Literacy Matters - Winter 2020

volunteer, cross-age buddy from an upper elementary classroom, or a more capable student in the classroom then use these sentences to complete a template for the classroom news. The teacher then makes hard copies of the newsletter to distribute at the end of the school day on Friday. Reading the newsletter with a caregiver now becomes the “weekend homework task.” In an upper elementary classroom, the same procedure can be used, but the Student of theWeek can choose a friend each day to collaborate on capturing the class story, as dictated by classmates. In both examples, children can add small illustrations to the template. This helps with younger children as they share their newsletters with caregivers. The teacher can now use this ready-made template to add his or her news of the week and notices of upcoming events. This section can be completed in a specially marked section on the template or on the back. News of an upcoming curriculum unit, a request for help on a future field trip, or a reminder about caregiver conferences are examples for the “Teacher News” section. An example of a classroom newsletter with dictated sentences and illustrations is included in Appendix C. Once the sentences are copied on to the template, a child, possibly the Student of theWeek, illustrates each square, and copies are made to distribute at the end of the day on Friday. An essential step for the classroom teacher to take before the newsletter is distributed is to read the newsletter along with the class at the end of the day. By reading through the letter with the class, the child has a better understanding and will be able to explain things beyond the words on the page. This is especially true in the many homes of second language learners, where the child is the language broker, or translator, for the caregivers. For young readers, putting icons or picture cues on the page, such as a star by where caregivers can note a request, will help the child to remember that this cued part of the letter must be returned. Reading the newsletter with the class before dismissal at the end of the day, pointing out key parts of the letter by cued symbols, and highlighting vocabulary will assist the child. The important part of the message here is that the child and caregivers have regular access to the classroom through the letter, either by translation, picture cues, or both. Guidelines for the Flipped Video Method The best-flipped videos are 8 minutes or shorter, with clear information, accessible to the child at all levels. This is, after all, provides a preview of material for the child. As the teacher introduces the content to the child, the caregiver and others in the home are made privy to the information. A teacher can add a quick message at the end, either requesting caregiver support, informing caregivers of ways they can help in the home, or announcing a classroom event to support the content. This link is sent via class distribution list to the home internet address. Kindergarten through college-age teachers use this method for a variety of reasons. For the youngest children, it can give them time to practice. In a successful flipped video, a 2nd-grade teacher introduced 3 column addition, using a whiteboard in her classroom in a less than 5-minute video. The added twist was her Groucho Marx glasses and mustache she wore throughout the video, although never mentioning them. She said she routinely

caregivers to view. This helps caregivers stay engaged and up-to- date on what students are learning in class. Teachers can also use this app as a calendar to coordinate things such as caregiver-teacher conferences, volunteer and item signups, and to share the class calendar and reminders with caregivers. Teachers have all data and meetings in one convenient place. Finally, this app is used so that teachers can communicate in a one-to-one fashion with caregivers. This works similarly to text messaging and helps caregivers and teachers communicate immediately. Teachers can also send behavior updates about children through this feature, allowing caregivers to stay updated on their children throughout the day. Flipped video. This method of communication is typically discussed as a way to preview instruction in the home or another setting before it is taught in the classroom. Flipped videos can have additional communicative consequences that should not be overlooked. While the teacher creates a brief video for the child to view in the home, other family members can be brought into the instruction. The teacher introduces the content to the child, while the caregivers and others in the home are made privy to the information. A teacher can add a quick message at the end, either requesting caregiver support, informing caregivers of ways they can help in the home, or announcing a classroom event to support the content. This link is then shared for the child and others to watch as many times as desired. Implications or “How to…” We address three examples of teacher-caregiver communication wherein teachers have made it work, reaping benefits not only from the children’s growth in academic and Classroom newsletters, whether electronic or traditional hard copies remain a staple in some classrooms. When created by and with children, it can become a shared literacy experience. These newsletters can be produced and sent home on the same day of every week, bi-weekly, or monthly. Using a consistent color and format will make them easily recognizable to both children and caregivers. The practice of having student artwork and/or writing included in the newsletter provides interest and reflects a child- centered philosophy. Putting personal notes in the classroom newsletter, such as recognizing volunteers or thanking caregivers for helping with specific projects, creates a sense of community, and encourages continued caregiver involvement in the classroom. To set up a shared newsletter experience, have children recap or summarize the day’s events as a part of the daily classroom closure. For example, as children await dismissal, the teacher in an early elementary classroom asks for volunteers to come to the front and either dictate, share in the writing or write independently describing an event of choice from the class day. This could be a dictated sentence such as, “Today we had a guest speaker, Ms. Delacruz, who told us about butterflies,” or as typical an event as “Today we heard a story called Butterfly Park about a girl who helps butterflies.” Each day a sentence or two is added to the daily news, which leads to a summary of the week’s classroom events for the newsletter. A school readiness by increased caregiver engagement. Classroom Newsletters Made Simple

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Literacy Matters | Volume 20 • Winter 2020 | scira.org | 39

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