August 4, 2025 • 23 mins
Back-to-school season is here, and that means it’s time to tackle one of the most nerve-wracking events of the year: open house! In this episode, we’re sharing a strategic, stress-free approach to help you skip the Pinterest overwhelm and focus on what really matters. You’ll learn six essential goals for a successful open house, how to use simple stations to create a welcoming and engaging environment, and why this event is more about connection than perfection. Let’s turn open house into a moment of belonging for students, families, and you.
Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/open-house/
Resources:
- Open House/Back-to-School Night Resource
- First Day Wishing Star Kit
- Cluedle
- Oh Happy Dani Classroom Posters
- Join the Teacher Approved Club!
- Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
- Shop our teacher-approved resources.
- Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
- Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes to Enjoy:
- Episode 205, Use This One-Hour Teacher Trick to Start the School Year Calm and Ready
- Episode 207, No Class List? No Problem - Here’s What to Prep While You Wait
- Episode 209, The Most Important Back-to-School Prep No One Talks About
- Episode 211, The 3 Questions Every Student Needs Answered in the First 3 Days of School
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Heidi (00:00):
This is episode 213 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:37):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are sharing the sixgoals every teacher should have
for back to school night, andsharing a tip for adding a
little celebration to your firstday of school.
Heidi (00:49):
But first, it's time for try it tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:58):
Since it's August, now, send a quick text to one teacher
friend or other school staffmember just to check in. At this
time of year, there is a lot ofcomfort in knowing that someone
else understands everythingyou're juggling.
Heidi (01:10):
And while strengthening relationships is always
beneficial, this can also helpyou manage your stress level.
When you are overwhelmed withyour own to do list, reaching
out to connect or evencommiserate with someone else is
a really effective way to make aheavy burden seem a little
lighter.
Emily (01:27):
If you like this idea or anything else we share here on
the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating and review?
Heidi (01:35):
Over the years, Emily and I have created an extensive
library of back to schoolproducts. To help you find the
tools that will make the startof your new year easier, today
we are spotlighting our firstday wish resource. Tell us about
this one, Emily,
Emily (01:50):
I love this. It's so cute. We've created something so
special to help ease those backto school jitters and start
building connection before theyear even begins. Our wishing
star kit gives you everythingyou need to reach out to
students with a simple butpowerful message, that you are
thinking of them, you're excitedto be their teacher, and you
(02:10):
believe in them. This is one ofour newest resources, and so you
might not have seen it yet, andit is perfect for the first day
of school, especially if you'relooking for, you know, a mess
free alternative to jitterglitter or ready confetti.
Heidi (02:25):
Oh, no joke, don't do that to yourself or your
families. The kit includes asweet poem, and we offer lots of
flexible options depending onhow you want to connect. If
you're going to be seeing yourstudents at back to school night
before school starts. You canpair the poem with a squishy
like anxiety relief star. Youcan buy them in bulk, they're
very cheap. So the kids cansqueeze it, whenever they need a
(02:46):
little comfort, they can squeezeit and make their back to school
wish. If you're not going to beseeing kids in person, there are
templates so you can mail littleglow in the dark stars attached,
because, you know, kids lovegetting mail, and I love getting
mail. It's just bills all thetime.
Emily (03:01):
I'll send you a glow in the dark star too.
Heidi (03:02):
Please do. You can prep this whole thing in just a few
minutes, but the impact onstudents is huge.
Emily (03:08):
What we love most about this resource is how it
immediately shows students thatyou're the kind of teacher who
cares about their feelings andwants them to succeed. Plus, it
gives you a gentle way to trackwhich families attended your
back to school night or openhouse, and which students you
might want to reach out toindividually. It's one of those
small gestures that makes a bigdifference in how students feel
(03:29):
about walking into yourclassroom on day one.
Heidi (03:30):
And if you're interested, you can grab the first day wish
kit from the link in our shownotes.
Emily (03:36):
So here we are, early August, some of you are already
back in your classrooms, andsome of you are still savoring
those last few weeks of summerbreak.
Heidi (03:44):
But regardless of where you are in the back to school
timeline, there's one eventlooming on the horizon that can
make even veteran teachers feela little bit anxious. It's back
to school night.
Emily (03:56):
Or meet the teacher night, or open house. You know,
whatever your schools call it.It's that crucial first
impression event where familiesget to see your classroom and
meet the person who's going tobe such an important part of
their child's life this year.
Heidi (04:10):
But can I just get on my soapbox for a minute? This puts
so much pressure on teachers andthen most other professions,
probably any other profession,if you were asked to plan and
host an important event to makea great first impression, you
would probably get somededicated work time to pull this
together. You'd probably evenhave a budget to go toward this.
Emily (04:33):
Yeah, wouldn't that be nice? Because for teachers, it's
just one more thing on top ofsetting up your entire
classroom, planning your firstweek of lessons and learning the
names of 25 new little humans.
Heidi (04:44):
Yeah. And I think that pressure leads to a lot of
teachers spending way too muchtime online trying to figure out
what they should be doing forback to school night. Should I
make a presentation? Should Ihave activity? Should I decorate
everything so it looks likeInstagram?
Emily (04:57):
Yeah. And the problem with just browsing ideas without
a clear purpose is that you canend up doing things that look
cute but don't actually serveyou or the families. You might
spend hours on something that'sfun but doesn't help you build
the foundation for a successfulyear.
Heidi (05:12):
So today, we want to give you a framework of six specific
goals for back to school nightthat will help you use your time
and energy strategically.
Emily (05:19):
Once you know what you're trying to accomplish, you can
evaluate every idea through thatlens, and then we'll talk about
how you can use stations to makethe event flow seamlessly.
Heidi (05:31):
So funny story about stations. Early in my teaching
career, I actually got my friendand teammate, Cassidy, in
trouble for doing stationsinstead of making a formal
presentation at back to schoolnight.
