school experience.  Check out this post to learn more!

 

 

Wishing Stars are items to help our classroom but are not on our school supply list.  I try to add variety so that if families are interested they have options based on their child's interests and their financial situation.

 

Table tents give directions so that families do not have to ask questions about what to do with items around the room.  At this table, they are given information about healthy snacks and asked to volunteer if interested in sending a snack for August.  A monthly snack calendar begins in September.  There is also information about myself and our classroom on this table.  Other tables are set up around the room similar to this one.  Families are asked to sign up for parent teacher conferences, volunteering in the classroom, and permission for children's photographs as well as give their email address(es) so that they can be updated via that form of communication. 

 

 

Another trick I have learned over time...

 

 

My school uses the Responsive Classroom approach.  If you want to learn more you can check out some resources here:  https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/ or http://www.originsonline.org/responsive-classroom .  One element of the approach is teaching children how to use everything in the room using classroom expectations.  Therefore, most of the items around the room are covered with butcher paper and coming soon or opening soon signs.  This also helps with the mess that I encountered in my earlier years during back to school night.

 

 

What is your favorite part of back to school night or favorite part of the beginning of the school year?