I believe most teachers would like to get to know their students well. Hence, they would usually ask their students to introduce themselves during the first day of class.
There's a better way to get to know your students. Tell your class that you are assigning their parents homework (the kids must be very happy!). Explain to your students that you need their parents to write a letter to discuss about them (likes, dislikes, achievements, concerns, etc).
I believe parents will respond well to this initiative.