Emily (05:43):
Oh my gosh, I can't believe you did that to Cassidy,
and she's still your friend.What happened?
Heidi (05:48):
Well, it was totally unintentional. I had seen the
idea in a scholastic teacherbook, you know, the kind that we
used to spend all that money onback in the day. Because that
was the only resource! And ithad suggested doing stations for
the back to school open house.And I had done it for a couple
years, and she was a brand newteacher, so I suggested it to
her. But Mr. Oluson, whose wifetaught at our school, and yes, I
(06:10):
am going to out him, becauseit's been 20 years, he didn't
like it, so he complained to theprincipal.
Emily (06:16):
Wait, was that like a parent or who was that?
Heidi (06:20):
Oh, so his daughter was in Cassidy's class.
Emily (06:23):
Ah but he didn't like the stations.
Heidi (06:25):
Yes, he had to come to the open house because his wife
was obviously running her ownopen house, and he was
unimpressed with stationsapparently.
Emily (06:33):
Imagine being a parent on back to school night and you're
gonna already attack your kid'snew teacher for how they ran it.
Heidi (06:40):
A brand new teacher at that.
Emily (06:42):
Oh, mercy.
Heidi (06:43):
So after a few years, I did get to go back to stations,
and it goes so much better. Ijust hated talking at families
from the front of the room. It'sso impersonal and it's so boring
for everyone involved.
Emily (06:57):
Oh, amen. As a parent, I do not want to go in and stand
there awkwardly while theteacher talks to like 30 parents
crammed in there, becausesometimes you've got both
spouses there and then kids andsometimes younger siblings, and
it is the worst. I so muchprefer it when I can go in and
do stations, because I do notwant to be sitting in that tiny
(07:18):
desk while someone reads theirclassroom policies to me, like
that could be an email. Tell meabout it on my own time.
Heidi (07:24):
Oh, exactly. I had no idea we had such big feelings on
this, but apparently we do.
Emily (07:29):
I've sat in too many un air conditioned classrooms
packed in with too many otherparents. I'm over it.
Heidi (07:36):
Kids losing their minds because they're so bored.
Emily (07:39):
And they want to go to their class and yep.
Heidi (07:41):
It's too much. Well, let's do better for everyone.
And these days, if you look atany teaching blog or any back to
school advice online, everyonerecommends doing stations. It's
become the gold standard becauseit's so much more personal, it's
so much easier to manage, andit's so much more informative.
Emily (07:57):
Yes, like, it's no surprise that everybody says to
do stations, because it is byfar the best way to do it. Heck,
we even did it for meet theteacher when we taught
preschool.
Heidi (08:05):
Oh yeah.
Emily (08:06):
They kind of came in and they had their own little
checklist that they did, andit's just the best way to do it.
So this way, the families canarrive whenever they're going to
arrive. They can move at theirown pace. The kids can explore
the space, and you actually getto have a real conversation with
people, instead of just talkingto a room full of faces.
Heidi (08:25):
Right. Absolutely. 100% cosign all of this. So don't be
afraid to buck tradition if itmeans creating a better
experience for everyone. And tohelp you do that, we're going to
dive into the six goals thatshould guide your back to school
night planning. They are buildconnection, gather important
information, familiarizefamilies with the classroom,
welcome students into the space,manage supplies and spark
(08:48):
excitement for the year ahead.Should have come up with some
catchier titles.
Emily (08:51):
I know I can't believe we didn't use alliteration.
Heidi (08:54):
Or an anagram or something.
Emily (08:55):
Yes.
Heidi (08:56):
We'll work on that for next summer.
Emily (08:57):
Yes. These goals work together to strategically build
the foundation for a successfulschool year. So let's break down
each one and talk about how tomake them happen. First goal is
to build connection.
Heidi (09:10):
And this is all about letting families get to know the
person behind the desk. They areentrusting you with their most
precious possession, theirchild, so they need to feel like
you are a safe, caring adult whotruly cares about their kid.
Emily (09:22):
And this really isn't about impressing the parents or
proving how amazing you are,even though obviously you are,
it's about showing them yourheart and your teaching style.
The goal here is we're justtrying to build trust. One of
the easiest ways to do this iswith a looping slideshow that
runs in the background whilefamilies are exploring your
room. You can include photos ofyourself, your family, your
(09:43):
pets, your hobbies, anythingthat helps them see you as a
real person. You could alsoinclude slides about your
teaching philosophy, what atypical day looks like in your
classroom, or even just some funfacts about you. The goal is to
help them feel like they knowyou just a little bit when
Heidi (09:57):
Another simple option that I think a lot of teachers
do is to have a bio sheetavailable. You could either
print that out and hand it outat back to school night, or it
could just be something that yousend in an email, which is
probably the easier option, buteither way, it helps parents to
know that they aren't leavingtheir child with a complete
stranger.
Emily (10:14):
The second goal is to gather important information. So
you need details to help keepkids safe and supported, and so
open house or back to schoolnight is the perfect time to
collect that information whilefamilies are still in their
eager to help mode, because,spoiler alert, they won't stay
in that mode.
Heidi (10:32):
Oh yes, capitalize on that window if there's something
you need back from families. Sothink about all of the forms
that you need, emergencycontacts, transportation plans,
allergies, any kind ofaccommodations. This stuff is
too important to leave to chanceor hope that it trickles in over
the first few weeks.
Emily (10:50):
You can make this so easy by setting up a dedicated
station in your room with allyour forms clearly labeled. Or
if you want to go digital, youcan have QR codes that link to
online forms that families canfill out on their phones right
there in your classroom.
Heidi (11:03):
Or make it really easy, if you have access to
Chromebooks or tablets, you canset up a station where families
can fill out the digital formsright then. However you're
collecting this information,just make sure there's a clear
way for people to turn that in.If they're turning in papers,
have a clearly marked basket. Ifyou're doing it online, have all
the steps printed out so youdon't have all the questions.
