Letter of Introduction to Parents
This artifact is a letter of introduction to the parents/guardians of the Kindergarten students I had the opportunity to student teach this Fall. It conveys to parents a vision of the impact I wished to have on the classroom, gave them some information about what my role as a student teacher would be and who I am, and lastly lets parents/guardians know how they can contact me with questions, comments, and concerns.
I believe this letter is a valuable artifact because keeping parents and guardians informed about and involved with what is happening in the classroom is something I believe to be a key component of a successful classroom. Parents and guardians have a significant wealth of knowledge when it comes to knowing their child and his or her interests, needs, triumphs and challenges. Especially in Kindergarten, where children are attending school often times for a full day for the first time, parents and guardians are anxious to know what and how their child is doing in the classroom everyday. Consistent teacher-parent interaction benefits the teacher, parents/guardians, and ultimately the child because the more information sharing that occurs between the teacher and the parents/guardians, the more informed action can be taken to help that child grow academically and socially over the course of the year. One discovery I made while I sat in on parent teacher conferences and led one conference was the fact that often times children exhibit different behaviors in a home versus a school environment (especially in terms of how they interact with siblings versus how they interact with their peers).
The act of reaching out to parents early on in the year is also important, especially if parents have any immediate concerns about their child to express to the teacher. This artifact opened the doors of communication with parents and guardians past initial introductions at Kindergarten orientation. It shows a commitment to work collaboratively to meet the needs of all my students.
I believe this letter is a valuable artifact because keeping parents and guardians informed about and involved with what is happening in the classroom is something I believe to be a key component of a successful classroom. Parents and guardians have a significant wealth of knowledge when it comes to knowing their child and his or her interests, needs, triumphs and challenges. Especially in Kindergarten, where children are attending school often times for a full day for the first time, parents and guardians are anxious to know what and how their child is doing in the classroom everyday. Consistent teacher-parent interaction benefits the teacher, parents/guardians, and ultimately the child because the more information sharing that occurs between the teacher and the parents/guardians, the more informed action can be taken to help that child grow academically and socially over the course of the year. One discovery I made while I sat in on parent teacher conferences and led one conference was the fact that often times children exhibit different behaviors in a home versus a school environment (especially in terms of how they interact with siblings versus how they interact with their peers).
The act of reaching out to parents early on in the year is also important, especially if parents have any immediate concerns about their child to express to the teacher. This artifact opened the doors of communication with parents and guardians past initial introductions at Kindergarten orientation. It shows a commitment to work collaboratively to meet the needs of all my students.