Hello EduMagicians,
Connecting with students and their families is important, even if you are the student teacher. Reaching out and informing parents and caregivers is critical.
As a student teacher, you play an important role in a child's education, even if you are only there for seven weeks. In fact, if you think about it, you can remember one or two student teachers you may have had in your younger years. I remember my fifth-grade student teacher, Mr. B. We learned about planets during our unit.
I digress; with the post, I wanted to share some elements of the "Meet the Teacher" letter or flyer home to parents. A disclaimer, though: there are many ways to write and create this letter. There is no one right way. Here are a few of my favorite elements with you. If you are reading this and thinking, "Sam, you forgot an important element," please add it and describe it in the comments section of this post. As you know, we are better together.
What to include in your student teacher letter
Teacher-friendly photo: What I mean is that this is a fun yet professional photo of you and just you!
Teaching story: Share the reason why you teach. Why do you want to impact young lives? Why do you want to be an educator of excellence?
Background: This section should include information about you, such as your family, where you are from, what you are studying, and what you plan to do after graduation.
Contact information: You may want to include a link to your digital portfolio and say, "To contact me, please contact (insert name of mentor teacher here)."
Sign in: End it with your signature and how you want it addressed, such as Miss Kathy Fry or Mr. Joe Ondash.
Fun facts or favorites: food, movie, restaurant, ice cream flavor, game, sport, etc. You get the idea: fun facts about you or hidden talents.
There are so many technology tools to help you craft this letter, so it has your flair and style. I recommend canva or Adobe Express / Both are free and very user-friendly. Get out there and create your own "Meet the teacher" letter for your student teaching placement. You can also make one for a long field placement.