Bright Ideas Blog Hop - Meet the Teacher Communication Booksmarks

It's that time again! I love the Bright Ideas Linky and this idea is just in time for Meet the Teacher! School here starts for me on Monday and the kiddos will come to school on Friday for one of the BIGGEST events of the year... Meet the Teacher!

It is such an important day... and you know what they say about a first impression...make it good! It's your first meeting with parents and students and sets the tone for a great year!

One of the most important things that I want my parents to know is that I truly want to be there for their children...and for them. Communication is critical and it starts on day one!


When parents and students arrive, they begin to look around and become familiar with our classroom.  On my boards, I create posters for the parents with all the ways to communicate with me and be involved in our classroom. Each of these have QR Codes for quick and easy access to tons and tons of websites and resources that are used to communicate. From my Teacher Wish List to my phone number/email, all parents have to do is scan and save! It's that easy!

 

Now, some parents may need to leave or may not be able to make the event so this is a little trick that I think will make a great resource, not only for Meet the Teacher, but all year long!

Those same little QR Codes that I created (I use the website qrstuff.com) can be saved. Once made, they can be used as part of your teacher signature in your emails or posted to your social media. My favorite are these little guys.....

These bookmarks make a WONDERFUL way to get the information to all parents, can be out on a frig at home after Meet the Teacher and can also be handed out throughout the year (parent conferences, new students, the possibilities are endless!)

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For more bright ideas more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

What's Under Your Cape- Conclusion to a FABULOUS book study!

Have you been following the amazing posts on What's Under Your Cape? I am so amazed by the reflective and beautifully written post that each blogger has dedicated to this book study! The ideas and chapter thoughts have definitely brought light to the importance of character education and Barbara's book is a wealth of knowledge that will encourage students to think about and contribute to the world around them in meaningful and thoughtful ways.

As the school year begins, the first thought that comes to my mind is "how do I put this all together?" Barbara suggests the power of visibility. What we put on our walls and in our classrooms influence our students so why not start there?

Creating space in your classroom where students can see and reflect on those valuable character traits will be a gentle reminder of what the expectation and environment in your classroom are and how to achieve it. 

We all love an inspirational quote (I seriously love a good quote!)  It motivates us, calms us, direct us....so why not provide that to your students? One of the thoughts that came to my mind as I was thinking about how to implement this into my classroom is to allow students to associate a quote that is meaningful to them that will speak to each of the characteristics. Making it personal and allowing students to reflect on the quotes will add to there understanding of the trait and make it their own. Ownership is essential. 

Another thought I had was how would I spread the word? My students will be the leaders. My principal is amazing (and listens when I say..."I have an idea..."...which happens often...LOL) and is working with me and my class to share the thoughts behind Barbara's book with our student body. They will be able to share their thoughts on the announcements each morning and we will be writing a small piece each week for the school newsletter. Hopefully getting out the word will help in keeping the importance of the qualities of a strong, loving character on the forefront of our students (and parents) minds.

Here are a few other ways you can share the message:

• Hallway Bulletin Boards
• Being a Bucket Filler classroom or campus
• Use your school marquee 
• Blog about with your student's parents 
• Have students write small notes asking "What are you doing to be a Superhero?" and have students share with teachers or other students. Have them leave the notes in a special box that can be used for an interactive bulletin board 

Start slow and steady. Do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed and start small. More importantly, always remember that you are the small pebble that can cause ripples in the pond. What you do, no matter how big or small, will make an impact. It only takes one person....and that one person could be you.

It has been my absolute pleasure and honor to have hosted this book study along with all the amazing ladies that shared their thoughts about What's Under Your Cape? The ideas that have been shared to compliment and support the essential qualities that are discussed in What's Under Your Cape? have been fabulous! If you missed the book study or individual posts, just follow the links below and bookmark this page for your reference:

Want to continue the journey with Barbara and What's Under Your Cape? Make sure to follow her Facebook page where she shares awesome posts about the qualities of a SUPERHERO!