Letter to Parent/Guardian

Okay. So it's the beginning of a new year, and you're busy on that first day getting to know names, handing out paperwork, introducing yourself to your students. Don't forget to introduce yourself to your students' parents as well. I always like to send home a letter on the first day telling my parents/guardians a little about myself. Even though they're not in elementary school any more, students and their parents need to feel comfortable about the person their child is spending his/her days with.  Here is a sample letter:

Dear Parent/Guardian:

My name is xxxxx, and I will be your student's English teacher this year.  I received my xxx from xxx University and have over xxx years teaching experience. Most of my teaching career has been in the xxx, where I first taught English I at xxx.  During my years at xxx, I have helped sponsor the xxx, the xxx, and the xxx. I also served several years on the xxx. I have a son/daughter who graduated from xxx in 20xx and another who will graduate from xxx in 20xx.  

I am very excited about our upcoming year and have several interesting and educational lessons planned for your student. Our literature studies this year will include novels and plays, along with various poetry and  nonfiction selections. Students will write two essays, one a literary analysis, and, of course, a research paper. In addition, we will have grammar and vocabulary in ongoing, cumulative studies. Students will also be selecting novels to read independently during our Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) time. You will receive a separate handout detailing the information about SSR.

Students need to understand that what they learn, they learn for a reason. The time is past when they can study something for a test and forget about it the next day. Once we have studied a skill or term in my class, students will need to be able to apply that information for the rest of the semester. For example, if I teach students during the first week of school about using their best vocabulary in writing, I expect them to continue using their best vocabulary in everything they produce for me. If we study the rules of subject-verb agreement, I expect them to be able to apply that rule in their writing.  If we learn the meaning of a literary term, I expect them to able to discuss literature as it applies to that term.

I have given your student a list of Class Rules and Procedures as well as a syllabus for the year. I encourage you to go over these with your student. The rules and procedures allow our class to function at peak efficiency, and the syllabus gives everyone a road map of the course and what we will be covering. If you have any questions/concerns, please contact me at the following email address: xxxxxxx.com.  Or you may call the school to schedule a parent conference through the guidance office. The guidance office number is xxxxxxx.

I have a website at xxxxx. The site has copies of important documents, information about the class, and important dates/assignments that are upcoming. Please visit this site once a week to check on what your student will be doing in our class and to ensure that assignments are completed in a timely manner.

I look forward to getting to know you and your student over the course of the next few months.

Yours truly,