Tips and Dos and Don'ts for Back-to-School Night: A Guide for Teacher

Back-to-School Night is a key event for setting the tone for a successful academic year. It's an opportunity to foster collaboration and relationships between teachers and parents and to share crucial information about classroom routines, curriculum, and expectations. To help make your Back-to-School Night smooth and effective, here’s a list of tips and dos and don’ts to guide your preparation.

DO: Be Prepared and Confident

Introduce Yourself
Begin with a warm, confident introduction. There’s no need to focus on your teaching tenure, education or teaching experience; instead, share your enthusiasm for teaching and a personal story or classroom philosophy. For example, you might emphasize goals such as fostering peer respect, celebrating students' successes, and developing communication skills. Now is a good time to share a story about the class, a nice anecdote or something else that will create a connection with the people in front of you.

Present Your Curriculum Goals
Give a concise summary of the year’s curriculum for each major subject, such as Math, Language Arts, and Science. Highlight key units and topics students will explore throughout the year. By explaining the purpose of each subject, you help parents understand how their children will grow academically.

Outline Classroom Routines
Provide parents with a sense of their child's day by walking them through a typical school day. Highlight important classroom routines, including:

• Daily procedures like cubby use
• Homework expectations
• How the class agenda or online communication tools will be used
• Ways parents can support their children’s learning at home

Distribute a Handout/Presentation
Prepare a handout summarizing key points for parents to take home. This should include:

• Curriculum goals for the year
• Homework and assessment policies
• Contact information for you (email, phone, etc.)
• Communication strategies such as newsletters or class websites

By giving parents something tangible, they can refer to this information throughout the year.

DON’T: Overwhelm Parents with Details

Avoid Negative or Overly Detailed Information
While it’s tempting to cover everything, avoid discussing limitations like class size, technology constraints, or schedule challenges. Instead, focus on how you’re creating a positive learning environment. Keep your messaging solution-focused and upbeat.

Don’t Take Questions On the Spot
If you're a new teacher or still settling into the school year, save individual parent questions for later. Let parents know the best way to contact you for follow-up (email, phone, etc.). Setting communication boundaries especially during a public presentation ensures you won’t be overwhelmed and can address concerns thoughtfully.

Skip Overloaded Curriculum Overviews
Instead of saying, “We’ll complete as much of the curriculum as possible,” give specific examples of what will be emphasized. Mention which topics are most important and how they align with overall learning goals.

DO: Emphasize Homework's Place in Classroom

Explain Homework Policies
Make it clear to parents that homework, if you give it, is a reinforcement of classwork, not busywork. Share how much help you expect parents to provide, and ask them to notify you if their child struggles with assignments.

Share Your Vision of a Successful Learner
Help parents understand what success looks like in your classroom. Whether it's collaboration, self-direction, or critical thinking, give them a glimpse of the qualities you want to foster in their children.

DON’T: Criticize or Compare

Avoid Negative Comparisons
Don’t compare your current class to previous ones or mention things you wish were different about the classroom setup. Focus on the positive aspects of this year’s learning environment.

Don’t Discuss Behavioral Issues in Detail
While you may need to touch on behavior management, keep this section brief. Parents are usually already aware of the school’s policy. Instead, focus on positive behavior reinforcement and classroom culture.

Final Thoughts: Be Positive and Clear

Back-to-School Night is a chance to build trust with parents and demonstrate your commitment to their child's success. Be confident, organized, and positive. By sharing key information and setting clear expectations, you’ll create a strong partnership with parents for the year ahead.

Essential Back-to-School NIght Guide and Resource
To make your preparation even easier, check out our Essential Back-to-School Night Guide and Checklist that includes a customizable guide, handouts, and a handy checklist for a seamless Back-to-School Night. This resource provides everything you need to ensure that your Back-to-School Night goes off without a hitch.