to tell parents on the 1st day of school...to go home? You know there will be parents who want to hang around and see what happens in the classroom. To be honest, they can say goodbye..and I'll see them at 3:30. Any ideas to put it nicely? :woot:
You could tell your students to give their parents one last hug or kiss and then to tell their mom/dad that they will see them at 3:30pm.
I like your advice. I know its hard on parents to let the kids go but they have to or they will take forever adjusting. if they stick around the kids will expect that each and every day. I would just explain that to the parents in a nice way. They ought to understand.
That's mainly an issue in kindergarten and maybe first grade, in my opinion, but not second grade, from what I've heard. The longest they may stay is about 10-15 minutes to help them unload/organize some supplies.
If your Open House occurs before the first day of school, I would even suggest encouraging parents to leave after getting their child settled in the classroom.
Our PTO hosts a BooHoo/Wahoo breakfast with muffins & juice in the school library. it is for kindergarten & first grade. They encourage first grade parents to go to act as support for the K parents. Some first grade parents are sad to have their child go full day as our K in half day. Our principal cames in and calls the parents out to go down to the library.
My parents stick around forever too, but I understand that they are sending their medically fragile or handicapped kiddo to me and they don't know me. I don't like it when they hang around, but I certainly understand it! I try to stress calling, sending in a note or email If you teach young 'uns, they will come!
Fragile or handicapped or not, they aren't newborns, and the parents need to let go. (Didn't mean for that to sound so crude.) My thing is to scoot the kids into the bathroom in our room and tell mom/dad with a big smile on my face... Have a nice day, he/she will be just fine!!! Don't worry! See you this afternoon.
Some teachers in my building tell the class to wave goodbye to mom's and dad's. The parents get the hint and leave. I've been fortunate that the principal will announce that parents must exit the building so that the instructional day can begin.
I usually wait until about 15 minutes after the bell. By then most of the kids have filtered in and found their desks. Some of the parents will have left by then, and for those who are lingering I will announce "Alright boys and girls! Let's wave goodbye to our parents and get started with our fun first day of school! Bye, moms and dads!" The kids wave and call goodbye, the parents wave back and leave!
I usually stand at the front of the door and greet each student. I let them in about 5 -10 minutes early so that they can put there stuff away and get seated. When the bell goes off I tell the students that the bell has rung and it is time to get started. Let's say goodbye to our moms and dads. I also tell the parents to have a good day!
I had my first taste of parents not leaving last year...they walked in with their precious angels and WOULD NOT LEAVE. They stood there in the front of the room staring at me. So...I said (with a huge smile on my face, in my best singsong voice) "Thank you so much for visiting our classroom. I promise to take very good care of your children. Students, wave goodbye to moms/dads/grandmas!" and started to herd them out the door. The first grade teacher lets them stay as long as they want. So it makes it hard for me.
Short and sweet. "Say bye to Mum and Dad guys!" (madly waving). I had a problem with preschool siblings last year. Mum thought it was so cute that the 3 year old wanted to come to school and pretended sitting at a big desk. Oh my gosh, get real! I had to not only shoo mum out, but shoo out the little guy who kept running in the other door. Finally, I looked at mum and said, "we really need to get on with it here. Can you take him out please?"
After having parents that did not leave last year (and one video-taping the whole thing!) I was thinking about not letting the parents follow us inside to the classroom (we meet the classes outside)... but if the other teachers let parents in, I would probably have to as well. I think once all the kids are at a desk (with playdough), I will tell them to wave good-bye. Hopefully everyone will get the point!
I had this same problem last year...in 3rd grade! There were about 5 moms that just stood at the back of the classroom and would not leave. I'm always nervous enough on the first day of school as it is! I'm known as being a teacher who LOVES parental involvement, so I think that they didn't think I'd mind. If it were any other time I would have loved their presence, but not on a crazy first day of school.
Video taping?! Wow, that's pretty intense. I can see video taping your kid on the front steps of your house or walking into the classroom and waving goodbye, but the whole thing?? I would be so insanely nervous and caught off-guard...hope that doesn't happen!
My FIRST YEAR I had a parent come in with a video camera! I did my best to ignore it and he didn't stay long (thank goodness). The first day I addressed the parents and told them the next day was open house and I hoped to see them there, but now "it's time for one last hug and we will start our first day of first grade!" They all left. Another one of our first grade teachers had parents until 10:30! I think if you make it clear you are saying goodbye to them, most parents will take the hint.
Videotaping! Wow our parents have to sign a consent form allowing their kids to be videotaped or photographed and not all agree to that. I can understand videotaping their own child but now a days it is getting more strict. When I was student teaching we couldn't even record another student's voice without parental consent. I don't mind camera pictures but videotaping without running it by me or the principal is a bit too much. I guess I'm a bit old school.
At my school, we don't start pulling our Special Ed students until the second week of school. One of the jobs I was given last year on the first day was "sweeper". I went up and down the hall, and into classrooms if needed, gently guiding parents out of the school. (Most went with a gentle nudge, some needed me to be more forceful).
