Emily Daigle

Professor Suk
Education Field Experience EDUC 230-01
Spring 2014
Rationale Statement

Statement of Standard Nine Collaboration and Partnerships

Teachers shall build relationships with parents, guardians, families and agencies in the larger
community to support students learning and well-being. (NJPTSB, 2004, pg 17)

Name of Artifact: Welcome Letter

Date of Artifact: March 2014

Course: Education Field Experience EDUC 230-01

Rationale Statement:
This artifact was centered on writing up a mock version of what I would like as a
welcome letter for my classes. In the welcome letter, I was instructed to hit on four main topics;
a brief background on me, what I expect the students to come out of the class knowing, what the
students needed to come to class prepared with and possible donations for the classroom. This
artifact was the first one that had to be completed for the course and it fit so perfectly because it
gave an insight to how to create a bridge between the parents of my students and myself as the
teacher. The connection between a teacher and parents is very important and can affect the
success of a student in either a positive or negative way. Drawing from the welcome letters I
received in my many years of education, I crafted a welcome letter that, when it comes time to
write one for my first class, I will more than likely pull the basic framework from.
Sitting down to write this welcome letter was an interesting experience. I thought back to
the ones that I received as a student and tried to connect the dots on what made me remember the
ones that I did. Once I had a determined that I enjoyed the ones that were not strictly about the
course but also gave me an insight as to the person my teacher was outside of the classroom, I sat
down to write my own. I also had to figure out how to balance giving the students and parents a
glimpse of what I am like outside of the classroom but also that I was serious about the subject
matter. By doing this, I hoped that I was giving off a message of being a teacher who likes to
have fun when we can but ultimately gets the work done. I also mention in my welcome letter
the possibility of field trips and guest speakers. By doing this, I was connecting to Standard Nine
Performances 9.8, which states, establish respectful and productive relationships and to develop
cooperative partnerships with diverse families, educators and others in the community in support
of student learning and well being, (NJPTSB, 2004, pg 15). Having a former teacher of mine
come to the classroom and speak about her experiences, as a drug analyzer would help the
students see that the subject was more than just doing worksheets and experiments in class. By
putting the subject into a real life context, the students are given a greater understanding for why
we have to do the work we are doing in the class.
An artifact like this is one that I will hold onto and pull out, not only at interviews to
show that I have practiced this skill, but also once I have my first professional teaching job and it
Daigle 2
is time to write my real welcome letter. This is something that I will look back to and use as a
guide when it comes to that time. Doing artifacts like these are really helping me see the work
that it takes to be a teacher behind the scenes and I am thankful for the opportunity to get my feet
wet now rather than scramble once I get a position.

References
Board, New Jersey Professional Teaching Standards. (July 2004) New Jersey
Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders. Retrieved from
http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/profstand/standards.pdf.