Surviving Back to School Night

Everyone is back in school! Classroom processes have been taught and here we go!

Now...what about Back to School night? Parents?!

I've heard my peers call them "Helicopter Parents". I absolutely do not have the same view!

I teach chorus to over 300 children every single day, five days per week. It would be impossible without the parents.

What do they want? How do we cope with a barrage of emails and contacts from parents? How do we not get cornered at Back to School Night?

1) Be pro-active! They simply want information. I create an email distribution list as soon as school starts, and I send emails about upcoming events, classroom expectations, due dates, etc. You could refer them to your website. You could use Remind.com. Whatever works best for you, but if you give them information, they are grateful and less-stressed! Therefore, they are less likely fill your inbox with questions or corner you at Back to School Night!
You can see a sample below. This has worked wonders for me!

2) Be empathetic! I teach middle school. The transition to 6th grade is huge. Not only are the students stressed, but so are the parents! Their children are growing up, and if this is their first child in middle school, they don't really know what to expect.

3) Be open to receiving help! On my syllabus, I have a section requesting volunteers for specific tasks. The more specific the tasks are, the more likely you are to receive volunteers. I put my parents to work before the first week of school...sometimes sooner! Using parent volunteers builds trust in the community...and again...that relaxes them, keeps your inbox less full and allows you to leave before 9 PM on Back to School Night!
Here is a screenshot of the parent volunteer sheet on my syllabus.