Traditional meet-the-teacher events can be stressful, since teachers are often expected to host a presentation for a room full of parents and children. There’s a fun alternative that can make your teacher meet and greet less stressful for everyone involved! Keep reading for tips to help you plan a low-stress meet and greet in your classroom.
The Challenges of Traditional Meet and Greet Events
A traditional meet the teacher night can be a bit stressful for the students, the parents, AND the teacher!
Stressful for Kids: A teacher meet and greet can put students on the spot to answer questions about themselves and greet strangers. The classroom isn’t familiar to them yet and it can feel very formal instead of like a kid-friendly space.
Stressful for Parents: Meet the Teacher night can also be challenging for parents and guardians. They often have child-specific questions that they’re worried about asking in front of a bunch of other parents at a group presentation. Even after the presentation has concluded, they might have trouble getting some one-on-one time to chat with the teacher.
Stressful for Teachers: Traditional meet-the-teacher events are usually set up with a group presentation with time for questions and answers. Talking to a room full of parents and guardians at once can be intimidating, even for veteran teachers who have done it for years.
There has to be a better way, right? One fun and low-stress way to meet your students and their families is to host a Camp Kindergarten event.
How to Plan a Camp Kindergarten Teacher Meet and Greet
This themed alternative to meet-the-teacher night can serve all of the same purposes of a traditional meet and greet in a more approachable way. Here are some tips to make it a success!
1. Have Student Names on Display
There is just something about seeing evidence that their teacher is planning on their arrival that can put new kindergarteners more at ease.
You can decorate a bulletin board or your classroom door with student names. This can also set the tone for the rest of your themed meet and greet.
2. Set Up Activity Rotations
One of my favorite parts of Camp Kindergarten is that it uses activity rotations. Students can rotate through camping-themed activities and crafts as they explore the classroom. This gives students (and their parents) an idea of what kindergarten activities look like. For many families, this will be their first experience with a traditional classroom!
Using activity rotations can make the classroom feel more like a kid space than an auditorium for a formal presentation. It makes it easier for them to interact with you when they’re working on an activity instead of standing in front of you and being asked questions about themselves.
Not only does this make the students more comfortable, but it can also help it feel more natural to you! Circulating and chatting with students as they work is definitely less nerve wracking than walking parents through a Powerpoint presentation!
3. Provide Parent Information Handouts
One of the main purposes of a teacher meet and greet is to share important information with parents. Traditionally, this happens with a presentation from the teacher, often with corresponding slides. Camp Kindergarten can give you the chance to share this same information in a different way.
For example, while parents are circulating through the activities, you can give them important information to review at each station. This gives them time to look over the information and formulate any questions they may have. You’re able to ensure that parents get their questions answered instead of awkwardly hearing crickets when you wait for questions after a slide show.
4. Circulate to Answer Questions and Observe
The main benefit of having the activity rotations is that it gives you time to circulate and chat with parents and students individually. You can address any questions or concerns that they might have been hesitant to ask in front of a whole group. Plus, they can ask for clarification on any of the parent handouts they’ve had a chance to read through.
Camp Kindergarten also gives you a chance to observe the students and make some informal assessments as they complete the activities. I’ve always said that I can tell everything I need to know about a student by how they hold their pencil and write their names. Camp Kindergarten activities can give you a lot of information about which students will likely need some extra support on the first day of school.
5. Give Students Something to Take Home
One of the rotations that I like to include in Camp Kindergarten is something for students to take home. This gives them a tangible reminder of the teacher meet and greet. Plus, it can help them get excited to come back!
I love to send students home with a reading buddy, which will encourage them to read at home all year long! For Camp Kindergarten, you can use a bear rescue activity to stay within the camping theme. Students can fill out an application form, choose a bear to rescue, and then take home a certificate. This is always a hit at meet-the-teacher nights!
Camp Kindergarten Printable Bundle
To make the teacher meet and greet experience even less stressful for you, I’ve created a bundle of printables that you can use to set up Camp Kindergarten in a snap!
Inside this bundle, you’ll find the themed Camp Kindergarten crafts and activities, parent handouts, and reading buddy activity mentioned in this post. You’ll have everything you need to plan a successful teacher meet and greet!
Just head over to the Teaching Exceptional Kinders shop or to my TPT store to take a closer look at everything included in this time-saving bundle.
Save These Teacher Meet and Greet Tips
Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite back-to-school board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these tips and resources when you’re planning your meet-the-teacher event.