3/15/01
Question 81
Dear Preschool Teacher,
I am a new preschool teacher, and I would like to
know how to write an effective letter to parents, about some of my
classroom rules. (Ex. keeping toys at home, and brining in notebooks
everyday.) I just do not know how to start the letter. I have tried
asking them individually but, the parents do
not listen and they say oh you didn't tell me. They have more excuses
then the kids.
Toys from home headache
Dear Toys from home headache,
This has been and will probably
always be a problem for preschool teachers. You may not be able to
stop them from bringing things from home but you can stop them playing
with them in the room. Write your rules on a newsletter type paper.
Chances are they won't read it anyway. Add a new rule: All toys
from home will stay in the locker (or cubby) or whatever you call it.
Make a statement about things getting damaged or lost and that you
will not be responsible for it. The children will follow this rule at
school if you enforce it. Do not let tears or tantrums deter you from
sticking with your rule.
Jackie
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Toys from home headache,
I send a list of rules home at the beginning.
It is also listed in our parent handbook. So, after Christmas when it
becomes a problem again. I copy the page from the handbook and send it
and my rules list home again. I have also taken to sending a
"friendly reminder home". I have in the past sat a
clothes basket in the hall by my coat rack and had them put their toys
in before they come into the classroom.
Sherri
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Toys from home headache,
I would certainly recommend putting your
policies in writing. In fact, if you have a handbook for the
parents you could put the policies in there, especially if you require
the parents to sign a statement that they have read and understand the
policies in the handbook. This may not prevent all your
headaches, but at least the parents should read about them!
You need to stick to your policies also. If
that means returning the toy to the parents at the door when they drop
off or putting the toy up until the child goes home, do it.
Kris
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear
Toys from home headache,
The only way to really make it effective is
to write a hand book with all the classroom rules in it. And the last
page have a piece a paper that can be torn out and returned that has a
slip that the parents have read and understand the handbook.
Roni
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Toys from home headache,
First
of all, do you let the kids play with the toys that they bring from
home? I do not let my kids play with the toys they bring from
home. If I see that they have something that they brought from
home, they have to put it in their book bag. I tell the kids
they are not allowed to bring toys to school, and when they see that
they will not get to play with them, they usually quit bringing
them.
You first
have to have your classroom rules in a parent handbook. Then
when you send home a letter, you can refer to the handbook.
You could say, "Dear Parents: As stated in the handbook,
toys are not to be brought from home except on your child's show and
tell day. The toys brought for show and tell will not be
played with during free play. We would hate to have another
child break your child's toy. If your child brings a toy to
school and attempts to play with it, he/she will be asked to put the
toy in their book bag." Unfortunately, parents will have
to be reminded occasionally so you probably need to repeat it in
newsletters you send home.
Peg
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
Dear Toys from home headache,
I
understand fully what you are talking about! Parents do need
reminding on a regular basis. I have found it most effective to
write a note to parents remembering the "sandwich
rule". This means that you sandwich your message between
positive comments that parents like to read. I would start the
letter by saying something like, "Dear Parents: We have
really been
enjoying the pre-school year with your children! So far this
year we have learned..... The children are playing well
together and wonderful friendships are forming. The children are
learning to co-operate as a group and share with each other. One
area that we could use your support is around the issue of toys coming
in from home. It is really difficult to expect a child to share
something of his very own with the other children, and as our rule at
the pre-school is that we share, this is confusing to the
children. Therefore, there is to be no toys brought from home at
anytime. Thank you so much for your support to make this a happy
pre-school environment for the children." If this continues
to be a problem, you would need to speak individually to the parents
that are still allowing the child to bring
toys.
Sometimes parents don't want the
"fight" when leaving the
house over the toy, and will be happy to have you deal with it at
drop-off time. In this case, upon arrival when the child brings
the toy, you could say, "Oh Johnny, I see you brought (whatever)
with for your ride to pre-school." At this point, I would
say, "Remember our rule about toys from home. I am going to
put this in your cubby for when you go home". (or
return it to the mother). You must be firm, but positive.
The same is for the notebooks. State why you need them, and
thank them for their co-operation. I hope this
helps.
Laura
"Ask The Preschool
Teacher Staff"
Dear Toys from home headache,
Every September I send home a
letter explaining what goes on in the classroom as well as our
classroom rules. And yes one of them is not to bring home toys to
school. Unfortunately, they don't always comply, so the minute they
try to walk in the classroom with their home toys, I turn them right
around and have them put them in their mailbox. This way they are not
in the classroom.
Lisa
"Ask The Preschool
Teacher Staff"
