Making Connections

The Importance of Introductory Calls

Starting the year with a positive connection can pave the way for successful communication throughout the school year. This isn’t just a formality; it’s an opportunity to lay a solid foundation between you, the teacher, and the parents of your students.

Let’s be honest, whether you’re a seasoned teacher or just starting out, those introductory calls can stir up a little anxiety.

So, when should you make these calls? What should you say? And most importantly, what’s the goal of this outreach?

We’ve spoken with Mrs. Rochel Zimmerman and Mrs. Chumi Levitansky from Torah Umesorah’s 3+3 New Teacher Training, and they’ve offered some fantastic insights that can help ease those nerves.

Getting Ready:

Schedule a date and time in your calendar.
Ideal timing: before the school year or early September
Decide how and when parents should contact you if the need arises, so that you can communicate this to them during the call.

Making the Call:

Make calls between 9 am and 4 pm, or between 8 and 9:30 pm.
Each call should take 2-5 minutes, though more time may be needed for certain calls.
Write a list of talking points for yourself
Keep a communication log (such as The Role Book) or a pen and paper handy to take notes during the call.
If the call goes unanswered, leave a message if possible.

Suggested Talking Points:

Introduce yourself (use your first name if comfortable).

“Hello, this is Shani Kaufman, and I will be your Shifra’s English teacher this year.”

Specify that this is a quick call and ask if this is a good time.
Share your excitement about getting to know their child
Ask about any important information regarding their child
Is he/she called by the name on the list?
What’s the best way to contact you if needed?
Is there anything that is individual to this child that would be helpful for me to know?
When the parent responds, listen in a manner that shows complete focus. Use a professional tone to ask for clarification when necessary.
Provide your contact details (best phone number and availability)
Close with a positive message (e.g., “Looking forward to a wonderful year, IYH!”)

Keeping Communication Logs:

Write down relevant information that the parent shares
- The TU Role Book is an excellent record-keeping resource.
- Best phone number to reach parents
- Preferred name for students
- Examples of important information
  - Allergies, sensitivities, health issues, medication
  - Academic, behavioral or Social concerns
  - Upcoming or recent Family changes such as move, divorce, baby, weddings
  - professional help, therapy or tutoring that the child gets. (You may ask if they want you to be in touch with the tutor, and take down the number)
  - Seating suggestions based on any of the above.
If the parents share Anything specific for the teacher to keep tabs on, ask if they want you to reach out with updates, and how often.
For your own records, set an approximate follow-up date or date for next nachas call.

MORE TO EXPLORE

Grading Shortcut

https://tuteachercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Excel-grading.mp4 Spreadsheets make calculating students’ grades quick and easy. They’re efficient and can be easily updated if anything changes, saving you from redoing all the math. Plus, they help keep everything organized and accurate, reducing mistakes. With a digital backup, your data is safe and easy to share with the school office, making it simple to include grades on report cards. Overall, spreadsheets make grading a breeze! If you’ve never done this before, here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your custom grading spreadsheet. 1. Set Up the Spreadsheet Header Open Excel and in Row 1, create the following headers: A1: Student Name B1: Test 1 C1: Test 2 D1: Test 3 E1: Test 4 F1: Final Score G1: Grade You can adjust the number of assignments/tests to suit your needs. 2. Enter Students’ Scores In rows 2 and onward, enter data for each student. Example: A2: Aviva B2: 85 C2:

Marking Simplified

There’s nothing more exhilarating than a pile of marked papers. And there’s nothing more overwhelming than a pile of unmarked test papers. Testing and accurate marking are necessary to hold students accountable and give them the feedback they crave. Here are some tips to lighten your marking load and help you finish the school year paperwork-free! In General: Plan Ahead When creating your test, set up the questions to make the marking move quicker. Use more short-answer or multiple-choice questions. (Click HERE for more tips on creating tests.) Small increments Tackle five to ten tests at a time. Section by section Create a sample answer sheet and cut out the answers to each section. Put the answer key near the students’ answers to rely less on your memory. Magic Marker Hire an assistant or a colleague to help with grading. For Essays and Long Answers: Use symbols or

Last Day Lessons

“Last day’s lesson? Sore topic!” says a fourth-grade teacher. “I can never predict how long the end-of-year assembly will last, so every year I end up either over-planning or under-planning the closure activity!” Navigating the school year’s close can be quite challenging for educators. With various school-wide assemblies and the need to wrap up the curriculum, finding the balance of a quick-but-impactful activity can be tough. However, incorporating one of the following interactive activities can transform the last days of school into a valuable opportunity to celebrate student achievements, share cherished memories, and strengthen the sense of community among classmates. These activities can be adapted to fit a time frame of 15 to 45 minutes, allowing teachers to maintain flexibility as needed. Craft On the last day of school, a third-grade teacher we asked said she wraps up the scrapbook page for the final bracha of Shemone Esrei. “Crafts are

Preparing an Effective Final Exam

Creating Questions Create an outline of the material taught Mark “must know” vs. “nice to know” information. When creating questions, prioritize questions on “must know” content Be cognizant of students’ skills and age level when choosing types of questions Think ahead towards marking: True/false, multiple choice, matching = quick scoring. Open-ended questions = more time-consuming. Fine-Tuning Take the exam yourself; time it to gauge difficulty. Have someone else take the exam for perspective. This will help you be aware of potential issues students may face. Write clear instructions for each test section. Include a warm note or poem in the cover letter for the final to reduce stress. Preparing Your Students Distribute copies of your outline to students. This provides them with a framework for studying and helps them realize that the content is not infinite. Teach effective study strategies. (You can refer to this article for ideas