Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am very excited to welcome you and your student to my classroom

for the 2016-2017 school year. I am a strong believer in classroom
engagement, hands-on learning and collaboration. Creativity is something
that I believe is extremely important in order to keep students engaged,
therefore I will incorporate many opportunities for self-expression into all
subjects. It is my goal to ensure all students meet grade level state
standards while also maintaining a positive disposition towards learning. We
will be covering a lot of material this year in order to best prepare your
student for middle school. In language arts, we will be reading several grade
appropriate novels throughout the year along with a deep analysis of the
literature. In math, we will work on gaining proficiency in three main areas:
adding and subtracting fractions, extending division to 2-digit divisors, and
understanding the concept of volume. In social studies, we will be reviewing
U.S. history in addition to world history. All of the concepts covered during
the year strongly align with the Common Core State Standards which have
been adopted in Washington State. If you would like to view these standards
in more detail, I have attached links at bottom of this letter.
In order to keep a detailed record of student process and achievement,
assessments of student work will be done frequently in my classroom. The
word assessment should not be a scary thing. Assessment does not
necessarily mean multiple choice exams, rather they are formal and informal
evaluations of understanding. Assessment is extremely important not only
for me, but for your student as well. Your student will receive constructive
feedback on many assignments and have a good understanding of how they
are progressing towards meeting standards. In order for your student to
maintain the best attitude and feelings towards learning, it is vital to keep
them in the loop about their achievements. I will be conducting assessment
through completion of in-class assignments and activities, NOT homework.
While homework will be assigned to your student for practice and they will
receive credit for completion, the majority of assessment will take place in
the classroom. Overall grades for my class will be broken down as follows:
Academic achievement (meeting standards on in-class assessments) 60%
Completion of assignments (homework and in-class activity) 20%
Disposition towards learning (positive attitude, following directions, etc.)
20%
Another concept that I highly value is student voice. I believe that it is
extremely important for your student to be aware of what is expected of
them and for them to communicate their feelings to me. In order to
accomplish this, I will have the learning objectives for each lesson displayed
somewhere in the classroom. They will receive grading rubrics along with
assignment checklists to ensure there is no confusion as to what is expected
of them. I highly stress communication between you, your student and I in
order to have the most successful year possible.
In order for your student to get the most out of this academic year,
family involvement is very beneficial. I try very hard to make homework fun
and engaging. Many take home assignments will be fun and encourage
family participation. While it is not your responsibility to educate your child,
your help and participation will greatly support their learning progress.
Because I only grade homework based on completion, my goal is not for your
child to have every right answer. It is simply extra practice that will benefit
their learning in the classroom. With that being said, completion is important
and I will review the content in order to evaluate where your child needs the
most instruction. If your student has trouble completing homework or you
would like some additional strategies, I have included a link to 10 homework
help tips. These are all great ways to help your student at home without
putting a lot of stress on you as the parent.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me at
deirdresanborn@schooldistrict.org or you may reach me by my classroom
telephone before or after school hours (206)-555-5555. I am looking forward
to a great year with you and your students!
Resources about Common Core State Standards:
http://www.pta.org/files/5th%20Grade%20June20.pdf
http://www.corestandards.org/what-parents-should-know/
Homework help tips:
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/homework-project-
tips/10-homework-help-tips
Sincerely,
Deirdre Sanborn
5th grade teacher