Emily (11:23):
Yeah, one year, my son's teacher had it where, when we
got there and we were goingthrough the checklist of things
to do at the open house, one ofthem was for him to get out a
Chromebook, login for the firsttime, like so he was getting it
all set up for himself, which Ithought was really smart to make
the parent help do that.
Heidi (11:41):
Yes, that's so clever.
Emily (11:42):
Yes. And then on his computer, I filled out the forms
I needed to fill out. And so Iwas like, that is actually, I'll
be honest, it wasn't necessarilyslick, because it was a pain in
the butt to help him get loggedin, because, of course, there
were issues, but I can see fromthe teacher perspective why it
was so smart to do it that wayand have the parents help get
through the tech issue, insteadof you trying to help 24 kids do
(12:04):
that on their computers alltogether.
Heidi (12:06):
That is ninja level teaching, right there.
Emily (12:09):
I know, clever. So anyway, the key is, whatever
you're doing here, make itobvious and easy. You don't want
families wandering aroundwondering where they're supposed
to put things or what they needto fill out.
Heidi (12:21):
Goal number three for back to school night is to help
families, both the students andtheir caregivers, feel at home
in your space. When familiesunderstand how your classroom
works, it eases first day nervesand it shows them that you run a
structured, student friendlyroom.
Emily (12:35):
This is where that station approach really shines,
because instead of just talkingabout where supplies live and
how routines work, your familiescan actually see and explore for
themselves.
Heidi (12:45):
This is where you can have a lot of fun. You could
create a self guided scavengerhunt with tasks like find the
classroom library and browse thebooks, or locate the supply
station and draw a smiley facewith a marker.
Emily (12:56):
Or you could simply have clear labels and signs
throughout your room with shortexplanations, like you could
have a little sign by yourreading corner that says, This
is where we gather for readalouds. Or, students can choose
books from these bins duringindependent reading time.
Heidi (13:09):
Your fourth open house goal is to welcome students into
the space and to create a momentof belonging before the year
even begins. Students should beable to see their names, find
their spots and leave a littlepiece of themselves behind.
Emily (13:22):
This is so important because you want kids to walk in
on the first day and think, Oh,yes, I belong here. This is my
classroom too. This is whyhaving names visible in the room
is so important. Even if you usestudent numbers, make sure each
child's name is visiblesomewhere in the room. A good
rule of thumb is that it shouldbe visible in three places,
(13:43):
especially one of them being thedoor or right outside the door.
It just goes a long way towardhelping everyone feel included
and comfortable.
Heidi (13:51):
But you can even take that a step further by having an
activity where students cancontribute to their classroom
right away. Maybe you have themdo an all about me drawing
activity where they createsomething that they can display.
Or you could do a shared classgoal chart where everyone adds
their hopes for the year.
Emily (14:07):
Or you can have a station where students can vote on which
book they want you to read aloudon the first day. These are
little touches, but they helpstudents feel like they're
already part of the classroomcommunity and not just visitors
in the space.
Heidi (14:21):
Goal five of your back to school planning is all about
managing supplies and yoursupport systems. First, make it
easy on yourself by making iteasy on families to drop off
school supplies. Have clearlylabeled bins or areas where they
can leave their items.
Emily (14:37):
Yeah, I've been surprised the years that I show up with,
you know, bags full of suppliesto donate, and there's no,
there's no clear place of whereI'm supposed to put it. And it's
like, hey, hey, where do youwant these? You got to think
about these things. And if youhave a classroom wish list, this
is a perfect time to share it.You could create a take a tag
display where families canchoose an item to donate if they
(14:58):
want to.
Heidi (14:59):
And also, don't forget about volunteer opportunities.
Having a simple sign up sheetfor things like field trip
chaperones, classroom helpers,party planners or special event
volunteers can be really helpfulall year long.
Emily (15:11):
Oh yeah, and I love having these out to sign when I
go to open house. Obviously,just keep it simple and pressure
free. Some families are going tobe eager to help, and others
might be dealing with workschedules and other constraints,
and that is perfectly okay. Wedon't want anyone to feel like
they're not contributing if theycan't sign up for a volunteer
opportunity.
Heidi (15:32):
And finally, goal six is to spark excitement for the year
ahead. You want people to leavethis event feeling like
something wonderful isbeginning. This is where you can
really lean into that sense offun, make some memorable magic,
but with a purpose. We're notdoing cute activities for the
sake of being cute. We arestrategically building
anticipation and joy.
Emily (15:53):
You could set up a photo station with props where
families can take a picturetogether. And also, I was
thinking, open house is theperfect time to take a picture
of each one of your students.Even better if they're, like,
holding a name tag that hastheir name on it.
Heidi (16:07):
So smart.
Emily (16:08):
So that you can practice their names before the first day
of school. Because I wouldalways take pictures of my
students on the first day ofschool and then go home and,
like, cram looking through thepictures. And I would get them
pretty good with, like,basically doing it like
flashcards. So it'd be evensmarter to do it for open house.
Plus it would just be fun forthe families to be able to take
pictures at a photo station aswell. Or you could have your
(16:29):
students contribute to a bannerwhere they write or draw their
hopes for the year and then clipit onto the banner, which will
be waiting for them when theycome on the first day of school.
Heidi (16:39):
And of course, if you want to send people home with a
little bit of magic, don'tforget to grab our first day
wish resource. One thing I loveabout this is that the poem
prompts kids to hold the starand make their wish for the new
school year, but they're alsosupposed to imagine that their
teacher is making their wish forthem at the same time. I just
always think that's such aheartwarming little thought of
you know, the teacher and thestudent are still having this
(17:00):
connective moment, even thoughschool hasn't officially even
started yet.
Emily (17:03):
Yes, I love that, and the point is to end this open house
or back to school visit on anote of joy and anticipation. So
whether it's their first year atyour school or their last, every
student deserves to feel likethey're about to embark on
something amazing.
