Communications

Effective Communications and a record of them can be a great asset to effective teaching.

• The use of a computer can greatly simplify the task of communicating with parents by generating documents which can easily be stored and recalled to revise the following year.
• Your communications are most commonly for informing, creating interest, soliciting help and cooperation, and creating accountability.
• At the beginning of a new school year most students and parents are anxious to learn about the year's new classes. They will often be full of resolutions for a year more successful than the previous one. You would be wise to seize the moment with a well thought-out and carefully written student-parent letter to give students the first day.

The Student-Parent Letter

• The student-parent letter should be discussed in class the first day and given to students to take home for their parents/guardian to read. A tear-off signed by both the student and parent/guardian acknowledging that the letter has been read should be returned the next day. The teacher should keep the signed acknowledgements on file.
• In the student-parent letter you would probably want to include a little about the subject of the class, requirements and expectations, the grading system, classroom procedures, rules and consequences, any special materials needed, and any special help or opportunities given to build success.
• It is important that you encourage both student and parent/guardian at the outset to form a partnership for success. It is also important to extend an invitation to the parents to visit the classroom whenever they wish, and to provide them with the best time to contact you by phone during the school day.

A Sample Student-Parent Letter

This is only one example. Your letter should reflect your subject, grade level, standards, and expectations. If you have a letter that you think would be helpful to others, please send me a copy and we might be able to include it here.

Dear Student and Parent/Guardian:

I am Mrs. Dorothea Mynster. I welcome you to the 1997/98 school year, which hopefully will be our most successful yet.

In this math class you will be expected to work hard to master the curriculum in basic skills and math applications, working with ever more challenging material demanding higher level thinking and reasoning. To achieve success in this endeavor we will form a partnership of effort, cooperation, encouragement, and help, both at school and at home.

To make it possible for us to maximize teaching and learning at school, we have a few basic rules which students are expected to follow:

1. Students are to place due assignments in the homework box, and be in their seats ready to work prior to the tardy bell. Homework not in the box will not be counted. Students not in their seats ready to work will be counted tardy. Beginning with the third unexcused tardy, detention will be assigned.
2. All students are to do their best and allow all other students and the teacher to do their best. Any student off task will be given detention.
3. All school rules will be enforced and detention assigned for violations.

Students will be graded in the following way:

• Daily Quizzes = 20%
• Chapter Tests = 30%
• Portfolio = 50%

Letter grades will be assigned as follows for an average of:

• 90 - 100% = A
• 80 - 89% = B
• 70 - 79% = C
• 60 - 69% = D
• 59% and below = F

A portfolio which will include all assigned work is to be kept by each student. An emphasis is being placed on literacy in all classes, therefore writing will be a part of each assignment.

Students are encouraged to have and use a scientific calculator which includes fractions.

Tutoring in math is available each morning for 45 minutes before classes begin and during lunch time.

Parents are encouraged to give support to their child in math, to visit the class at any time, or to contact me from 2:00 - 2:30 just to keep in touch.

Please sign the tear-off section of this letter and return it to class tomorrow.

Thank you,

Dorothea Mynster

I have read the Student/Parent letter in math.

Student _________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian __________________________________________________

Date ______________ Class _______________________ Period ___________

For comments or questions contact: Dorothea Mynster.

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