I just watched the first episode of the new show Single Parents. It was hilariously inaccurate to the way I begin the first day of first grade. All of the parents were in the room, the "room parent" was giving a speech, the kids all talked like they were 30 years old.
On my first day, the students stand in the hall and say goodbye to their parents and then we go in the room without them.
I'm curious how many teachers invite all of the parents in the first day.
Also, in lots of shows that I assume take place in California, there's a door straight to the outdoors. Do you have classrooms like this?
I didn't think the show was very good.
I'm curious how many teachers invite all of the parents in the first day.
I teach K and parents do come in for a few minutes on the first day. I read The Kissing Hand and then the kids all give their parents a kissing hand and we say goodbye. The parents then go to the New Parent Tea in the cafeteria. It's a diplomatic way to hustle the parents on their way.
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Also, in lots of shows that I assume take place in California, there's a door straight to the outdoors. Do you have classrooms like this?
My school has a Kindergarten wing with its own playground. I have a door to the hallway and one to the playground.
I've not seen the show and my students do not sound like they are 30 years old.
Remember my 1st year teaching the parents were in the room with the video cameras rolling. Oh my! My next school the children and parents met in the auditorium or gym. Principal gave a welcome, reminders about pick up safety, admonished goodbye-hugs and kisses and then the teachers were called up by name and grade class list read off and led our students to the room.
“Also, in lots of shows that I assume take place in California, there's a door straight to the outdoors. Do you have classrooms like this?”
I sub in the SF Bay Area. In my district, there are more classrooms that open directly to the outdoors than there are classrooms that have interior hallways.
We have 2 doors that open directly to a playground. I do not have parents come in the first day. The kids wave goodbye and walk in by themselves. We had an ice cream meet and greet a few days before and the parents have already seen the classroom.
I didn't watch it, nor do I intend to, but TV shows that have young children talking like they're grown-ups or with all these snappy , snarky, sassy comebacks drive me insane!
As a K teacher I always invited the parents in. They could take pictures and after about 15 minutes of getting to know you activities and a book, we would go for a tour of the school. I usually lost most of them then. If any remained when we got back to the classroom I would say “kiss mommy or daddy goodbye, you’ll see them after school”
My classroom was in California and my door opened to the outside.
I have also always noticed that about doors that open to the outside. I would love that!
I teach prek and we don’t even have parents come in on the first day. We do a meet and greet a few days before then on day one parents go through the car drop off lane and say goodbye there. Teachers walk the kids into the building
I taught upper elementary, but no i would never have the parents in the room on the first day. And yes all of my classrooms have had doors directly to outside. It’s very common in AZ.
I had recorded the show and watched only about 7 minutes and then quit.
The first 1st grader shown was, in real life, a 2nd or 3rd grader, as evidenced by her mature top front teeth. The kids didn't look like 1st graders. The fact that parents were in the room doing their own thing didn't sit well. And, of course, the small number of students so there could be room for all of those parents....
I teach upper elementary, but our lower elementary always had parents in the room for the first day. No room mom speech because we didn’t have room moms yet.
California classrooms as a teacher and student almost all did have doors to outside. That was one of the weirdest things about moving somewhere with regular inclement weather - never having to go outside to get anywhere.
First day of Kinder, parents could stay at the back of the room until I finished a story then I booted them out. First and second grade, say your goodbyes at the door.
I taught in California and yes we had two doors: one to interior halls and one to the outside.
I watched the trailer and it looked dumb. It's too bad as I loved Taran Killam on SNL.
I do have a door that leads straight to the playground and it is awesome! I think all our our elementary schools do, except the few that are two stories.
I agree- the show was ridiculous and overdone and not very realistic on any count, but it was amusing to me. I'll watch the next one. I like dumb shows like this, though. I don't think it'll last, either, unless the next bunch of shows get a lot better.
My doors in all but one classroom I had in both NM and HI had doors that opened to the outside. That show with Matt LeBlanc where a lot of scenes are in the classroom has a door that opens to a hallway. Man something? I can't remember
My thing with these shows (besides the often unrealistic teaching/classroom scenes and ridiculous portrayals of teachers) are the fantastically gorgeous classrooms, of which I have never seen irl (but have seen every so often on PT) and which do not resemble any classroom I've had-- not by a long shot!
I'm in California and I've only attended or taught at one school that had classrooms that opened to an interior hallway. Of course my classroom at the time was a portable, so my door still opened to the outside.
In a group of five single parents with primary or sole custody, three of them are men! And they all help each other out in an unofficial support group! And they are all inexplicably affluent - even the 20 something single dad who doesn’t appear to have a job.
What a load of Hollywood fiction!
Single parenting as I have witnessed it is not light-hearted, witty, or gender diverse. Although I like some of the cast members, it’s a hard pass on this show.
I also noticed that the actors playing the students were all older. No baby teeth or missing teeth.
Also, the alphabet was in cursive. Seriously??
I guess lots of people feel their profession is portrayed wrong on TV.
I haven't heard of this one, but it seems like something to skip anyway! I don't like "stupid" humor. Our Kindergarten teachers invite parents in on the first day, and then there is a "tea and tissues" gathering with the principal after the first 20 minutes to nicely get the parents out of the classrooms. After the first day, parents aren't allowed to come inside.
1st grade and up makes a big deal of saying something like, "Hug your parents goodbye!" before taking the kids into the school. As a non classroom teacher, I'm assigned to a door and if parents try to come in I tell them they're not allowed.
If parents absolutely insist, they have to go around to the front door (which is different than the doors the kids enter in the morning), sign into the office and get a visitor's badge, which involves handing over their driver's license and getting a pass with their picture printed on it. They're not allowed to just come in the door with the class.
I'm in CO and have worked in multiple buildings with outside doors from the classroom. We're in a new building this year and they didn't build in the outside doors due to security concerns.
We're in a new building this year and they didn't build in the outside doors due to security concerns.
That's interesting. I like that my room has an exterior door, because I have two exits in case things go sideways. I guess it depends on which side you look at it: giving us multiple means of escape or having multiple means for the unwanted to get in. There are no solidly good answers.
I definitely do not have parents come in on the first day. Sounds like chaos lol Parents aren't really allowed in the building unless for a specific reason. They must say goodbye to their children at the door.
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09-29-2018, 05:18 AM
If any remained when we got back to the classroom I would say “kiss mommy or daddy goodbye, you’ll see them after school” 