Heidi (17:20):
Okay, so those are your six goals, but let's talk about
the how. How do you actuallystructure this evening so you
can accomplish all of thiswithout losing your mind?
Emily (17:29):
We recommend creating a simple checklist that covers all
six areas and gives families aclear path through your
classroom. So just think of itlike a little roadmap that
guides them from station tostation.
Heidi (17:41):
As families arrive, you greet them at the door, and you
hand them the checklist, andthey can move through the
activities at their own pacewhile you float around the room
having real conversations withpeople.
Emily (17:51):
Your slideshow can be running in the background,
providing that connection piecewe talked about. And meanwhile,
families are checking items offtheir list, filling out forms,
exploring the classroom, findingtheir child's desk, dropping off
supplies, or just pausing towatch the slideshow.
Heidi (18:07):
There's so much to do in just those few minutes. But the
beauty of this approach is thatyou are not trapped at the front
of the room giving the samepresentation over and over. You
can actually talk to families,get to know your new students,
answer specific questions,figure out how to say some
unfamiliar names and startbuilding those important
relationships.
Emily (18:26):
And like I said earlier, families love it too, because
they're not sitting passively inthose little desks listening to
you talk. The kids can exploreand touch things. The parents
can ask questions as they comeup, and everyone can move at
their own pace. If they're in ahurry, they can get in and out
quickly. It's just so muchbetter for everyone.
Heidi (18:44):
Now, if all of this sounds great in theory, but
overwhelming in practice, wehave got some news for you. We
have created a brand new openhouse, back to school, meet the
teacherresource that is designedto help you meet all six of
these goals without having tostart from scratch.
Emily (19:01):
Yes, this resource includes everything from a meet
the teacher slideshow template,and welcome letter, to classroom
labels, volunteer signups andeven those wishlist tags we
mentioned. The whole thing isdesigned to make your back to
school night both meaningful andmanageable.
Heidi (19:16):
You can find that resource in our shop, and we
will be sure to put a link inthe show notes. But whether you
use our resource or you createyour own, the important thing is
having those six clear goals toguide your planning.
Emily (19:27):
So to recap, at your back to school night or open house,
you want to build connection,gather important information,
familiarize families with theclassroom, welcome students into
Heidi (19:34):
With those goals in mind, you can evaluate every back to
the space, manage supplies andsupport systems, and spark
excitement for the year ahead.
school night idea through thatlens and use your time
strategically to create an eventthat actually serves you and
your families.
Emily (19:52):
We would love to hear how you manage meet the teacher or
open house. Come join theconversation in our teacher
approved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is a
classic one that we've sharedbefore, but we're revisiting
(20:12):
again because it's so timely,and it's about starting the year
with a celebration. So Heidi,will you tell us about this one?
Heidi (20:18):
Yeah, unfortunately, we can't take credit for this. This
comes from Joanna at Head OverHeels For Teaching, and she has
a tradition every year that weabsolutely love. So the first
day of school comes to a close,she distributes Happy New Year
hats and horns, and the classdoes a countdown to the bell
ring at the end of the firstday.
Emily (20:35):
It's such a whimsical way to kick off the new year, and we
want to help you make thishappen in your own classroom. So
we have a set of Happy New Yearheadbands, glow in the dark
glasses and horns to give away.So come join us in the Teacher
Approved Facebook group andcomment on the giveaway posts,
and you will be entered into adrawing to get your own class
(20:55):
set of Happy New Year suppliesso that you can try out this
tradition this year.
Heidi (20:58):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're sharing
what we're giving extra creditto this week. Emily, what gets
your extra credit?
Emily (21:00):
I'm giving extra credit to the cluedle kids activity
books. So I just got one ofthese for my son for his
birthday, and it has been amassive hit. I got him the first
one, which is the case of thedumbleton diamond. And so the
book has like, case notes andevidence to read, and then you
(21:22):
evaluate, you know, what you'relearning as you go through to
try and solve the case. And thenthere's 50 puzzles to solve
throughout, yeah, like, it's jampacked, and I'm sure I'm gonna
end up getting the next one whenhe finishes this one, because
he's enjoying it so much. Andthere's other books like this.
Like, there's one where you'resolving a murder, and it's
called Murdle, and there's awhole series of that, and
(21:44):
there's kids versions of thattoo. I think this is a fun new
genre of activity books that areout there. So if you have a kid
that likes solving mysteries,this will be right up their
alley.
Heidi (21:54):
Yeah, this sounds like it was just made for him.
Emily (21:56):
Yep. What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
Heidi (21:59):
Well, my extra Credit goes to Oh Happy Danny's
classroom posters. I know we'vetalked about her designs in the
past, because everything shedoes is so cute. I know she's
got some really cute likeaffirmation signs you could put
on a mirror in your classroom.But these new posters are top
notch. They have encouragingmessages about kindness and
bravery, and they show lots ofdifferent hands all working to
(22:20):
make a difference, and we willput a link in the show notes, so
you can check them out if you'reinterested.
But one thing that I reallyappreciated with these is that
if you live in a state likeIdaho, where it's now illegal to
tell children that everyone iswelcome, on her Instagram, she
made a post breaking down theriskiness of using her posters
in different learningenvironments. So if you do live
(22:41):
somewhere that that might be aproblem, I'm so sorry, but you
still can get a positive messageacross without getting fired for
it. It's possible.
Emily (22:49):
Yeah, it's handy. It shows like which posters are
more, would potentially be morerisky. It seems ridiculous that
we even have to say that, butshe she's there to help out too.
She doesn't want to get anyteachers in trouble.
Heidi (23:01):
Yeah, especially because it is all just like, be kind, be
brave. We build a better worldtogether. But, this is where we
are. So, don't lose your jobover it.
Emily (23:11):
Yes, but go check out Oh Happy Danny, her designs are
beautiful and so fun.
