Introduction Letter to Parents
Professional Communication
One evidential artifact that demonstrates my competency with professional communication with students’ families is the introduction letter I sent at the beginning of my demonstration teaching term.
This letter demonstrates my competency with parent communication because I was professional and courteous in my interaction. I let parents know the relevant information in a concise way, and also assured them of my commitment to educating their children. I made sure that the parents were aware of my presence and use of recording equipment in the classroom, and also made sure they were aware that they could opt out of participating and that their wishes would ultimately be honored. It let them know that I take student confidentiality seriously and that I was actively working to improve my skills as a teacher for the benefit of their children. I also assured them that the host teacher was still the lead.
Impact on Student Learning
One impact on student learning is that my presence in the classroom shows the pupils that I am a student also and still learning. I could have mentioned that I wanted to be an example to the students that learning doesn’t stop at any age and that even when they are adults they might want to go to school. I could have used this as an opportunity to discuss motivation for attending school and determine how the students feel about learning.
Future Modification
One thing I might modify about a similar communication in the future is that I also could have included a survey or form of some sort for students to complete at home with their families. This could be a way for me to learn more about them so that I could tailor my instruction based on student needs and interests.