New School Year

As the school year begins there are many changes for both students and parents. The largest change being the transition to a new class and getting to know a new teacher. I've found that getting to know your teacher is a great way to lead toward a path of good communication. As every mom knows, when it comes to school communication is key! I've worked with teachers who were instantly easy to get along with and could tell right away that the year would be a success and I've worked with teachers who took me weeks to figure out. Ultimately once you're over the hurdle of understanding how your teacher approaches not only teaching but her students, it's fairly easy to see how you can successfully fit into the equation.

As a Homeroom Mom we're there to support the teacher which is much easier to do if you find that you understand (and hopefully like) one another. It's also a great way to get some insight to their personality and that comes in pretty darn handy if you ever find yourself shopping for a little gift for the teacher. Another well organized mom I know accomplished this (and I felt it was just too good not to share) by having the teacher fill out a simple questionnaire at the beginning of the year. Once you establish communication with the other parents it's a great thing to share with them too!
Here's some sample questions to get things rolling:
Birthday
Favorite Hot Drink
Favorite Cold Drink
Favorite Candy
Favorite Snack
Favorite Dessert
Favorite Magazine
Favorite Author
Favorite Stores
Favorite Color
Favorite Fast Food place
Favorite Restaurant
Hobbies
Favorite Scent
Likes to Collect

Once you have your list in place, it's nice to put it into a nice one page sheet titled Mrs. / Mr. So and So's Favorites. It was always nice to wrap up a hectic week of standardized testing by bringing in a box of Junior Mints with a cup of Chai tea and know it would put a smile on my son's teacher's face.
So that's your assignment for the first week of school, get out there and get to know your teachers. For the most part they're pretty amazing people and let's face it, we're trusting them with the most precious thing we'll ever have a part in...our children's futures.

Welcome!

As a parent of 2 kids and a stay home mom for the last 12 years I find myself at my children's school on a very regular basis. In fact, once they were both in school I found myself volunteering at least once a week for one teacher or another. Eventually that evolved into becoming the "Homeroom Mom". If you're reading this the odds are you too have found yourself wearing this badge of honor and are looking to find some inspiration and perhaps even some words of wisdom. It's a tough job, I'm not going to lie to you, but it's quite an incredible experience and one you're not likely to ever forget. I'd even wager that by the end of the school year you'll have a new perspective as to just what a privilege it is to be welcomed into a classroom full of students who look forward to seeing you every time you arrive. I'm pretty sure this is the closest most of us will ever get to being greeted like a rock star!
I hope to share with you some of the things I've learned over the last few years, including great organization tips, ways to host unforgettable class parties, and even special ways to show your teacher how much you appreciate all they do. So welcome to the Homeroom Mom's club, I'm so glad you're here!