Back to School Night
Purpose of the Back to School Night
Back to school night is upon us next week. We will have our school building full of curious and happy
parents willing to hear about all the amazing learning opportunities CA Elementary School has to offer daily basis.
The purpose of the Back to School Night is to help parents to learn to know their teachers, feel that their children are
cared for, learn an overview of the kinds of learning is taking place in their classroom, and that they
know their role as parents in supporting their child's learning. It is a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate
the core values of the school and the IB PYP. The time is limited, so we have to be effective and succinct with
our communication. Let's think about our audience, their background, and the expectations for our event.
Agenda for the teachers' presentation should include at least the following:
- Introduction of the teacher(s) and assistants in the grade level- Overview of the daily routines for learning, school's policy on homework, Student Handbook
classroom expectations
- General and practical information about Units of Inquiry, language, and math programs
- Suggestions/ideas on how to best support their child at home
- When/how do the parents hear about their child's progress, ES reporting cycle
- Suggestions/ideas on how to best support their child at home
- When/how do the parents hear about their child's progress, ES reporting cycle
- What is their role as parents in supporting their child's learning (Dos and Don'ts)
Presentation guidelines:
General guidelines:
- Collaborative planning to ensure a common message
- Classroom teachers decide how much time is spent together and how much separately
- It is important to give parents the opportunity to spend time in their child's classroom.
- It is important to give parents the opportunity to spend time in their child's classroom.
Even if it was only a few minutes in the end.
- Consider, whether the students would write/draw a message to their parents and/or vice versa
- Heikki will announce changes as well as when the BTSN are over via PA system
- Consider, whether the students would write/draw a message to their parents and/or vice versa
- Heikki will announce changes as well as when the BTSN are over via PA system
Suggestions for effective presentations:
- Interactive, positive, avoid lecturing
- If you use slide shows avoid text-heavy slides
- Prefer demonstrations and/or games over lengthy explanations
- Consider having a brief slideshow of the students/teachers in the grade level
- Use exit cards or similar activity to gauge Q&A
- Encourage and offer separate appointment times for individual parent questions/concerns
- If you want your parents to know more about certain areas of learning, consider providing home readings
Logistical Support
Signs will be posted in hallways
Kae, Yoshiko will help parents to navigate between the different places- Interactive, positive, avoid lecturing
- If you use slide shows avoid text-heavy slides
- Prefer demonstrations and/or games over lengthy explanations
- Consider having a brief slideshow of the students/teachers in the grade level
- Use exit cards or similar activity to gauge Q&A
- Encourage and offer separate appointment times for individual parent questions/concerns
- If you want your parents to know more about certain areas of learning, consider providing home readings
Logistical Support
Signs will be posted in hallways
BTSN schedule copied to parents
