Letter to Parents

So, I figure the parents are starting to wonder what we are up to.  This is my letter to them.

Dear Parents,

Hopefully your students are off to a great start as high school students at school.  All the young people I have worked with in 9^th Grade Language Arts Literature and Composition definitely are!  Hopefully, you have heard great things about our classes from your students, great conversations, discussions, ideas and stories…  And if you have, I bet you’ve thought to yourself, “Do they watch TV all the time in Miss Williams’ class?  I thought it was supposed to be an English class, with papers, books and research!”

Let me take a minute to explain what is going on in my classes.  We are piloting a program, that I wrote, called “Teaching Literature Supernaturally.”  The idea is that by using television episodes to first explain literary concepts and then to connect/engage with traditional literary pieces we can encourage and strengthen reading, writing and critical thinking skills.  On Thursday and Friday the students will read the first of MANY textual literary pieces in class even as we continue to watch television/media as a way to focus/explain the more traditional literary skills.  We have already started a technology interactive component by being the first class in Walton County to use the county Moodle program.

Rest assured that all GCPS 9^th Grade Language Arts Standards are being covered and our students will be more than prepared to take the EOCT in December.  As a matter of fact, my students and I have made a pact that we are going to have the best scores in the county this semester and I have to say, based on the work ethic I have seen so far, these kids mean business!

If you have any questions or concerns about this curriculum or your child’s progress please don’t hesitate to contact me at the school or email me directly at "email address."  I would be more than happy to meet with or talk to you about the program. 

This next assignment for your child can really use your input and support.  For seven days I want the students to keep a TV viewing log.  I have given them check off sheets to keep track of their viewing habits.  This includes not only what they are watching, but what other things they are doing when they watch.  Neilson says that students spend an average of 50 hours a week on media (texting, internet, video games, etc) with 30 of those being television.  We are going to see if that’s true.

I encourage you to look at the assignment with your students, talk about what they are watching and what things they are doing while they watch and because of their watching habits.  It could be very educational for both of you.

More than anything I want students to see the importance and relevance of language arts and literary skills.  Accepting that TV can be part of that and (more importantly) a bridge to more traditional literatures is a huge part of meeting kids where they are and bringing them further.  This is true 21^st Century Literacy.  I can’t wait to see all we are going to learn and accomplish together.

Thanks,

~Teacher