Leveling-Up Your High School Open House!

My sons will be in 3rd and 5th grades this year, and in their elementary school, open house/meet the teacher night feels so exciting for them! It’s a chance for each kid to look around the classroom that will be home base for the whole year, find the seat with their name on it, and make introductions with their new teacher.  And these elementary teachers… they really go the extra mile!  Classroom themes are creative and fun, little favors are waiting on each child’s desk, and sometimes there’s also a little photo backdrop set up for students to pose in front of.  It’s such a great opportunity to make (hopefully positive) first impressions with teachers and get a glimpse into what the year might look like.  

On my end, as a high school teacher, open house night feels… different.  Don’t get me wrong– I always leave the building on these nights feeling exhausted but EXCITED for the year ahead. But rather than spending all of their time in one classroom as they do in elementary, secondary students have seven different classes to locate in (in our case) a fairly large set of buildings.  There’s less time for anyone to stop for a chat, and I’ve found that most of the interactions I have with my new students and their families only take place in the doorway or just inside the room. Hardly anybody comes all the way inside to explore what I think is an adorable classroom! ; )

I feel pretty sure, though, that –even in high school– young people and their parents still have questions about the courses they’ll take and the teachers instructing them! However, it feels like pulling teeth to extract those questions from them. Maybe it’s just a bit of teenage awkwardness or parents stepping back a little to give their children autonomy, but I think open house night is such an opportunity to start developing positive relationships that I’m going to try a few new tricks this year.

Some of these are tried and true, and some are in the experimental phase. But all of them are FREE for you to download and/or try, if you think you can use them too!   

1. Bookmarks with contact information and supply lists.  Among all of the handouts students and parents might pick up throughout the evening, my bookmarks are something that can continue to be useful and hopefully won’t get thrown into the recycling when families go home.  I also love that they promote the reading community I’ll foster in my classroom. Get your editable open house bookmark templates here!

   

2. Displays of the books we’ll be reading and example projects for new students to preview.  “What will we be reading?” is one of the most reliable questions that families ask on open house night. Better than just listing them off, displaying books encourages families to actually come inside the classroom and explore a bit!  Here are some editable sign templates you can easily fold in half and use for anything you want to display on open house night.

   

   
   

3. My summer reads in this adorable whiteboard display. This is SO easy, promotes a community of reading, and helps my students learn something about me through the books I like to read!

Check out this video of my whiteboard : )

4. A station where I’ll promote the student organization I help to sponsor.  I’m a sponsor of our school’s student magazine, which is always looking for new writers and graphic designers.  Why not use this night to encourage my new students to sign up for more information?! I’ll be printing out some past editions of the magazine, along with flyers that encourage students to fill out a Google Form if they’re interested in more information. 

5. A students -versus- adults hallway activity. To foster a little more positive interaction as folks rush down the halls, I created two “Would You Rather?” posters: one for students and one for their adults.  I’ll be laminating these and mounting them on a prominent wall.  The posters ask the same questions, but students will use a dry erase marker to respond on one poster, while adults will put their answers on the other poster.  The whole point of this is simply to spark some conversation within families.  (Can you imagine how differently teens and adults might answer “Would you rather have unlimited money or unlimited time?!)

6. For some calming vibes, I plan to have a low-fi Spotify station streaming through my projector, and I’ll definitely have my air freshener plugged in.  Those hallways get steamy in early August, and some freshly-scented classroom AC is always welcome!

7. Finally, this is so simple, but… candy.  It hardly matters what kind.  Students (and their adorable little siblings) are thankful for little gestures like this. I’ll have a little basket out with some inexpensive candy right next to my bookmarks so students can grab one of each.  

I hope some of these can be helpful to you as you start a new school year! Do you have any ideas to share for Open House/ Meet the Teacher night? Leave them in the comments below!

Looking for plans to kick off your first week of school? Check out this series, with lots of resources!

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 1

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 2

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 3

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 4

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 5

• Back to School- the First 6 Days: Day 6

Stay weird!

~Jamie