Issuing genuine invitations is the secret to getting parents to understand that you really do want and need them to get involved in their child’s academic success. Parents need to know that you really are inviting them to be involved.
Yes, you are polite and smiling when you invite them, but often parents think you don’t really mean it. Think about the last back-to-school night when you told parents something very much like, “I want you to know that you’re all welcome at East Valley School anytime. It’s your school.
You are always welcome here!” But many parents knew from experience with you or other school staff that that wasn’t always true. And teachers hoped that parents wouldn’t come to their classrooms unannounced, because most of them are not prepared to have them simply drop by.