With Valentine's Day coming, do you have a plan for both fun and staying in control of your class?

You'll have to both manage a hyped up class AND their parents. While class parties are an important and fun part of school, they can be stressful! Are you ready?

We know class parties are important. They build community, help us connect with each other, give us (hopefully) some fun, shared memories and create opportunities to take a short break and celebrate. You and your students work hard. Sometimes we need a bit of a break to reenergize us and give us perspective. In addition, parties can also be a great time to teach some social skills - greeting guests, making others feel welcome, party behavior, etc.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought I’d share a few tips for managing not only the party details, but the parents (and their) expectations that come with class parties. Let’s face it. Running your classroom is one thing, but add a roomful of parents into the...