Caring Classrooms -- A Parent Inventory

Laura Candler of Corkboard Connections is hosting a link up for Creating Caring Classrooms.  I want to take this opportunity to share how I begin to build relationships with the parents of my students.  I send home my Parent Information Form to parents the first day of school for several reasons:

• I get valuable information from parents that I wouldn't read in a permanent record.
• Parents are invited into their child's education -- or rather I acknowledge the important role they have.
• When students see that I accept and invite their families into the classroom, they know I accept them.

I don't get the form back from every parent, but it does give every family the opportunity to share with me.  What parents write about their children touches me and I can make sure that I have started the year emphasizing the positive.