Home Visit 2022-2023

Why Should I Do Home Visits in the First Place?

• It helps to really get to know your students – nothing teaches you about your students more quickly than being inside of their home. You can learn about the challenges that your students face, from not having a proper space to complete homework, to living in cramped quarters.

• It shows the parents and students that you care about them and where they come from. Take just a few minutes to visit a student’s home will teach you about the values and culture of their family.  This builds rapport and sets the stage for future communication.

When Should You Do Home Visits?

The best time to do home visits is during the first few weeks of school, when students are on their best behavior and you don’t have any (or many) trouble-areas to address.  Some teachers do home visits in place of the first parent-teacher conference (in the fall).  Home visits can be conducted during or after school hours (around the time when parents are used to parent-teacher conferences).  Avoid home visits during evening hours, especially if you are visiting areas that make you uncomfortable.

How Often Should I Complete a Home Visit?

Once per year per student is usually sufficient, as home visits require significant time and coordination.  For certain students, or students whose parents have difficulty making it to school functions, two visits per year can be beneficial.

What Should You Do During a Home Visit?

Home visits should be positive and brief.  You can follow a specific format to make you more comfortable.  It’s a great opportunity to hand out and go over any class or school expectations and to check if the parents have questions.  You will most likely be invited to see the student’s room – kids LOVE giving you the tour and will usually be very proud of their space.  Take them up on this opportunity.  Many families will offer you food or drink.  It is up to you if you would like to accept these offers, but it will make families and students incredibly happy if you do.  We’ve made a free home visit tracking sheet that you can check out here.