The beginnings are important. The first kiss, the first trip, the first school, the first day of school are often unforgettable, they leave marks. Thus, when a new student arrives at the school at the beginning of the year or now at the beginning of the second semester, it is necessary to take good care of the initial assistance to him and his family. Using a pleonasm, we would say that “it is necessary to take care with great care”.
Even though I have a lot of experience in this initial service, there is always a dose of anxiety: how will the students arrive? What is the reality of your families? Will we need to make any adjustments or take any special care?
That is why it is so important to start on the right foot. In today’s text, we will focus on preparing an How To Welcome Parents In school
The objectives of this first meeting are to exchange information with parents about the student’s life and explain about the functioning of the school and aspects of the political and pedagogical project. For this, careful planning is essential. In our work, we usually consider the following points:
– The principal, the educational advisor or a teacher can conduct the meeting;
– The meeting place needs to have privacy, in addition to being calm and organized, with space for everyone to feel;
– The materials that illustrate the pedagogical work must be selected (handouts, student productions from previous years, textbooks and literature) to present to the family;
– A good way is to take the tone of an informal conversation;
– And the essential: it is necessary to use a predefined agenda to guide the conversation .
The definition of the subjects covered depends on the age group. So it is essential to think: what do you need to know about a child who enters school at the age of 3? And at 8? And at 13? What are the concerns and doubts of the family of children at that age?
Some tips can help to define the agenda:
1- With smaller students, such as those from Early Childhood Education, the focus of the conversation can be the family routine and physical issues (sleep schedule, walks, food, illnesses, pregnancy and childbirth, among others);
2- When older, the experience with the school becomes more important and the presence of the child is advisable, so that he also gives his point of view on issues such as his literacy process, linguistic and mathematical development, socialization, among others.
To assist your work, we have prepared two models: one for Early Childhood Education and another for older students . ( Click on the links to see them )
During the entire meeting, one must be available to listen and ask questions that help to improve understanding, without invading the family’s privacy, of course. It is also essential that the school employee does not make pre-judgments, has an empathetic look. If the new members of the community feel welcomed and the institution collects the necessary information to assist the newcomer, then the work was well done.
Well, knowing more about new students is just part of the welcoming work. After all, it is necessary to explain details about the institution’s functioning. Next week, we will discuss aspects of the Political Pedagogical Project (PPP) that should be addressed in a meeting with parents of newcomers.
