So my summer is winding down. Who am I kidding? It’s gone. I start school on Monday (year-round) and I’m sitting in the living room revising and updating all of my beginning of the year information for parents and students. I just finished my Scholastic Parent Letter and I’m already anticipating all the new books I’ll be getting with my bonus points! I LOVE Scholastic.
To any teacher who hasn’t had success with book orders, I would just say, “Try and try again.”
I promote these book orders like crazy. Here are a few of my “sneaky” strategies:
1. This parent letter goes home with all the other important information i.e. emergency contact forms, permission slips, etc.
2. At Parent Information Night (PIN), I beg and plead to all the parents that if they just order one book this year, please make it with the first catalog. This is where teachers get crazy bonus points! Last year I was able to purchase over 50 new books!! Love.
3. When I pass out the book catalogs, I do so at the end of the day. I tell all the students to circle 3 books that interest them. They then share with their table groups the books they chose and why. In a couple of minutes, the bell rings and the students are rushed to their parents with book catalogs in hand, books on their minds….that’s my sneaky move. Never give the students catalogs at the beginning of the day.
4. I put the book deadlines on my edmodo calendar, edmodo alert, and send out group emails to all parents. What’s the worst a parent can say, “She keeps pushing BOOKS on me?” I’ll take that complaint any day.
5. When the books for the class library are finally delivered, I read aloud EVERY title and most of the summaries on the back. This way the students know what’s being added to the library and the line for checkout grows immediately. The kids all know it’s my favorite delivery.
So to all who doubt, try your hardest to talk about your book orders everyday up to your deadline. Hopefully, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Happy bonus points!
*Below is the letter I send home with my kids. Scholastic Parent Letter
Cortez Corner 