Newsletter

I created a newsletter that could be printed off and given out to students to take home or could be emailed to the parents.  Being able to create a newsletter is an excellent way to keep communication going to between teachers and parents.  It is nice for parents to know what is going on in the classroom and be aware of upcoming events.  If you communicate with the parents, they feel more connected to the classroom.  I know that as a parent, it is really appreciated when you are aware of what is going on in the classroom.  My kids have had teachers in the past that were really good at sending out newsletters and some teachers that were not good at doing it at all.  I felt much more connected to the classes that had the newsletters sent home. As much as you think that your students will remember what they did in class, they do not.  When they get home, generally, the parents will ask what they did and the answer is always the same "stuff."

Teaching students to make a newsletter could be a good way to incorporate more tech skills in the classroom and allow them an opportunity to use their writing skills.  Making a newsletter would fulfill the following standards:

Utah Core Standard
N/A

EdTech Standard
Standard 5 
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)

ISTE Standard
Creative Communicator
I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats, and digital media