Greetings!
I am so excited to be your teacher this year, as we travel together down this road to a better life. My parents were first generation american born citizens of Italian and Sicilian immigrant parents. Their parents came to this country in search of a better life for themselves and their children. Times were very hard economically for my immigrant grandparents. But they never lost hope and faith that their children and their children's children would live better lives. My parents worked hard to provide for themselves and my sister and me. They always said their wish and dream was that my sister and I would have better lives than them. After I became a parent, I finally understood what they meant. My promise to parents is that I will treat your students like they were my own children. My goal is to help your students reach my high expectations for a better life! And I will be on this road with your students, every step of the way.
My teaching philosophy can be summed up simply as, "SHOW RATHER THAN TELL!"
I mostly show students how to improve their reading comprehension, analyzing, and writing ability, by modeling, and a step by step instruction technique called "scaffolding the lesson." We follow our district's Scope and Sequence of teaching standards in our various categories of informational text, fictional text, vocabulary, grammar, writing, speaking and listening.
In order to learn critical analysis, I first teach students how to form critical open ended questions as opposed to closed questions. Closed questions can be answered in few words and provide small details. For example, "Did the team win their championship game? The answer is probably yes or no. An open ended question is, "How did the team win their championship game?" The answer will be an explanation rather than yes or no.
Regarding teaching writing, I begin by teaching students how to analyze their writing prompt instructions and contrast the three types of essays: personal narratives, informational/explanatory, and persuasive/opinion essays. Students need to understand what they are being asked to write about. Then we write, write, and write some more. As their teacher. I guide and encourage students' writing more than just evaluate and criticize.
Students will keep their daily class assignments in our class hanging folders and their composition books. Their folder and composition book will remain in their classroom, and will be shared with parents during student led parent conferences in November. Daily practice at home short assignments will be assigned Monday through Thursday on a web platform called, EDMODO. We will be using Edmodo shortly.
Come to our open house on August 20th and learn more. Thank you again for allowing us to teach your student.
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