Artifact 2

Context
I created a sample newsletter to send home to parents using the Microsoft Publisher program. There were numerous templates to choose from, which made the entire process much easier. I simply had to choose the color scheme, add graphics, and type story lines to go in each section. I was truly impressed with how simple it was to create a fun, professional newsletter in just an hour.

Impact
The Microsoft Publisher program will be an invaluable tool for me as a future educator. Not only will I be able to produce newsletters with ease, but I will also have the option of using the program to make signs, pamphlets, business cards, etc. Using the program to create newsletters will probably be most beneficial to me because it will allow me to inform the parents of current events in my classroom.

Alignment
The parent newsletter created using the Microsoft Publisher program aligns with competency 12.3. As a future elementary school teacher, I will be able to use this helpful aid for years to come. Not only will I need to use it in my classroom to update parents, but I can also use it to keep in touch with friends and family. I feel more prepared as an educator knowing how to use the Microsoft Publisher program.

Alignment to INTASC Standards
This artifact is a model of a newsletter that teachers can use to foster close relationships with parents and therefore meets INTASC Standard 10. The newsletter encourages parents' involvement in the classroom in order to support student learning. The newsletter can be used to communicate classroom activities to rest of the community so that the classroom can form a cooperative partnership with agencies and professionals around it. This newsletter is a great way to communicate needs and concerns with parents as well as sharing students' work and class activities with others outside of the classroom.