Parent Communication
I believe that parent communication is the key partnership that allows for effective individualized instruction both in class and at home. Student education must be the result of an ongoing set of parent-teacher partnerships. Whether it be via emails, phone calls, notes home, or conferences, the parent-teacher dynamic must be defined by clear communication with specific goals for the student as the focus. The following parent letter is a template I would use and give out at a open house event to start the school year.
Parents and Guardians,
My name is Michael Hartman, and I will be your child’s science teacher for this school year. I am a graduate of the University of Florida, and I earned my Bachelors of Science degree in biology with a specialization in secondary education, and a UFTeach minor in science education. I have been trained to teach in a variety of science disciplines, but our focus will be on life science for this year.
We will begin the year learning about _________ and move on to ________ as the next unit of study. Most units will take between 2 and 3 weeks, and will culminate in a summative test. The content of the units will be based on the curriculum listed in the county pacing guide. Quizzes will be given near the midpoint of each unit to test comprehension and retention. The textbook will not cover all of the topics in the same breadth or depth that the students will be responsible for at times, so thorough note-taking is important for content review purposes, as are classwork and homework assignments. Your child will be responsible for maintaining a science journal and lab notebook containing the notes, labs, and other interactive activities and projects that we will have during the year.
My goal for your child is that they leave my class every day having a deeper understanding of whatever the lesson’s topic is. I will follow the _______ County Pacing guide (viewable at www._____________.edu), but my teaching emphasis will not solely focus on the tested standards. I believe that students learn best when they do science, instead of hearing it lectured at them. I believe that a complementary goal of science education is science literacy, as it is key to being able to think rationally and critically. These thinking skills are important for making connections between difference science topics, as well as between science topics and other subjects like math, history, and art. I believe that science is curiosity in action, and I hope to stimulate and grow their curiosity and appreciation for science.
__________ offers many fun, educational science experiences outside of school, so I hope to plan a few field trips for my classes when appropriate. I would greatly appreciate any chaperone help that you parents may be able to offer for these trips. Also, I expect that the school supplies listed on the sheet I provided your child with at open house should be in their possession when they arrive for the first day of school on ____________. They will be responsible for coming to class every day fully prepared to learn and tackle the day’s agenda. If they need to miss class, the day’s agenda and materials will be uploaded to my website www.mrhartmansscientists.blogspot.com, so that they can stay in-step with what material the class is going through. Some activities will not be able to be made up, and in those circumstances, an alternate assignment will be given and graded in its stead.
I look forward to working closely with you to help develop your child’s education as fully as possible! Please feel free to contact me at the email address below if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. I will try to respond within 24 hours of receiving your message.
Regards,
--Michael Hay Hartman
_________@________.edu
I believe that parent communication is the key partnership that allows for effective individualized instruction both in class and at home. Student education must be the result of an ongoing set of parent-teacher partnerships. Whether it be via emails, phone calls, notes home, or conferences, the parent-teacher dynamic must be defined by clear communication with specific goals for the student as the focus. The following parent letter is a template I would use and give out at a open house event to start the school year.
Parents and Guardians,
My name is Michael Hartman, and I will be your child’s science teacher for this school year. I am a graduate of the University of Florida, and I earned my Bachelors of Science degree in biology with a specialization in secondary education, and a UFTeach minor in science education. I have been trained to teach in a variety of science disciplines, but our focus will be on life science for this year.
We will begin the year learning about _________ and move on to ________ as the next unit of study. Most units will take between 2 and 3 weeks, and will culminate in a summative test. The content of the units will be based on the curriculum listed in the county pacing guide. Quizzes will be given near the midpoint of each unit to test comprehension and retention. The textbook will not cover all of the topics in the same breadth or depth that the students will be responsible for at times, so thorough note-taking is important for content review purposes, as are classwork and homework assignments. Your child will be responsible for maintaining a science journal and lab notebook containing the notes, labs, and other interactive activities and projects that we will have during the year.
My goal for your child is that they leave my class every day having a deeper understanding of whatever the lesson’s topic is. I will follow the _______ County Pacing guide (viewable at www._____________.edu), but my teaching emphasis will not solely focus on the tested standards. I believe that students learn best when they do science, instead of hearing it lectured at them. I believe that a complementary goal of science education is science literacy, as it is key to being able to think rationally and critically. These thinking skills are important for making connections between difference science topics, as well as between science topics and other subjects like math, history, and art. I believe that science is curiosity in action, and I hope to stimulate and grow their curiosity and appreciation for science.
__________ offers many fun, educational science experiences outside of school, so I hope to plan a few field trips for my classes when appropriate. I would greatly appreciate any chaperone help that you parents may be able to offer for these trips. Also, I expect that the school supplies listed on the sheet I provided your child with at open house should be in their possession when they arrive for the first day of school on ____________. They will be responsible for coming to class every day fully prepared to learn and tackle the day’s agenda. If they need to miss class, the day’s agenda and materials will be uploaded to my website www.mrhartmansscientists.blogspot.com, so that they can stay in-step with what material the class is going through. Some activities will not be able to be made up, and in those circumstances, an alternate assignment will be given and graded in its stead.
I look forward to working closely with you to help develop your child’s education as fully as possible! Please feel free to contact me at the email address below if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. I will try to respond within 24 hours of receiving your message.
Regards,
--Michael Hay Hartman
_________@________.edu