Welcome letters are important because students want to see that you are excited about meeting them and completing the year together. I know that when teachers made me feel welcome as a student I always enjoyed that class more, was more confident about asking questions, and did very well overall in his or her class. The first welcome letter is a poem and I loved it. This would include a welcome bag with all of the different school supplies that were written in the poem. The poem says third grade, but I would change that to seventh grade. The idea of support and care that both the poem and the bag portray, is the kind of classroom I want to have. It is really important to me to have a kind and caring classroom. I want my students to want to come to my class and learn. Having students dreading your class is not going to motivate them to challenge themselves. I will have high expectations and want my students to challenge themselves, but also model a caring classroom. I am spunky and kind and this poem explains perfectly the kind of teacher I will be. The introduction letter that I will send home to parents includes a little bit of background information about myself and the kind of classroom I will be upholding throughout the year. I want to create a relationship with my students parents so they feel comfortable coming to me with questions and concerns and vice verse. I also think it is extremely important to let parents know when their child does something exceptional. Like it says in my introduction letter to the parents, I want to create a team between me, my students, and their parents and guardians. I want all of my students to succeed and I would hope that their parents want the same thing. Keeping good communication avoids problems that may occur throughout the year.
All of the second week readings support that these are effective and important artifacts because this is part of how to create a caring classroom. Nell Noddings is a huge advocate for caring classroom. Caring classrooms ease frustrations and creates a better communication among all involved. A caring classroom helps motivate students to try their best. It is important to develop a classroom community between the teachers, the students, and the parents or guardians. Caring classrooms help teacher healthy and positive relationships and some students may not have the same caring community at home. If students feel comfortable and cared for at school, they can break the chain of unhealthy relationships in their own life. As a result of creating this artifact, I have learned that there are all different kinds of resources out there to help create welcome letters to both the students and the parents. I also learned that you have to be very careful as to what you say. I might change "parents" to "parents and guardians" because not all students go home to parents but maybe grandparents or other family members so saying guardians is more respectful and appropriate. I have also learned that parents and guardians want to get to know you just as much as the students do, so don't forget how much of a role that they play in your students lives. Creating a caring classroom community involves all parties and hopefully leads to success.