Heidi (23:17):
That's it for today's episode. Use those six goals to
guide your back to school nightplanning, and don't forget to
grab our open house resource ifyou want some ready to use
materials that align witheverything we talked about
today.
Emily (23:28):
And make sure to come enter the Happy New Year
giveaway in our Teacher ApprovedFacebook group.
Heidi (23:35):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (23:39):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (23:45):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (23:52):
Bye.
This is episode 213 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:37):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are sharing the sixgoals every teacher should have
for back to school night, andsharing a tip for adding a
little celebration to your firstday of school.
Heidi (00:49):
But first, it's time for try it tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:58):
Since it's August, now, send a quick text to one teacher
friend or other school staffmember just to check in. At this
time of year, there is a lot ofcomfort in knowing that someone
else understands everythingyou're juggling.
Heidi (01:10):
And while strengthening relationships is always
beneficial, this can also helpyou manage your stress level.
When you are overwhelmed withyour own to do list, reaching
out to connect or evencommiserate with someone else is
a really effective way to make aheavy burden seem a little
lighter.
Emily (01:27):
If you like this idea or anything else we share here on
the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating and review?
Heidi (01:35):
Over the years, Emily and I have created an extensive
library of back to schoolproducts. To help you find the
tools that will make the startof your new year easier, today
we are spotlighting our firstday wish resource. Tell us about
this one, Emily,
Emily (01:50):
I love this. It's so cute. We've created something so
special to help ease those backto school jitters and start
building connection before theyear even begins. Our wishing
star kit gives you everythingyou need to reach out to
students with a simple butpowerful message, that you are
thinking of them, you're excitedto be their teacher, and you
(02:10):
believe in them. This is one ofour newest resources, and so you
might not have seen it yet, andit is perfect for the first day
of school, especially if you'relooking for, you know, a mess
free alternative to jitterglitter or ready confetti.
Heidi (02:25):
Oh, no joke, don't do that to yourself or your
families. The kit includes asweet poem, and we offer lots of
flexible options depending onhow you want to connect. If
you're going to be seeing yourstudents at back to school night
before school starts. You canpair the poem with a squishy
like anxiety relief star. Youcan buy them in bulk, they're
very cheap. So the kids cansqueeze it, whenever they need a
(02:46):
little comfort, they can squeezeit and make their back to school
wish. If you're not going to beseeing kids in person, there are
templates so you can mail littleglow in the dark stars attached,
because, you know, kids lovegetting mail, and I love getting
mail. It's just bills all thetime.
Emily (03:01):
I'll send you a glow in the dark star too.
Heidi (03:02):
Please do. You can prep this whole thing in just a few
minutes, but the impact onstudents is huge.
Emily (03:08):
What we love most about this resource is how it
immediately shows students thatyou're the kind of teacher who
cares about their feelings andwants them to succeed. Plus, it
gives you a gentle way to trackwhich families attended your
back to school night or openhouse, and which students you
might want to reach out toindividually. It's one of those
small gestures that makes a bigdifference in how students feel
(03:29):
about walking into yourclassroom on day one.
Heidi (03:30):
And if you're interested, you can grab the first day wish
kit from the link in our shownotes.
Emily (03:36):
So here we are, early August, some of you are already
back in your classrooms, andsome of you are still savoring
those last few weeks of summerbreak.
Heidi (03:44):
But regardless of where you are in the back to school
timeline, there's one eventlooming on the horizon that can
make even veteran teachers feela little bit anxious. It's back
to school night.
Emily (03:56):
Or meet the teacher night, or open house. You know,
whatever your schools call it.It's that crucial first
impression event where familiesget to see your classroom and
meet the person who's going tobe such an important part of
their child's life this year.
Heidi (04:10):
But can I just get on my soapbox for a minute? This puts
so much pressure on teachers andthen most other professions,
probably any other profession,if you were asked to plan and
host an important event to makea great first impression, you
would probably get somededicated work time to pull this
together. You'd probably evenhave a budget to go toward this.
Emily (04:33):
Yeah, wouldn't that be nice? Because for teachers, it's
just one more thing on top ofsetting up your entire
classroom, planning your firstweek of lessons and learning the
names of 25 new little humans.
Heidi (04:44):
Yeah. And I think that pressure leads to a lot of
teachers spending way too muchtime online trying to figure out
what they should be doing forback to school night. Should I
make a presentation? Should Ihave activity? Should I decorate
everything so it looks likeInstagram?
Emily (04:57):
Yeah. And the problem with just browsing ideas without
a clear purpose is that you canend up doing things that look
cute but don't actually serveyou or the families. You might
spend hours on something that'sfun but doesn't help you build
the foundation for a successfulyear.
Heidi (05:12):
So today, we want to give you a framework of six specific
goals for back to school nightthat will help you use your time
and energy strategically.
Emily (05:19):
Once you know what you're trying to accomplish, you can
evaluate every idea through thatlens, and then we'll talk about
how you can use stations to makethe event flow seamlessly.
Heidi (05:31):
So funny story about stations. Early in my teaching
career, I actually got my friendand teammate, Cassidy, in
trouble for doing stationsinstead of making a formal
presentation at back to schoolnight.
Emily (05:43):
Oh my gosh, I can't believe you did that to Cassidy,
and she's still your friend.What happened?
Heidi (05:48):
Well, it was totally unintentional. I had seen the
idea in a scholastic teacherbook, you know, the kind that we
used to spend all that money onback in the day. Because that
was the only resource! And ithad suggested doing stations for
the back to school open house.And I had done it for a couple
years, and she was a brand newteacher, so I suggested it to
her. But Mr. Oluson, whose wifetaught at our school, and yes, I
(06:10):
am going to out him, becauseit's been 20 years, he didn't
like it, so he complained to theprincipal.
Emily (06:16):
Wait, was that like a parent or who was that?
Heidi (06:20):
Oh, so his daughter was in Cassidy's class.
Emily (06:23):
Ah but he didn't like the stations.
