How to Create a Welcoming School Open House Night

School Open House Night is your opportunity to build a foundation of trust between school and parents. Parents are a teacher's biggest ally in motivating students to succeed and be self-disciplined.

Things You'll Need

• "Welcome Parents" sign
• Clutter-free classroom
• Adult-sized chairs
• Invitations via both mail and email
• Student-produced artwork and projects
• Copy of classroom rules
• Contact information
• Day planner
• Student tour guides
• Light refreshments

Instructions

1. Make a "Welcome Parents" sign for your classroom door. Take photos of your students at work in the days leading up to the open house. Arrange the photos on the sign so that parents can see what you have been doing. Display student artwork and projects throughout the room. Have students serve as "tour guides" for their parents, telling what they did and why, and showing what they learned from their projects.

2. De-clutter your classroom. If you have piles of papers waiting to be graded, old overhead masters, folders of past student work, art and craft supplies, or other accumulated objects, put them away, give them away or throw them away. Teachers tend to hoard items, partly out of a fear that you "might need it someday." If someday has not come anytime in the past 9 months, it is unlikely to ever do so in the future. A cluttered classroom reduces space that could otherwise be used to enhance learning. It implies carelessness and disorganization.

3. Create a comfortable, welcoming environment by arranging several comfortable, adult-sized chairs in a conversation grouping. It is neither cute nor welcoming to expect parents to choose between sitting in child sized chairs or standing. Most parents work and had to rush dinner, find a baby sitter and fight the tail end of rush hour traffic to be able to attend. Show your appreciation for their effort.

4. Send out invitations. Have students make invitations and decorate the envelopes. Mail them two weeks before the date of the Open House. Do not send them home with your students. It is too easy for them to be lost between home and school. If you have email addresses for parents, send an email reminder out as well, two or three days ahead of time.

5. Display your classroom rules and have a copy for parents to take home with them. Be sure to have full contact information available. Have your day planner handy to make an appointment with parents who have questions specific to their child's progress.

6. Serve light refreshments. Coffee, tea and an assortment of baked goods will make everyone feel welcome. Ask staff and students to bring two dozen of their favorites. Solicit parents' opinions on future class projects. Be sure to implement as much of their input as is practical.

7. Thank everyone for coming. The meeting is the first step in building a positive relationship and showing your gratitude is important.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not wait until there is a problem to build trust.

• Be aware of confidentiality issues. Make an appointment to discuss specifics rather than taking a chance of embarrassing a child or a parent.

Resources

• Open house ice breakers
• When first impressions matter