Artifact # 3
Newsletter to parents informs them of who is in the classroom with their child, as well as, the events that the child will be participating in. Other information contained in the letter helps them remain aware of the learning experiences of the teachers and the students.
Context
This newsletter was created using Microsoft Publisher. It was
created during my Block experience at ASU. I created this newsletter
to give to the students I would be working with. They were to take
it home and give it to their parents. The newsletter informs parents
and students of who I am and what I want to accomplish this semester as
I intern at Beech Mountain Elementary. It serves as a model of the
type of newsletter I will use as a teacher to keep parents aware of the
events in their child’s classroom. I will also include my expectations
of the class and the students for the year. This is one of the ways
I plan to communicate with parents as a teacher.
Impact
Aesthetically pleasing and very informative the newsletter provides
a wonderful medium for communication between parent and teacher.
Teachers and parents alike often find it difficult to coordinate schedules
for conferences. The newsletter can be sent home with the student
who sees the teacher every school day so that important information can
be shared more often. Parents can utilize this newsletter to volunteer
to help with classroom activities, donate supplies, and aid in their student’s
homework. The newsletter could also be used as a form of communication
between other teachers, other schools, and the community at large.
With such a variety of receivers, the newsletter becomes a very valuable
tool of communication outside and inside the classroom.
Alignment
By reading the newsletter parents can learn about their child’s learning,
classroom experiences, and other events and other important facts relevant
to the school and their child’s progress. As a teacher, I use the
newsletter to communicate my goals, expectations, and ambitions for the
child’s class. It is important that the students know about the person
teaching them, as well as, the teacher knowing the students. Not
only is the newsletter communicating with parents and students, but it
is capable of communicating with other teachers, schools, and the community
(Tech. Competency 12.3). The newsletter
illustrates one communication tool teachers can use to reach parents when
they cannot attend parent/teacher conferences. The newsletter can
inform parents about current events in the classroom, as well as, those
upcoming. This is a wonderful communication tool because it can be
read at parents' convenience. The teacher and the parent do not have
to find a time to come together or talk on the phone. The newsletter
creates a positive relationship between teachers, students, and the community.
Newsletters can be sent to agencies, churches, civic, and community-based
organizations that will volunteer to help with the learning experiences
of the students. By making them aware of the events occurring in
your classroom, it is possible that cooperative teams develop, and collaboration,
collegiality, and personal growth is instilled in the students. By
working with agencies and churches in the community, students experiences
begin to mature (INTASC #10).