Home Visits: How I Make Them Happen

I am so excited to share what I’ve been working on with
you all today! It’s a little long, but I promise it’s worth the read and I have a FREEBIE share for you at the end. 

Last year, I began home visits along with a few other teachers
from my building. Home visits are not just for head start or preschool. They
are a great way for teachers to get out in the community and make the first
connection with families a positive one!

I have been spending some time the last couple of days
getting prepared. I start by putting together little goody bags. 

 Inside, are a few things to get them thinking about back to school and build
excitement for our year together.

Miniature composition books:

How cute, right? You can find them at Walgreens 6 /$1.
It cost $4 for my entire class. I added a cover to encourage them to write or
draw about their summer and to bring it to share with all of us on the 1st
day.

Bookmarks:

These are from the dollar section at Target.  Still only totaling $5 for the whole class.

Pencils:

3 packs from the dollar section at Target. I’m still
only totaling $8

Treat bags:

From the Dollar Tree. I only had to buy one pack, so
total I spent $9 for my entire class.

Last, I printed and cut a set of flashcards to practice
and review the facts they began learning last year.

After the bags are ready to go I print these letters on
Astrobright paper.

The letter gives a little preview of all we’ll be
learning together and gets them pumped about 1st grade! I also
include important dates like Back to School Night. I print a few for the
families that aren’t home when I stop by, as well. They just have a little extra
line that says, “I’m sorry I missed you.”

Now, before you check out and think that you can’t find
time for home visits or they’re unrealistic let me show you how we structure
them at our school. I promise you will see the possibility.

When you think of home visits, you might think of days
and days, or hours and hours, of time that you have to commit. You might
picture stopping into each home and sitting down with every single family for
who knows how long. That is not how home visits have to be. That’s not how we
do home visits. When we know something is important we have to begin thinking
outside of the box.

This is how we’re able to make it happen:

I stop by, completely unscheduled. They have no idea
that I’m coming. You might think this sounds crazy, but I promise it works.
The visit is quick and informal and this is what makes it possible.

I knock on the door. Parents, or sometimes the child
answers the door, and I say something like, “Hey, I’m your first grade
teacher,” or, “I’m your child’s first grade teacher.” I
introduce myself and I say, “I’m just stopping by for a second. I wanted
to drop off a little goody bag and let you know that I’m excited to start our
first day together and that I’m excited that I get to meet you early.” I
give them the goody bag, maybe ask how their summer is going, the parents
talk a little and that’s it. Done. I made my first family connection and I’m
on to the next.

Here’s what has happened during these visits. Parents
are blown away. I hear a lot of, “Wow, I can’t believe you stopped
by.” or “We’ve never had a teacher stop by before and can’t believe
you took the time.” and “This is so cool that you’re doing this.”
They’re always really excited and surprised that we are coming to them rather
than the other way around. It’s a really good feeling that were able to make
this happen.

I have had families invite me in and I always let them
know that I have to go visit so many other families and I really appreciate
it, but that I am unable to come in. They’re always really understanding. This
keeps your visits short, but still has the same impact.

The time spend allows you to get to know families and build
a relationship that will last for the rest of the year. The families and kids
feel at ease having seen me, knowing that I care, and that I am dedicated to
teaming with them this year.

That’s it. That is how we run home visits at my school.
I finish them all in one day and I would say it takes me about four hours to
do them all. Now, hopefully I have you seeing the possibility!

There is one last thing that I do to prepare and that is
simply planning the best route to be as efficient as possible.

Using our school attendance system I print out an
address list for my class. Our lists sort by common addresses so all the
students who live in one apartment complex are grouped together.  I visit the apartment complexes first
because I park at one and walk around to each home.

One of my favorite parts about being out in the community
and in the apartment complexes is that you get to a couple of houses and by
then the word is out that you’re there. After a while you have these little
groupies following you around because they’re so excited.

After I do all of the home visits at the apartment
complexes, then I move on to the houses. When I’m planning out the houses, I
put all of the addresses into Google Maps. Usually, I only have about ten or
so. You have to do this on your computer, you can’t do it on your phone. Put
in each address and it will show you the most efficient way to go in order to
stop at each house. I follow along the route and before I know it I’ve
visited the home of every family.

So, I just spent four hours of really quality time
connecting with kids and families. I feel really good about having already
seen them.  They see me out in the
community and know that I care, that I am truly excited to be their teacher,
and that we’re going to have this amazing year together.

Are you thinking outside the box yet? Seeing the
possibility? Feeling hopeful? Are you going to try home visits? Maybe, you
already do them? Leave a comment. I know we would all love to hear from those
of you who are going to try home visits this year and those of you who are
still unsure of how you can find the time. Let’s work it out together because
teaching is better together. We all need to hear one another and find ways to
feel hopeful and inspired!

To help get you going I have the editable forms for you in my TpT store for FREE! Just head HERE or click the picture below to download.