Date:

Welcome!
 To Our Community of
Learners 
I sat down to plan how I would teach writing this year and decide on the
techniques I
would use to help my students, your child, become successful writers, I realized
I would first have to figure out what defines a good writer? I believe it is an
innate gift; we all have the ability to write and desire to write well, but it is a
skill we need to discover and develop. As the NCTE says “everyone has the
capacity to write, writing can be taught, and teachers can help students
become better writers.” As I teacher of writing, I do not think I have the power
to ‘create’ a passion for writing or the power to ‘create’ a good writer, but I do
believe by showing our students what a good writer is, what they do and how to
become one, we have the power to show them a world of possibility.
I whole-heartedly believe it is possible for every student to learn to write and
become good at doing it. Writing is a process, which requires opportunities for
repeated practice, the ability to make connections with real-life experiences and
the help and guidance of others. Children become curious about the world around
them at a very young age and establish their purpose by understanding their
surroundings. Learning how to write can be thought of in this manner as well; it
just as much a social learning process as a personal one and its development is
dependent upon the surrounding environment. This is important because along
with teachers, parents and family need to be literary mentors. As your child
begins exploring their own learning and figuring out the kind of writer they want
to be, you (parents/family) will make a huge impact on their rate of development.
We will be using writing in our classroom to write across the curriculum (WAC)—
instead of students learning how to write, students will begin learning
through writing!
Teaching with WAC will allow me to accommodate each unique learning style
while teaching required content; students use a variety of strategies and practice
within a variety of contexts (MDE). I whole-heartedly believe in the basic
principles of WAC:
• Only by practicing the thinking and writing conventions of an academic
discipline will students begin to communicate effectively
• Integration of writing and the writing process promotes
“The act ofparticipation,
putting a
pen to
diversity of student voices, and engages students paperasencourages
critical thinkers while
promoting their texts as important resources and thinking
pause tools this
for thought,
• Writing promotes learning in turn makes us think
more deeply about life,
• Effective writing instruction integrates disciplines
which helps us regain
• The opportunity to write in every class develops ourgood writers
equilibrium”
• Using writing as part of instruction can be used in every classroom
~Norbet Platt
 As you know, our community is very diverse; we have staff and
students from all different walks of life.
Year-Round This year
Bulletin our class will
Board
While on their journey
include student’s
Studentsspeaking
will haveEnglish as their
opportunities
st
to 1experience
languageboth& others
learning both the
speaking Spanish as their st
1 language! We are incredibly lucky
the English & Spanish languages—they will use them
English and Spanish
and I do not want
languages, the
daily toto let an the
practice opportunity like this
months, days, andpass us by!
seasons as
This yearboard
bulletin yourwill
child well
be will be as countingin
participating 1-100—and this isclassroom!
my “bilingual” extremely While
English
used to will be the
establish primary
class beneficial
language, onthis
themeans
journey towards becoming life-
that:
routines long readers
and as a will be labeled
• our classroom and writers!
in both English and Spanish
• English-Spanish translations
supplemental Theywill
willbe
bedispersed around
given many the room to publish their
opportunities
• daily drills
resource and (days of the week,
work and have it showcasedwill
months, numbers, etc.) in be practiced
order in both
to promote
A New Beginning

languages
reference always peer-to-peer ‘teaching’!
• when appropriate, both languages will be used for instruction & assignments
Please understand this is not about your child’s ability to “learn” a second
language but, an additional opportunity to enhance their development! It is my
hope that each student will use knowledge of their native language (whether
English or Spanish) to help their non-native peers gain knowledge of the
language & an understanding of their culture/heritage.
“Everyone has the capacity to
write, writing can be taught,
and teachers can help students
Our goal should be to I become
can’t dobetter
it alone …
writers.”
focus on I need your help!
ourSchool-Home
human similaritiesActivities—Starting Our Year Right! --NCTE
It is crucial that we provide students with
rather
Although than
these our
will be cultural
continuous throughout the year, I have
opportunities to attached 2
relate things we are doing in
differences…
activities that will help all of us, students, teacher, and families, get to
the classroom to things they experience in
know one another as individuals and as part of a community:
real-life situations! Effective communication
My Family Tree: Talk with your child about
We all have unique between your
your family child’s
history life at home & at school
& create

Writing at Home
characteristics and cultural is a must for their academic & social
a family tree they can share with us!
Parent Activities: A parent letter to me—Idevelopment!
need to know your I will beas
child making
a reading &
backgrounds, which physically,
person as well as their familywriting
& this will help!
make us all very different, but on the #1 priority of our curriculum and
the inside we are all exactly alike asking you to help 
Reading “Apples”—Why Should You Read This Book?
& we all have
These the same
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& your
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an apple!
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true
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writers! they
to share
Weekend Writing:
will bring
with home
the rest
Journal what
of Ithe
call practice
philosophy classactivities—simple tasks exercising their
When we arewhere writing, weAnfollow
all-year brain
project/collaboration!
partnership (the most importantRead muscle we have!)
the same linguistic
power is shared— and Writing for
or just talkand Fun!
with your child & write tobeen doing in
grammatical rules but, there are practicing what we have
Writing has
the responsibility no guidelines! Anytime
me in our you share a reading/writing
journal every week
no 2 writers exactly alike—we the classroom.
moment
for with your child—send
children’s it in &
I will write share
back tothe
you experience
as well as ofyour
your
are all
educationalunique ‘writer moment’ with thechild!
 rest of us!
development is a Sight Word Chart
The idea of “unique-alikeness”
A chart
will of the most frequently
be continuously incorporated encountered K-3 words for you and
your child
in our classroom andtocurriculum
practice in both English & Spanish