We’re jumping right in y’all. Simplicity and efficiency could both be my middle name. They’re not. That would be weird. BUT THEY WORK. Separately and together. They. Work. Through this new blog series {you’ll also be able to find more in my instagram stories as well as keep up to date through my email list! } called Simplified in a Snap, I want to give you, your colleagues, a new teacher to your team, and/or everyone in between a springboard with alllll the simplicity and efficiency that you need to jump feet first into {fill in the chunk of your day, week, year here}.
And today – we’re starting with. . . . OPEN HOUSE!
*Quick disclaimer: These tips and tricks work and HAVE worked for me, for my students, for my families, and for my school for years. This will be year 17. SEVENTEEN. Sigh. I know they won’t all work perfectly for every one of you, but I am truly hopeful that you will be able to grab at least one nugget from each of these posts to help you throughout your school year! I’m going to keep these bullet points short and to the point as well, but feel free to reach out to me on IG @itssimplyelementary and I’d love to chat it out with you further/in more detail!
Here is how these posts are going to work. Each post – today we start with Open House, soon I’ll be coming with ideas, tips, etc for First Day, routines, organization, management, back to school technology, etc, etc, etc! – will include Must Dos, Must Use (a resource), things Kids Love, things Parents Love, a Top Tip, and a Must No Do. I will also link for you any mentioned resources and/or helpful links that I refer to as we go!
Lastly, each post will have a simplified – because simplicity and efficiency are the theme here – one page resource with all the tips in one place as well as clickable links for you to snag anything you’re interested in in a snap!
Here we go!
⭐️ Must Do –
When it comes to Open House, one thing I’m going to make sure to tell you to do is to SHARE ALL THE THINGS. Even if you think it can wait until the first week or later on in the first month, no. Share it all. At open house. If you wait, the chaos takes over and teacher brain is triumphant. Then, you have confused parents and a scrambling teacher who’s trying to help said confused parents. Share as much as possible right out of the gates at open house. When you answer parent questions before they have to ask you said questions, it’s a win win. Share it all.
⭐️ Must Use
The last 12 ish years or so I’ve been using some sort of slide show (simple slides in PowerPoint/google with helpful information on them) to – yep – SHARE ALL THE THINGS. My delivery of said slideshow has changed and morphed over the years, but in the last three years, I’ve used Google Slides to make it interactive and I send it STRAIGHT to my students’ parents. It includes links, sign ups, forms, and more. I send this slideshow to my parents BEFORE open house so they can read through it as it has some directions regarding open house/the first day of school/etc, and I get the BEST feedback on it! Every year! There are SO many templates to choose from on TPT, but honestly, I find it easiest to suit my class’s needs by just creating my own in Google Slides! If you need help – reach out to me on IG. I’d love to help get you started!
*This template came from Teach Create Motivate on TPT 🙂
⭐️ Kids Love
Gifts and a snack! I don’t go crazy – who has the time and who in the world has the money?! But these two little surprises waiting on my kiddos’ desks always bring smiles!
The kids collect the bookmarks all year long – we voted last year on which bookmark of the year was their favorite {bookmark bundle here!} – and it’s always a win to have a snack in hand! Who can argue with that??
⭐️ Parents Love
I know this next one can vary depending on where you teach, but again – see disclaimer – this is what has worked for me. Parents are always looking for a way to help out. And I don’t know about you, when they ask you what you might need more of, etc, in the moment, I can’t always think of what that is! The overwhelm of back to school is REAL and my brain only functions to a certain degree after all of the prep is said and done! SO I always make sure to have something to direct them to if they ask that question! Here is a little donations display I’ve used in the past and the parents AND KIDS are always excited to pick something out to help!
⭐️ Top Tip
Each year, I try to have the room set up in a way that will let families know what to do the minute they walk in. I don’t always have the luxury of meeting each of them at the door – Sometimes multiple families walk in at once, and I don’t always get to touch base with each family to give directions, introduce myself, etc, the minute they walk in. SO – to 1) save your voice and 2) make it as clear and as comfortable as possible for your new families and students, I have a slide posted with directions, bins clearly labeled for supplies, etc. MAKE IT CLEAR. Whatever you want your families to do before they leave your room on open house night (if anything), be sure they could do that without even speaking to you! Then, when you do get to meet them, you can chat and introduce yourself instead of frantically share directions!
⭐️ Must Not
And lastly, DO NOT try to plan a speech for your parents on open house – even if it’s somewhat of a requirement of your district. Yes, of course comply, and do whatever you’re asked to do, but don’t assume that if you speak it out at open house that your parents are going to hear/remember everything. If your open house is anything like mine, it’s hectic. There’s SO much going on. Not to mention the back to school emails that don’t stop just because you’re 300% occupied because you’re manning a 5489 hour long open house. It’ll be a blur. For you AND your familes. SO – even if you’re required to have a sit-down and present situation to share a, b or c, share your information with them in another way, too. Say – via slideshow that has ALL the things – that your parents will be very grateful to be able to refer back to all. year. long.
⭐️ SIMPLIFIED IN A SNAP CHECKLIST!
So there you have it! Some of my tried and true dos and don’ts for open house! Below, I’m sharing a PDF checklist of sorts that you can download, click to find links, print, use as a road map to either get you started with open house or to help you give something new a try this year!
I truly hope you found this helpful! I’d love to hear your feedback and/or what else you might need my simplified in a snap road maps for! Feel free to leave a comment below or find me on IG!
⭐️Next up . . . .Check back soon for Simplified in a Snap: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
