Giving Parents a Lens into the Classroom

I believe it is important to invite parents into the classroom. With the use of email and hyperlinks they have a lens now that I could not have given when I first started teaching 19 years ago! I try to share things to help parents guide the conversations at home with students. Instead of asking "How was your day?" parents can now ask "I heard you have snack time whenever you want. How do you feel about that?" 

My day one email looks like this: 

Students came in and learned how we greet each other in this class. Teaching students how to shake hands and make an entrance each morning builds confidence. Students received agent numbers, received a certificate and the secret agent creed, and read a letter from me. All of these things will be coming home in your child's backpack so make sure to look out for them!

You  might hear we have some privileges ! I went over our guidelines and privileges with the students. View the presentation here! (If your agent was not here today he or she should look over this presentation.) Students can go to the bathroom when they would like. I just ask that he or she puts a pass on his or desk. If someone already has the pass he or she just needs to let me know. Agents can sit where they choose throughout the day. Got some fist pumps for that. We allow gum chewing and music, with some stipulations. Students are also able to check one book out of our classroom library at a time to bring home. There is also no assigned snack time. Students can choose when they want to eat. We also have a microwave to heat things up (just not popcorn). I try to create a close to real world environment as possible in here, removing the 4 walls. The globe is our classroom! I did let students know these are all privileges that if taken advantage of we lose for a day. They seemed to think all of this was fair. 

We received our materials, read The Gas We Pass and Everybody Poops and discussed social etiquette around this, and shared how we learn best through visual selfies on paper Instagram templates.  We ended our day learning about our Appreciation, Apology, and A-HA time. 

I hope your agent comes home excited about the year ahead of him or her. 

Thanks to those of you who filled out the few Google Forms I had sent out prior to school starting. For those of you who need the links again:

Birthday Book Celebration

Getting to Know You

Class Friendship Book 

Voluntary: 

RSVP for parent trainings 

If you are looking for a great way to kick off the first day, I highly suggest a play doh activity. Thanks to Heather Marshall for that spark! 

This took 15 minutes to write and makes the world of difference to a child's home life. I encourage you all to give parents a lens into your classroom!