Make Sure the Open House Experience Is a Good One

Making a good first impression should be the goal of every teacher. So no matter how your school organizes its open house, there is one sure way to succeed in making a great first impression: plan the event from a parent's point of view.

So, what do parents expect of an open house?

Parents expect to be greeted at the door with a friendly "welcome" from the teacher.
Name tags and markers help speed up introductions and enable all in attendance to get to know one another.
Parents expect the classroom to be clean and orderly; that will signal that their child is learning in a quality environment.
Parents will be interested in seeing an example or two of their children's work. One year the fifth-grade teachers in one of my schools had students prepare life-sized paper cutouts of themselves. As those cutouts sat at their desks, they were "dressed" in clothes the parents should recognize -- and most did.
Parents will want to see a display of textbooks and other materials that are being used in the classroom.
Signup sheets should be available so parents can schedule a one-on-one conference with the teacher; other signup sheets might be available for parents who will be willing to go along on field trips or assist in other ways.
If allowed, involve the students in the open house. They can answer questions, show how computers are used, and be available to provide other assistance.

Read more practical tips from George Pawlas�

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Share the Pride: Six "Pride Statements" Get Year Off to a Great Start
Getting the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences
Newsletters: An Essential Tool for Every Principal
Building Positive Relationships With the Media
The Benefits of Being an MBWA Principal
More Tips for Great Newsletters
50 Million Students Can't Be Wrong: Improving Perceptions of Your School
Support Personnel Are P.R. People Too
Create a School Profile Brochure

Meet Dr. George E. Pawlas

George E. Pawlas has written the book on PR for school principals -- literally! In The Administrator's Guide to School-Community Relations, Pawlas presents a treasury of practical tips and strategies for principals. The book includes hundreds of principal-tested ideas, illustrations, and templates to help you

create successful school newsletters and other communication tools;
use the media to your school's advantage;
enhance parent and family involvement;
work with the community and local businesses;
deal with crisis situations; and
much more.

Pawlas has been an educator for nearly four decades. He has served as an elementary school teacher and principal, a district administrator, and a state education department consultant. Currently he is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Central Florida. In addition, Pawlas has authored dozens of articles and coauthored three editions of a book on educational supervision. He is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences.

08/07/2006