A New Teacher’s Guide to Mastering Back-to-School Night

As a new teacher, navigating Back-to-School Night (also known as Meet the Teacher Night or Open House) can be daunting. This crucial event typically gives you 10-12 minutes to present to parents and guardians.

To ensure a smooth experience, focus on creating a clear, concise, and professional presentation that addresses three topics parents want to hear about.

At Back-to-School Night, parents want…

1. To learn about you as a person.  Parents want reassurance that you’re kind and compassionate

2. To hear about your class.  Parents want a general overview of what their child will be learning and how you plan to run the class.

3. To be included in the educational process.  Most parents want to play a part in their child’s success.  

1. Sharing your personal side

Parents are curious about you, so take a few minutes to introduce yourself:

• • • Briefly share your background and education, including any special training or credentials.
• • • Express your passion for your subject or work with young people.
• • • Show your “soft side” by balancing professionalism with warmth. Smile, thank them for coming, and be positive and friendly.
• • • Say something specific and positive about that particular class period.

Optional personal details you might include:

• • • Your educational philosophy
• • • What motivated you to become a teacher
• • • A few brief personal details (hobbies, pets, etc.) to humanize yourself

2. Presenting your academic side

While keeping it concise, share key information about your class:

• • • Provide a quick overview of the content you’ll be covering.
    • Highlight the skills you want students to develop (mentioning the 4 C’s of 21st Century Learning: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration is an engaging way to do this).
    • Briefly describe your teaching methods and learning activities.
    • Mention any state exams, AP tests, or specific programs (like IB) relevant to the course.
    • Suggest concrete ways parents can support their child’s success.
    • Provide your contact information and preferred communication methods.

3. Engaging parents as partners

Consider having parents complete a short worksheet with their preferred communication methods and times. You can also ask questions about their child’s preferences.  This approach:

• • • Invites them to be involved throughout the year
    • Acknowledges that they are the experts on their child
    • Sets a tone of collaboration for addressing any future issues
    • Demonstrates your commitment to understanding and serving each student’s needs
    • Allows you to learn more about your students and families than a simple sign-in sheet

Additional tips for a successful presentation

1. Stay Positive: Avoid snarky comments that could make parents question the supportive nature of your classroom.

2. Time It Right: Practice your presentation to fill the allotted time, giving you more control over the session.

3. Handle Individual Concerns Privately: For questions about specific grades or assignments, politely request that parents email you to schedule a separate meeting.

4. Streamline Sign-ins: If you ask parents to sign in, consider having multiple sign-in areas to avoid lines and delays.

5. Be Cautious with Commitments: During the event, try to avoid offering to email a parent, as you may forget in the hustle of the evening.

Trust us, parents, like kids, are much more impressed with who you are and not how many years of experience you have.  If this is your first year or you would prefer not to get into how many years of experience you have, share why you got into teaching or what your educational philosophy is.  

By balancing personal introduction with academic information, you’ll help parents leave feeling well-informed and confident about their child’s education. Keep your presentation concise, warm, and focused on the most important aspects of your class to make a lasting positive impression.

Related Resource:

Pre-made Back-to-School Night presentation template and parent forms.

Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He holds a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.