Dear Freshman Class,
I
know that I am still new and that we are just getting to know each other but I
am truly enjoying every minute I get to spend in our class. You guys are a lot of fun and Mr. Smith and I
talk about what a good class you are (most of the time). Although I am still considered a “student”
myself, remember that I am still a teacher in your classroom. This means that even when Mr. Smith leaves
the room, this is not a ticket to start acting like five year-olds. Yes, I called you five year-olds. When you begin teasing each other and
throwing paper airplanes around the room, this makes me question your maturity
and sometimes my own sanity because I cannot believe that you are the same
class as five minutes before. All I ask
is that you show me the same respect as you show Mr. Smith and we’ll get along
just fine.
Here are some of
my expectations: keep your head off your
desk (Hey, I’m tired too!), keep your cell phones out of sight (Yes, I see it
sitting in your lap), please don’t make me talk over you (it really hurts my
throat), when I tell you something once please don’t make me repeat myself
(this is one of my pet peeves), and most importantly – participate! (this will
make class go by so much quicker for the both of us).
So now that I
have gone over some of my expectations, I know that the rest of the year will
be smooth sailing – right? You will all
be perfect students who love coming to room F104 and cannot wait to discuss all
things English. Mr. Smith and I really
do think you are one cool class but I hope that you all start thinking of me as
a teacher too and not just Mr. Smith’s helper.
Sincerely,
Ms. Tanner
Thank you for sharing! This is a fun, tongue-in-cheek way to remind students of classroom expectations midway through the first semester. I may borrow this idea to clarify my own expectations where they differ from my CT's.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your letter! I love how humorous it is with also lines of truth. This is how I relate to my students in the high school and works better for some dynamics than others. Thanks for making me laugh and also picture your students and you reading it to them. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteEmily! Thank you for your letter! I love how you captured becoming the teacher instead of the helper. I am currently in that transition and I found your letter relatable. I also like how you posted your positive thoughts/hopes for your students. Your letter is enjoyable and inspiring!
ReplyDeleteDear Emily,
ReplyDeleteThank you for “To My Freshman Class.” I appreciate your honesty as you depict how different the class seems when Mr. Smith steps out of the room. I also like the humor in your specific requests for students, as you cleverly parenthetically note your personal side notes to each request. Students (even college students) think that teacher are blind to the off task behaviors they exhibit in class; it’s amazing all the antics we’re privy to as we stand and move about the classroom. Thanks for depicting this in your letter to your students, Emily.
Katie