Heidi (06:25):
Yes, he had to come to the open house because his wife
was obviously running her ownopen house, and he was
unimpressed with stationsapparently.
Emily (06:33):
Imagine being a parent on back to school night and you're
gonna already attack your kid'snew teacher for how they ran it.
Heidi (06:40):
A brand new teacher at that.
Emily (06:42):
Oh, mercy.
Heidi (06:43):
So after a few years, I did get to go back to stations,
and it goes so much better. Ijust hated talking at families
from the front of the room. It'sso impersonal and it's so boring
for everyone involved.
Emily (06:57):
Oh, amen. As a parent, I do not want to go in and stand
there awkwardly while theteacher talks to like 30 parents
crammed in there, becausesometimes you've got both
spouses there and then kids andsometimes younger siblings, and
it is the worst. I so muchprefer it when I can go in and
do stations, because I do notwant to be sitting in that tiny
(07:18):
desk while someone reads theirclassroom policies to me, like
that could be an email. Tell meabout it on my own time.
Heidi (07:24):
Oh, exactly. I had no idea we had such big feelings on
this, but apparently we do.
Emily (07:29):
I've sat in too many un air conditioned classrooms
packed in with too many otherparents. I'm over it.
Heidi (07:36):
Kids losing their minds because they're so bored.
Emily (07:39):
And they want to go to their class and yep.
Heidi (07:41):
It's too much. Well, let's do better for everyone.
And these days, if you look atany teaching blog or any back to
school advice online, everyonerecommends doing stations. It's
become the gold standard becauseit's so much more personal, it's
so much easier to manage, andit's so much more informative.
Emily (07:57):
Yes, like, it's no surprise that everybody says to
do stations, because it is byfar the best way to do it. Heck,
we even did it for meet theteacher when we taught
preschool.
Heidi (08:05):
Oh yeah.
Emily (08:06):
They kind of came in and they had their own little
checklist that they did, andit's just the best way to do it.
So this way, the families canarrive whenever they're going to
arrive. They can move at theirown pace. The kids can explore
the space, and you actually getto have a real conversation with
people, instead of just talkingto a room full of faces.
Heidi (08:25):
Right. Absolutely. 100% cosign all of this. So don't be
afraid to buck tradition if itmeans creating a better
experience for everyone. And tohelp you do that, we're going to
dive into the six goals thatshould guide your back to school
night planning. They are buildconnection, gather important
information, familiarizefamilies with the classroom,
welcome students into the space,manage supplies and spark
(08:48):
excitement for the year ahead.Should have come up with some
catchier titles.
Emily (08:51):
I know I can't believe we didn't use alliteration.
Heidi (08:54):
Or an anagram or something.
Emily (08:55):
Yes.
Heidi (08:56):
We'll work on that for next summer.
Emily (08:57):
Yes. These goals work together to strategically build
the foundation for a successfulschool year. So let's break down
each one and talk about how tomake them happen. First goal is
to build connection.
Heidi (09:10):
And this is all about letting families get to know the
person behind the desk. They areentrusting you with their most
precious possession, theirchild, so they need to feel like
you are a safe, caring adult whotruly cares about their kid.
Emily (09:22):
And this really isn't about impressing the parents or
proving how amazing you are,even though obviously you are,
it's about showing them yourheart and your teaching style.
The goal here is we're justtrying to build trust. One of
the easiest ways to do this iswith a looping slideshow that
runs in the background whilefamilies are exploring your
room. You can include photos ofyourself, your family, your
(09:43):
pets, your hobbies, anythingthat helps them see you as a
real person. You could alsoinclude slides about your
teaching philosophy, what atypical day looks like in your
classroom, or even just some funfacts about you. The goal is to
help them feel like they knowyou just a little bit when
Heidi (09:57):
Another simple option that I think a lot of teachers
do is to have a bio sheetavailable. You could either
print that out and hand it outat back to school night, or it
could just be something that yousend in an email, which is
probably the easier option, buteither way, it helps parents to
know that they aren't leavingtheir child with a complete
stranger.
Emily (10:14):
The second goal is to gather important information. So
you need details to help keepkids safe and supported, and so
open house or back to schoolnight is the perfect time to
collect that information whilefamilies are still in their
eager to help mode, because,spoiler alert, they won't stay
in that mode.
Heidi (10:32):
Oh yes, capitalize on that window if there's something
you need back from families. Sothink about all of the forms
that you need, emergencycontacts, transportation plans,
allergies, any kind ofaccommodations. This stuff is
too important to leave to chanceor hope that it trickles in over
the first few weeks.
Emily (10:50):
You can make this so easy by setting up a dedicated
station in your room with allyour forms clearly labeled. Or
if you want to go digital, youcan have QR codes that link to
online forms that families canfill out on their phones right
there in your classroom.
Heidi (11:03):
Or make it really easy, if you have access to
Chromebooks or tablets, you canset up a station where families
can fill out the digital formsright then. However you're
collecting this information,just make sure there's a clear
way for people to turn that in.If they're turning in papers,
have a clearly marked basket. Ifyou're doing it online, have all
the steps printed out so youdon't have all the questions.
Emily (11:23):
Yeah, one year, my son's teacher had it where, when we
got there and we were goingthrough the checklist of things
to do at the open house, one ofthem was for him to get out a
Chromebook, login for the firsttime, like so he was getting it
all set up for himself, which Ithought was really smart to make
the parent help do that.
Heidi (11:41):
Yes, that's so clever.
Emily (11:42):
Yes. And then on his computer, I filled out the forms
I needed to fill out. And so Iwas like, that is actually, I'll
be honest, it wasn't necessarilyslick, because it was a pain in
the butt to help him get loggedin, because, of course, there
were issues, but I can see fromthe teacher perspective why it
was so smart to do it that wayand have the parents help get
through the tech issue, insteadof you trying to help 24 kids do
(12:04):
that on their computers alltogether.
