Educators value the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families and communities in schools.
Although at this time there is minimal contact with individuals outside of the classroom cohorts, I decided it was important to reach out to the families of the learners. I wrote a letter to the parents of the students at the halfway mark of practicum to introduce myself and describe what their children have been learning at school. Also included in the letter was where their learning was going and the pride that they should have in their child’s schoolwork. Outside of the letter I had sent out, there was also the family unit that I taught. The students and I discussed the importance of family and the support that they bring to them, their schoolwork, and their own personal growth.
This demonstrates this professional standard as the intention behind the letter to parents and guardians was to involve them in their child’s learning. My intention was to connect with the families and describe activities taking place at school. The unit of families that I taught also demonstrated this standard as it reflected how important it is to keep families engaged in students’ lives. We discussed what families provide and this demonstrated how I value their involvement.
Through this professional standard, I learned how to conduct myself in a letter to home to ensure that parents view the letter to be professional and ethical, yet are able to see my excitement for the learning taking place at school. I enjoyed writing the letter and would like to write an introductory letter at the beginning of my next practicum. I have also attached the letter to refer to in the future. Please note that I have removed the name of my coaching teacher to adhere to their privacy. Parent Letter – Glenview