Meet the teacher night

Next week is my girls meet the teacher night. Parents go up to school to meet the teacher, find out the rules of the year, etc. In the past DH has always come and he goes to one and I go to the other, then we switch to just say hi to the other teacher. This year DH has work meetings at night and will miss it.
Give me your best strategies on how you hand this.
My favorite was when my girls were in 1st grade, one of their teachers had the meet the teacher on a different day because she was a parent in the district and it was her son's who was in K at the time meet the teacher..

 

This is the first year that both of us have actually gone! Usually, I go first to Jonathan's class--since he is my needier one, then I will pop into Marcus' class to meet his teacher. You are not the only one with multiple kids in the school, and the teachers are pretty good about handling the conflicts. Also, our school always has an "after" time where all teachers still available to meet with parents who had conflicts.

 

I'll split the time in half, if it's scheduled for an hour then I do half an hour with each teacher. They've always been aware that they are 'the twins' before we come in, so it's never been an issue as far as skipping out a little early.

 

Last year at meet the teacher Dani's teacher found out my girls were twins. Had no clue before that.
I'm trying to remember how the school usually runs it. I think when the girls were in K, each grade had 2 assigned times. So the class that I was class parent in I did the first session, then switched with DH who was in the other girls class. First grade was different nights. Last year each grade ( school does 3 grades one night , then the other 3 the next night) had and assigned time. I introduced myself to Sydney's teacher than went into Dani's class ( i was class mom- so had to be that classroom) DH came in when Sydney's teacher finished.

I have no clue if I'm class parent this year ( which would be another wrinkle in the how to be in 2 places at once while having a job to do in one room) Guess I will find that out friday or Monday I only put in for Sydney's.

 

The boys' teachers didn't know they were twins either. When I mentioned Riley had a twin brother in a different class, she was like, "oh goodness, there are TWO of you?"

Our school's Meet the Teacher is more like an open house style. The principal gives a quick talk in the cafeteria, introduces the teachers and then sends us to the classrooms. The teachers have it set up to where you can come and go, which is nice when you've got kids in separate grades too. My husband and I both went this year, but then after we filled out paperwork we switched and introduced ourselves to the other teacher. They will usually stick around for stragglers too.

On a different note, teachers pick "class parents" at your school? That's an interesting way to do it.

 

PTA picks. It is supposed to be random. There is a form that is sent home with the beginning of the year paperwork that you need to fill out if interested. PTA picks 3 for each class from the forms that came in.
I do know one year a parent really wanted it and was totally not given it, even when the 3rd class parent was forced out so the class only had 2.

 

That's an interesting way of doing it. We don't have "room mom" here, we just have a sign up sheet for holidays and activities and then if you want to help out with anything else you can let the teacher know. Oh, and the PTO has a calendar for all of us to sign up to do stuff in the teacher workroom.

 

Class parents collect the money for the class parties and the teacher gift. As well as picks which parents goes on the trips (very weird i think). Every parent we fill out a form that says can you come to parties and trips. Class parent is supposed to pick from that list but in a orderly way so everyone has a chance of volunteering if interested.
Class parents run the 4 parties. From food ( based on what teacher wants) to the craft.

There are other things like helping out at photo day or plant sale or book fair, but have to be at the PTA meeting to sign up ( or friends with the chairperson for that committee)

 

This is the first year where my DH cannot go as well. And it's only half an hour long, and I have to truck them straight to dance afterwards, so I can't linger to talk to the other teacher either. If it were an hour long and I didn't have something right afterwards I'd go to my "weaker" student's class first and then stop in and say hi to the other teacher after.

But in my case, I think I will go to my "weaker" student's class, but email my other DD's teacher beforehand to let her know, and ask her some of the questions I have as well as ask her if she could send the handout information home with L. G's teacher is also new to this school (she was at a different district school prior) and so L's teacher is more entrenched in the school's processes, etc.

I told their teachers they were twins during "Meet the Teacher" but not sure they'll remember. In the previous two years of school, their teachers worked closely together and did their planning together, so homework was always the same and the teachers definitely knew my duo were twins ... actually most of the school knew this. But now we've moved to a new school (2nd to 5th grade) and since one of the teachers is new to the school, I don't think they will be planning together. Homework, so far has been similar, but definitely not the same.

 

This is us. Last year was the first year I had two kids in the same school, my two older kids. We went to the K classroom first because I figured my daughter would be more nervous about meeting a new teacher. Then we went to my older son's 5th grade class. My husband is rarely able to make teacher meetings and open house type things, he just has a crummy work schedule, so I'm usually on my own.

 

My husband has always gone with and we all stick together. Whose ever classroom we get to first we stop at. I do not treat open houses as an invite to discuss particulars about each kid. I treat it like introducing myself and my children and let the kids explore their classrooms. One class this year, there was a parent going over everything about their child and it really monopolized the teachers abilities to meet with other students/parents.

 

Meet the teacher is parents only. Teachers give a talk about their class rules what to expect that year (usually have a power point presentation).
It is after kids are already in school. It really should have a different name.

 

Lisa, ours is the same way. Actually, other than K, the kids don't meet their teachers before the first day of school. They have open house days, but those are generally confined to the hallways, and the kids can find where their classrooms are. For us, it was find the locker and figure out how to open it!

 

And in our district it is very bad form to bring any kids! I don't know why parents can't figure that out. I did the needier kids class then went and said hi to the other

 

I said hello to Dani's teacher, went to Sydney's class. I got picked for class mom in that class. S felt I should go to that class. As soon as he finished I went to Dani's class. Got to see about half her presentation. Plus was able to look on line and see the rest.

 

I went, sat in Royce's class, signed up for class mom, extra snacks, and conferences.  Then I went to Alice's class and signed up for conferences for her too.