Heidi (12:06):
That is ninja level teaching, right there.
Emily (12:09):
I know, clever. So anyway, the key is, whatever
you're doing here, make itobvious and easy. You don't want
families wandering aroundwondering where they're supposed
to put things or what they needto fill out.
Heidi (12:21):
Goal number three for back to school night is to help
families, both the students andtheir caregivers, feel at home
in your space. When familiesunderstand how your classroom
works, it eases first day nervesand it shows them that you run a
structured, student friendlyroom.
Emily (12:35):
This is where that station approach really shines,
because instead of just talkingabout where supplies live and
how routines work, your familiescan actually see and explore for
themselves.
Heidi (12:45):
This is where you can have a lot of fun. You could
create a self guided scavengerhunt with tasks like find the
classroom library and browse thebooks, or locate the supply
station and draw a smiley facewith a marker.
Emily (12:56):
Or you could simply have clear labels and signs
throughout your room with shortexplanations, like you could
have a little sign by yourreading corner that says, This
is where we gather for readalouds. Or, students can choose
books from these bins duringindependent reading time.
Heidi (13:09):
Your fourth open house goal is to welcome students into
the space and to create a momentof belonging before the year
even begins. Students should beable to see their names, find
their spots and leave a littlepiece of themselves behind.
Emily (13:22):
This is so important because you want kids to walk in
on the first day and think, Oh,yes, I belong here. This is my
classroom too. This is whyhaving names visible in the room
is so important. Even if you usestudent numbers, make sure each
child's name is visiblesomewhere in the room. A good
rule of thumb is that it shouldbe visible in three places,
(13:43):
especially one of them being thedoor or right outside the door.
It just goes a long way towardhelping everyone feel included
and comfortable.
Heidi (13:51):
But you can even take that a step further by having an
activity where students cancontribute to their classroom
right away. Maybe you have themdo an all about me drawing
activity where they createsomething that they can display.
Or you could do a shared classgoal chart where everyone adds
their hopes for the year.
Emily (14:07):
Or you can have a station where students can vote on which
book they want you to read aloudon the first day. These are
little touches, but they helpstudents feel like they're
already part of the classroomcommunity and not just visitors
in the space.
Heidi (14:21):
Goal five of your back to school planning is all about
managing supplies and yoursupport systems. First, make it
easy on yourself by making iteasy on families to drop off
school supplies. Have clearlylabeled bins or areas where they
can leave their items.
Emily (14:37):
Yeah, I've been surprised the years that I show up with,
you know, bags full of suppliesto donate, and there's no,
there's no clear place of whereI'm supposed to put it. And it's
like, hey, hey, where do youwant these? You got to think
about these things. And if youhave a classroom wish list, this
is a perfect time to share it.You could create a take a tag
display where families canchoose an item to donate if they
(14:58):
want to.
Heidi (14:59):
And also, don't forget about volunteer opportunities.
Having a simple sign up sheetfor things like field trip
chaperones, classroom helpers,party planners or special event
volunteers can be really helpfulall year long.
Emily (15:11):
Oh yeah, and I love having these out to sign when I
go to open house. Obviously,just keep it simple and pressure
free. Some families are going tobe eager to help, and others
might be dealing with workschedules and other constraints,
and that is perfectly okay. Wedon't want anyone to feel like
they're not contributing if theycan't sign up for a volunteer
opportunity.
Heidi (15:32):
And finally, goal six is to spark excitement for the year
ahead. You want people to leavethis event feeling like
something wonderful isbeginning. This is where you can
really lean into that sense offun, make some memorable magic,
but with a purpose. We're notdoing cute activities for the
sake of being cute. We arestrategically building
anticipation and joy.
Emily (15:53):
You could set up a photo station with props where
families can take a picturetogether. And also, I was
thinking, open house is theperfect time to take a picture
of each one of your students.Even better if they're, like,
holding a name tag that hastheir name on it.
Heidi (16:07):
So smart.
Emily (16:08):
So that you can practice their names before the first day
of school. Because I wouldalways take pictures of my
students on the first day ofschool and then go home and,
like, cram looking through thepictures. And I would get them
pretty good with, like,basically doing it like
flashcards. So it'd be evensmarter to do it for open house.
Plus it would just be fun forthe families to be able to take
pictures at a photo station aswell. Or you could have your
(16:29):
students contribute to a bannerwhere they write or draw their
hopes for the year and then clipit onto the banner, which will
be waiting for them when theycome on the first day of school.
Heidi (16:39):
And of course, if you want to send people home with a
little bit of magic, don'tforget to grab our first day
wish resource. One thing I loveabout this is that the poem
prompts kids to hold the starand make their wish for the new
school year, but they're alsosupposed to imagine that their
teacher is making their wish forthem at the same time. I just
always think that's such aheartwarming little thought of
you know, the teacher and thestudent are still having this
(17:00):
connective moment, even thoughschool hasn't officially even
started yet.
Emily (17:03):
Yes, I love that, and the point is to end this open house
or back to school visit on anote of joy and anticipation. So
whether it's their first year atyour school or their last, every
student deserves to feel likethey're about to embark on
something amazing.
Heidi (17:20):
Okay, so those are your six goals, but let's talk about
the how. How do you actuallystructure this evening so you
can accomplish all of thiswithout losing your mind?
Emily (17:29):
We recommend creating a simple checklist that covers all
six areas and gives families aclear path through your
classroom. So just think of itlike a little roadmap that
guides them from station tostation.
Heidi (17:41):
As families arrive, you greet them at the door, and you
hand them the checklist, andthey can move through the
activities at their own pacewhile you float around the room
having real conversations withpeople.
Emily (17:51):
Your slideshow can be running in the background,
providing that connection piecewe talked about. And meanwhile,
families are checking items offtheir list, filling out forms,
exploring the classroom, findingtheir child's desk, dropping off
supplies, or just pausing towatch the slideshow.
