Part X: Communication and Collaboration It is extremely important to be able to communicate effectively with your students parents as well as with

your colleagues. In my classroom, parents will receive monthly newsletters that tell the parents what we are doing in class each month. These newsletters will be sent every month and will contain the unit we are covering, the standards that are being covered, important dates/events, and field trip information. These will be sent home in paper form as well as sent over email. These newsletters will be made with Smilebox. An example can be found under assignments tab on my Weebly page. I will also send out letters to the parents of students who are selected as Student of the Week. Below is an example of the letter that will go to the parents of these students. I will also send home letters to parents who students are not doing well in the class. These may be either behavior or academic letters, dependent upon the situation. The letter asks for the parent to contact the teacher in order to set up a conference. A conference will help ensure the students needs are being met. It is also important to be able to communicate with fellow colleagues. As a history teacher, I plan to take my students on small field trips around the state (if permitted). In order to do this effectively, I will have to communicate with other teachers as to what their ideas may be and whether or not he/she thinks it is a good idea. I may also need to contact a colleague if we share students who are having the same behavioral issues. Another reason for communication would be to communicate with the principal on the progress of my students throughout the year. Below you will find a letter in which I have written to another teacher that includes the behaviors that have been seen in my classroom. The purpose of this letter is to ask the other teacher if he/she would like to a part of a conference with the student and his/her parents. My

goal in the letter is to have both teachers on the same page so we can get the behavior under control. If this were to happen, I would leave the note in the teachers box and wait for a reply.

Student of the Week Letter Home

Dear Parent or Guardian of __________________________, It is my honor to inform you that your child ________________ has been selected as Student of the Week in my classroom. ________________ has shown exceptional work this past week both academically as well as personally. As a reward to this, ___________s certificate will hang inside of my classroom for the remainder of the semester. ___________ also received a pencil, a free homework pass, and candy. ____________ will also receive 5 extra points on he/she unit test. I am very proud of _______________ and the behavior exuberated in my classroom this past week. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me before or after school or at my email address: sabrina.cheek@lander.edu . Once again, I am extremely proud of ________________ and I thank you for continuing to be involved in your childs education.

Ms. Cheek

Behavior Letter to Parent Dear Parent or Guardian of _____________________________________, This letter is to inform you that your child has been acting out in my classroom the past couple of days. ______________has reached the fourth level of offense on my behavior chart. You will find my behavior chart at the end of this letter. I am extremely worried about ___________ and the way he/she has been acting in the classroom. I would like to set up a conference or conference call with you in order to discuss the troubles that _____________ has been having. I invite you to bring __________ with you to the conference in order to make sure his/her needs are being met inside the classroom. Please contact me at your earliest convience in order to set up this meeting. I am can reached at the school number between 3:30 and 4:30 or you may email me at Sabrina.cheek@lander.edu. Below you will find the reasons listed for the requested conference. Thanks, Ms. Cheek Reasons for Conference: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Behavior Consequences: First Offense: You will be asked to stop what you are doing and pay attention. Second Offense: We will speak privately to the side of the classroom. Third Offense: You will be written-up. (dermits) Fourth and Final Offense: You will be sent to the office and a note will be sent home.

If you would like for me to contact you about further problems please send the bottom portion back to class with your child.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Name: _________________________________________ Childs Name: _______________________________ Phone Number:___________________________ Best Time To Be Reached At: __________ E-mail Address: ___________________________________________________________

Letter to Colleague

Hello _________________________, (Students Name) has been misbehaving in my classroom the past couple of days. I have sent a note home with him to his parent offering to have a conference with (students name) and his/her parent or guardian. It has been brought to my attention that you are also having problems with (students name) in your classroom as well. I am extremely worried about (students name) and hope to conference with his/her parents soon. I would love for you to be at the conference as well. I think it is important that we get these issued addressed now before they escalate into a much worse problem. Please contact me and let me know when the best time to reach you at would be. If you would like to be a part of the conference, I think it would be beneficial for us to come together and address the issues amongst ourselves before speaking with (students name) parent. If you would, send me an email at Sabrina.cheek@lander.edu or cut off the bottom portion of this letter and leave it in my box. I hope to speak with you soon! Sabrina Cheek

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Name: _________________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Planning Period:_____________________________________________ Phone Number:________________________________________________