My first two years of teaching, Open House was a mess. I was trying to put my best face forward, let the parents know I am here for them, I want their child to feel safe and secure in our classroom. But every time, students would be pulling out things they maybe should not be getting in and parents had to chase after kiddos who decided school was too much for them. At the end of the night, I would almost feel defeated. I was not clear in what I was saying and there were too many distractions. These events had me thinking, how am I supposed to keep EVERYONE engaged? I needed to get certain information to parents as well as keep the students occupied. I have been asked to host a "What to Expect in Kindergarten" night, where kiddos from all around the immediate area will be in my classroom and they don't know the rules I have set forth - hence this post and my thoughts on open house.
This is what I came up with, a scavenger hunt for our kindergarten classroom.
By giving everyone who comes through my classroom door this paper, I am saying to the kiddos that they have responsibilities and can stay busy by looking at things, but can not take out all the toys and play with them. Parents can help their children go around the room and learn about our classroom with their kiddos. This also frees me up to speak with parents if they have any questions or concerns so it's not just chaos in the room. People are free to come in, take a look around, get to know the room, and get to know me.
If you noticed, I made sure to put myself on the scavenger hunt so I can make sure I meet everybody personally!
I would like to say that this is not my original idea, it is only my adaptation/ compellation of things I have seen.
My heart, mind, and sanity are at rest now for Open House!