Heidi (18:07):
There's so much to do in just those few minutes. But the
beauty of this approach is thatyou are not trapped at the front
of the room giving the samepresentation over and over. You
can actually talk to families,get to know your new students,
answer specific questions,figure out how to say some
unfamiliar names and startbuilding those important
relationships.
Emily (18:26):
And like I said earlier, families love it too, because
they're not sitting passively inthose little desks listening to
you talk. The kids can exploreand touch things. The parents
can ask questions as they comeup, and everyone can move at
their own pace. If they're in ahurry, they can get in and out
quickly. It's just so muchbetter for everyone.
Heidi (18:44):
Now, if all of this sounds great in theory, but
overwhelming in practice, wehave got some news for you. We
have created a brand new openhouse, back to school, meet the
teacherresource that is designedto help you meet all six of
these goals without having tostart from scratch.
Emily (19:01):
Yes, this resource includes everything from a meet
the teacher slideshow template,and welcome letter, to classroom
labels, volunteer signups andeven those wishlist tags we
mentioned. The whole thing isdesigned to make your back to
school night both meaningful andmanageable.
Heidi (19:16):
You can find that resource in our shop, and we
will be sure to put a link inthe show notes. But whether you
use our resource or you createyour own, the important thing is
having those six clear goals toguide your planning.
Emily (19:27):
So to recap, at your back to school night or open house,
you want to build connection,gather important information,
familiarize families with theclassroom, welcome students into
Heidi (19:34):
With those goals in mind, you can evaluate every back to
the space, manage supplies andsupport systems, and spark
excitement for the year ahead.
school night idea through thatlens and use your time
strategically to create an eventthat actually serves you and
your families.
Emily (19:52):
We would love to hear how you manage meet the teacher or
open house. Come join theconversation in our teacher
approved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is a
classic one that we've sharedbefore, but we're revisiting
(20:12):
again because it's so timely,and it's about starting the year
with a celebration. So Heidi,will you tell us about this one?
Heidi (20:18):
Yeah, unfortunately, we can't take credit for this. This
comes from Joanna at Head OverHeels For Teaching, and she has
a tradition every year that weabsolutely love. So the first
day of school comes to a close,she distributes Happy New Year
hats and horns, and the classdoes a countdown to the bell
ring at the end of the firstday.
Emily (20:35):
It's such a whimsical way to kick off the new year, and we
want to help you make thishappen in your own classroom. So
we have a set of Happy New Yearheadbands, glow in the dark
glasses and horns to give away.So come join us in the Teacher
Approved Facebook group andcomment on the giveaway posts,
and you will be entered into adrawing to get your own class
(20:55):
set of Happy New Year suppliesso that you can try out this
tradition this year.
Heidi (20:58):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're sharing
what we're giving extra creditto this week. Emily, what gets
your extra credit?
Emily (21:00):
I'm giving extra credit to the cluedle kids activity
books. So I just got one ofthese for my son for his
birthday, and it has been amassive hit. I got him the first
one, which is the case of thedumbleton diamond. And so the
book has like, case notes andevidence to read, and then you
(21:22):
evaluate, you know, what you'relearning as you go through to
try and solve the case. And thenthere's 50 puzzles to solve
throughout, yeah, like, it's jampacked, and I'm sure I'm gonna
end up getting the next one whenhe finishes this one, because
he's enjoying it so much. Andthere's other books like this.
Like, there's one where you'resolving a murder, and it's
called Murdle, and there's awhole series of that, and
(21:44):
there's kids versions of thattoo. I think this is a fun new
genre of activity books that areout there. So if you have a kid
that likes solving mysteries,this will be right up their
alley.
Heidi (21:54):
Yeah, this sounds like it was just made for him.
Emily (21:56):
Yep. What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
Heidi (21:59):
Well, my extra Credit goes to Oh Happy Danny's
classroom posters. I know we'vetalked about her designs in the
past, because everything shedoes is so cute. I know she's
got some really cute likeaffirmation signs you could put
on a mirror in your classroom.But these new posters are top
notch. They have encouragingmessages about kindness and
bravery, and they show lots ofdifferent hands all working to
(22:20):
make a difference, and we willput a link in the show notes, so
you can check them out if you'reinterested.
But one thing that I reallyappreciated with these is that
if you live in a state likeIdaho, where it's now illegal to
tell children that everyone iswelcome, on her Instagram, she
made a post breaking down theriskiness of using her posters
in different learningenvironments. So if you do live
(22:41):
somewhere that that might be aproblem, I'm so sorry, but you
still can get a positive messageacross without getting fired for
it. It's possible.
Emily (22:49):
Yeah, it's handy. It shows like which posters are
more, would potentially be morerisky. It seems ridiculous that
we even have to say that, butshe she's there to help out too.
She doesn't want to get anyteachers in trouble.
Heidi (23:01):
Yeah, especially because it is all just like, be kind, be
brave. We build a better worldtogether. But, this is where we
are. So, don't lose your jobover it.
Emily (23:11):
Yes, but go check out Oh Happy Danny, her designs are
beautiful and so fun.
Heidi (23:17):
That's it for today's episode. Use those six goals to
guide your back to school nightplanning, and don't forget to
grab our open house resource ifyou want some ready to use
materials that align witheverything we talked about
today.
Emily (23:28):
And make sure to come enter the Happy New Year
giveaway in our Teacher ApprovedFacebook group.
Heidi (23:35):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (23:39):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (23:45):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (23:52):
Bye.
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Fudd Around And Find Out
UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd brings her championship swag to iHeart Women’s Sports with Fudd Around and Find Out, a weekly podcast that takes fans along for the ride as Azzi spends her final year of college trying to reclaim the National Championship and prepare to be a first round WNBA draft pick. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a world-class athlete in the public spotlight while still managing schoolwork, friendships and family time? It’s time to Fudd Around and Find Out!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!