A Free & Editable Meet the Teacher Letter (and how to write a stellar one)
My biggest complaint about most of the $3 meet the teacher letters that you find on Teachers Pay Teachers is that most of them read like a Christmas wish list!
They are beautiful, of course. But many of them don’t leave much room for talking about what matters most. The letters are usually easy-to-read templates, which is a great thing. After all, parents don’t need a novel, and everyone loves a pretty graphic.
But then, front, center and attention-grabbing, is a list of all their FAVORITES. I’m too self-conscious that parents might think I’m expecting them to bring me a Starbucks drink once a week or send along my favorite candy every time their kid is naughty. That information CAN be included, since lots of parents like to know.
Would some back-to-school prayers perk you up? Check out these 9 prayers for administrators, teachers, and kids of all ages.
I decided to offer up my own free, editable letter in a Google doc. You can find it below. I hope it comes in handy! I’ve also included some tips for how to edit and write your own meet the teacher letter that really makes a strong first impression.
My Free Editable Letter for Meet the Teacher Night
Below is what my free, editable letter looks like for Meet the Teacher night, or what you might call a Teacher Introduction Letter.
Meet-the-Teacher-Letter-1How to Write a Introduction Letter to Parents
As a parent, I’m looking for certain information in a meet the teacher letter. You may know that I’m also a teacher, so I’ve downloaded my fair share of other templates before writing my own.
Formatting and Content
Formatting matters in a Meet the Teacher letter. You want some subheadings, so parents can quickly find the information they’re looking for. I like the following subheadings:
- About Me – This is important, but it doesn’t need to be a novel. Just include what matters most about your personal life, without oversharing.
- My Education – Remember that what matters here isn’t how fancy your degree is, or how many certifications you hold. You simply want to convey that you are qualified to teach, and that you have a love of learning.
- Contact Me – It’s important to go beyond just HOW to reach you. You always want to convey realistic expectations for how frequently you’ll respond. Some parents don’t understand classroom dynamics, how many different things compete for your time during planning periods, or that you have a life outside of your work day. There’s no need to be defensive; instead, just clearly state the best ways to reach you and realistic response times. Don’t forget to give them the office’s number in case you need to be reached quickly.
- Stay Informed – There’s a good chance you use some kind of parent communication app like Seesaw or Dojo. Parents are paying lots of attention at the start of the year, so take advantage of that by including your sign-up process in the Meet the Teacher letter.
- My Favorite Things – Lots of parents WANT this information. It’s good to include it, in case parents want to bring you a Dr. Pepper or treat you during Teacher Appreciation Week. I just like to bury it a little ways down instead of letting it be the attention grabber.
- Our Curriculum – You may want to explain to parents what sort of curriculum you’ll be using, teaching and learning philosophies, etc. This is especially true if your school district is doing something new that might be confusing to parents. Keep it short; teachers are more interested in curriculum than parents.
- Our Goals – You probably don’t have class achievement goals, but simply letting parents know that you’ll be setting individual goals at a certain point in the future is helpful. Let them know when they can expect to hear more about their child’s learning goals. Our school district has a GOALS meeting in October, and we try to get parents to sign up at Meet the Teacher night.
- Our Partnership/Homework Policy – Let parents know immediately what they can expect regarding homework, and your commitments to valuing their time. Homework is one of parents’ top concerns, so addressing it right away can ward off any uncomfortable conversations. Stick to your commitments outlined at the start of the year. Also take a moment to state how you value your relationship, and why you feel it’s so important to partner together.
Check out my master list of 40 classroom jobs that kids love – and how to make sure you’re successful with them!
Let Your Personality Shine!
I also love to include a Bitmoji or a real photo of myself for parents. If you plan to use your Bitmoji a lot, it can be great to include it in the Meet the Teacher letter, so parents immediately start recognizing this little trademark. Using a Bitmoji or including a smiling photo is a great way to connect with parents. This letter will probably go on their fridge.
Don’t be afraid to show a bit of personality and write with a strong VOICE in your letter; that’s both comforting to parents and simply good writing.
Sample Teacher Letter for Meet the Teacher Night
Below is my sample Meet the Teacher letter. If you scroll up a bit, you’ll find the free, editable version in Google docs. This is just written below for anyone who doesn’t want to access Google docs.
Hi! I’m Mrs. Supersweet!
I am so excited to meet you and your child. I became a teacher because I love children, and it’s my desire to see the joy on every kid’s face when they master a new concept. I believe EVERY child can grow, learn, and develop the confidence to be successful in school and in their lives.
About Me
I’ve been teaching for 12 years. Before that, I was a youth minister and worked for a marketing company. I have a husband named Dude, and three kids under age 7: Turkey Burger, Chicken Patty, and Chicken Nugget. We love to play golf, do puzzles, and have movie and popcorn nights together. Someday, I’d love to travel, but right now, taking care of little kids seems to keep our feet planted firmly in Tinytown, USA.
My Education
My undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education from Fancy University in The Big City, Big State. I am certified to teach all the subjects in all the grades. I have a special interest in Gifted and Talented education, and have supplemental certifications in English as a Second Language, too. Each year, I’m learning new content so I can continue to grow professionally. I also enjoy learning from my teacher teammates.
Contact Me
I am easiest to reach at my school email: [email protected]. I tend to answer parent emails twice per week, as your children take up most of my time during the day and I have little kids at home. Please be patient; I will respond!
I’m also happy to meet in person, and sometimes that’s the best way to solve problems or address concerns together. Please email me to schedule a face-to-face or virtual chat.
If it’s an emergency, and you need to reach me during the school day, please call our school office at 123-456-7891.
Stay Informed!
Please scan this QR code below to join XYZ parent announcement system, or text this code to that number, or download whatever app, or see attachment, etc.
My Favorite Things
I absolutely adore this show, that food, this sports activity, this type of craft project, and long walks on the beach.
Our Curriculum
This year, we’ll be using this one curriculum that’s going to be a total game changer for kids. I’m not the least bit stressed about only being trained on it two days ago. I’m totally overwhelmed, but research says it’s the best curriculum ever for students who are nothing like ours, so let’s do it!
Our Goals for the Year
Academic goals will look different for each child, and we will discuss those at our parent meetings in October. Additionally, my goal is that every child in my class will grow in kindness, discover an internal motivation to succeed, and learn to treat everyone they meet with respect.
Our Partnership / Homework Policy
I don’t really believe in homework, because it’s been shown to widen the achievement gap for at-risk kids, and it takes away from extra-curricular activities and family time. Therefore, I simply ask that you read with your kids each night. I will not require you to complete a log – happy reading!
Finally, please know that I look forward to a year of partnering with you. I will be spending a lot of time with your child, and plan to love each of them the best way I can. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions or concerns.
Much love,
Mrs. Supersweet
Plan ahead! Here are my favorite editable, printable kindergarten graduation certificates. Available in Google Slides!
A Final Word About the Meet the Teacher Letter
It’s important to make a good impression, and keep your spelling and grammar on point! However, it’s also not even close to the most important thing to do in the first couple of weeks of school. So don’t lay awake at night stressing about it. I hope my resources can help you!
