Back to School Bash: Meet the Teacher

 Thanks to everyone who joined last week for our first of four

Back to School Bash Linky series.

I know I learned a lot, and hoped you did as well.

I loved seeing how other people set up their rooms and how creative everyone can be.

This week we are featuring Meet the Teacher ideas.

It is so important for your students to know who you are

and to get off on the right foot.

Unfortunately, we do not have a "Meet the Teacher" night.

At times, I wish we did.

At other times (like this week when my room is not quite ready),

I'm glad we don't!!

The first thing we do, is send notes to our students.

Our third grade team makes a pretty big deal about it.

Some might call us over the top.

Some might call us a tad enthusiastic.

We just love what we do, and we want our students to know that.

The day we were able to send our letters out we all met in one of our rooms

to stuff envelopes.

Thanks, Belinda from Third Grade on the Edge, for the pics.

In our letters we put a letter to the student welcoming them to third grade.

We also put a picture of a superhero for them to color and bring the first day of school.

We also include a note to the parents/guardians giving a school supply list, a note from us, and

a list of upcoming dates for them to put on their calendar.

I always include a handwritten, personalized note from the teacher to the student and parent.

This is an excerpt of the letter to the student.  I handwrite my note at the bottom.

 The parent letter looks a little like this.  Again, it is just an excerpt.

Then, I include a letter about me as a person.  Why?  Belinda explains it here.

Once the letters are addressed,

(I will admit I forgot to address one of my envelopes!)

the third grade team took a field trip to the post office.

This is where some might think we are a little extreme.

However, we had a great time!

Me and Kim (my partner teacher) mailing our letters.

My amazing team looking RIGHT into the sun.
FYI - the mailboxes were HOT!!!!

Fun story.... as we were mailing these and taking pictures, one of our future third graders came to the post office with her mom.  As they drove away, the mom pointed and said, "There's your teacher right there mailing your letter to you!"  She said the little girl was so excited to see us having such a great time!

We, then, posted and shared these pictures all over social media.  We had so many comments from parents of incoming third graders and parents of future third graders.  We even had comments from people who have no connection to third grade at our school.  They just loved seeing the excitement being built!  Our excitement must have caught on because we began to see MANY pictures all over social media of students at mailboxes or on the couch receiving their letters from their teachers.

It was just fantastic to see them as excited as we were.

It has really become a favorite tradition of mine.

On the first day of school, we officially meet our students.

I meet them at the door with a lollipop note for the parents.

(See this post here for that explanation.)

The child's desk looks like this:

Third Grade Hero Folder

Parent Homework Envelope

Transportation Information Note

Superhero Rubber Duck from me

Lucky Charms from my partner teacher

(Her students have that from me on their desks.)

School Days word search

Name tag

This student has a little bit more on his desk because he is missing the first week of school due to playing in the World Series for his baseball team!  We are so proud!

I love getting my class list and thinking of how each name is going to change my life over the course of the next year.

I love seeing their excitement.

This really is a wonderful time!

Now it's your turn!  Share your ideas for Meet the Teacher by joining this linky here:

An InLinkz Link-up

Don't forget about the giveaway as well.

Enter here to win some great things!

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Thanks for stopping by!