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Sidewalk visits help Bush teachers build connections before school

Before students walked through the doors of Bush Elementary School for the first day of classes, several teachers had already begun getting to know them -- not from behind a desk, but from the sidewalks outside their homes.

Through "Sidewalk Chats" and "Chalk Talks," teachers arranged informal summer home visits with students and their families. The conversations gave children an opportunity to meet their teachers in familiar surroundings while allowing families to share their goals, questions and important information before the school year began.

"Sidewalk chats are a family engagement strategy in which the classroom teachers arrange a home visit meeting with each child and their family," Bush Principal Kate Benson said. "The purpose of the home visits is to form relationships with the family and student."

Benson said home visits are among the most highly rated family and community engagement strategies for supporting literacy and attendance. During each visit, teachers ask questions designed to help them learn about the child, including what makes the family proud of them.

Bush has offered summer home visits for several years. This summer, all of the school's universal prekindergarten teachers and several additional staff members participated.

For UPK teacher Amy Anderson, the visits have become an important part of preparing Bush's youngest learners for their first school experiences. Anderson has participated in "Sidewalk Chats" for the past three years and said meeting their teachers ahead of time helps children put faces to names and makes the transition into school more successful.

The substance of each conversation depends on the child and family. Some visits focus on basic get-to-know-you questions about favorite foods or toys. Others give families an opportunity to discuss a changing family dynamic, a severe allergy or another important need.

"Each conversation was a little different, but then each relationship is as well," Anderson said. "My intention is for each of these chats to be an example of how I will care for each child as the year progresses. Once a parent knows you care, the possibilities of success are endless!"

First-grade teacher Katie Hurst took part because she wanted to begin developing trust and positive relationships with families before the school year started. During her visits, families shared their goals for their children, what they hoped their children would learn and how they wanted them to grow. They could also discuss information they believed would help Hurst better understand and support their child.

Having those conversations ahead of time helped Hurst develop a deeper understanding of her students and took some of the pressure off Open House because the relationship had already begun.

"I hope these conversations help families see that we are a team and that we are working collaboratively toward what is best for their child," Hurst said. "I truly believe that we cannot effectively teach children without trust, and we cannot meaningfully engage families without trust either."

Kindergarten teacher Philip Cammarata also valued the opportunity to meet students in an environment where they already felt comfortable. The visits allowed him to learn about their summer experiences and personal interests while seeing their excitement about meeting their teacher and returning to school.

That familiarity made a difference when students arrived for Open House and their first day.

"It's the best feeling knowing everyone's name and a little bit about them coming in on Open House and the first day of school," Cammarata said. "In my opinion, they are such a great way to get to know your students before they come in."

Families said the visits helped their children feel recognized, reassured and more prepared to begin school.

"The chalk talk home visit made my son even more excited and comfortable to walk into school on the first day," said UPK parent Ashley Pineda. "It made him feel special to have his teachers come to his own home to visit him specially!"

UPK parent Stephanie Cardone saw a similar difference in her son, Callum. During the visit, his teachers invited him to go inside, select something special and bring it outside to show them. The activity gave him an opportunity to share something about himself in a place where he already felt comfortable.

"We thought the home visit was great," Cardone said. "Callum seemed much more comfortable coming into the class on Open House night and followed directions since he already had an idea who his teachers were. I think giving him a chance to meet his teachers and show them about himself in a place he was used to made the transition to school on those first days much easier."

The conversations may be brief, but Bush educators hope the trust they begin establishing will strengthen communication and collaboration throughout the school year.

"Sidewalk chats were a simple but powerful way to begin establishing that trust and showing families that their voice matters," Hurst said. "I hope that foundation makes families feel comfortable communicating with me, asking questions, sharing concerns and partnering with us throughout the school year."