A letter to my students
Dear Class of 2020,
I know that you don't know me yet, but I am and will be your Algebra I teacher this year. Welcome to high school and I am pleased to meet you!
Maybe you are brand new to South Haven public schools, or perhaps you were shown my classroom during your 8th grade visit to the high school last school year or maybe I have taught one of your relatives in the past, but since we really don't know each other [yet] I wanted to take this time to break the ice and let you know a little bit about our class this year.
First, the obvious... our classroom and everything in it is brand new! I don't know about you but I am excited to be in this new space. Our new digs promise to be (more) comfortable than ever. Coming from Baseline this might not be a big deal but believe me you guys are really lucky to be the first class of students in this new part of the building.
Secondly, you all are the first class of students to participate in the 1:1 (1 to 1) chromebook rollout program! This will give you access and flexibility when completing assignments and allow us to explore and engage in many different educational experiences in and out of the classroom.
This is truly an exciting time for us both!
Dear Class of 2020,
I know that you don't know me yet, but I am and will be your Algebra I teacher this year. Welcome to high school and I am pleased to meet you!
Maybe you are brand new to South Haven public schools, or perhaps you were shown my classroom during your 8th grade visit to the high school last school year or maybe I have taught one of your relatives in the past, but since we really don't know each other [yet] I wanted to take this time to break the ice and let you know a little bit about our class this year.
First, the obvious... our classroom and everything in it is brand new! I don't know about you but I am excited to be in this new space. Our new digs promise to be (more) comfortable than ever. Coming from Baseline this might not be a big deal but believe me you guys are really lucky to be the first class of students in this new part of the building.
Secondly, you all are the first class of students to participate in the 1:1 (1 to 1) chromebook rollout program! This will give you access and flexibility when completing assignments and allow us to explore and engage in many different educational experiences in and out of the classroom.
This is truly an exciting time for us both!
Secondly I want to share with you some promises I aim to keep during our time together this year.
Promise #1: ALL of you have the opportunity to succeed in my classroom! It doesn't matter if you haven't ever passed math before or if you feel like you won't ever be able to understand Algebra. You CAN be successful this year! How, you ask? All you have to do is to try. Come to class everyday and give it your honest best effort and you WILL succeed.
This year we will operate with a GROWTH MINDSET. This means that even when we make mistakes and get things wrong we are still learning. In fact, we learn more from the things we do wrong than the things we do right! We will take time in class this year to learn from our mistakes in order to improve. I promise to do everything in my power to give you what you need in order to be successful in Algebra...but you have to trust me enough to do your part as well.
Promise #2: Our classroom will be a safe place. If we are going put forth all this hard work in order to be successful this year we have to have a safe place to do it. That place is our classroom. High School can be intimidating, but I promise to do all I can to keep our classroom free from harassment, bullying, judgment, and anything that hinders you from reaching your fullest potential. I promise to be respectful and kind to each of you and I am asking that you do the same. We all need to try our best to be positive and polite to one another. I want us to become a strong community of learners, a family if you will. A family that supports and encourages one another throughout the year. This will require Trust and Respect from everyone. Let's be honest. Sometimes we may have bad days, but I will try my hardest not to infect the class with my "bad days" and I hope that you will do the same. And if that can not be avoided feel free to let me know.
Promise #3: This Algebra class will not be Status Quo. I promise to try my hardest to make this math class Different, Innovative, Technology enriched, Challenging and Fun. You can think of this year in Algebra I as a Gaming Quest. As you learn and conquer each STAGE of the class you will equip yourself with the essential tools (skills) that will allow you to take on new challenges and unlock even harder levels. We will not just lecture, take notes, do worksheets (or book work), take a quiz, take a test and then repeat. Classes and lessons will be designed as interactive and collaborative, brimming with opportunities to be creative and to move. With each one challenging you to make informed decisions, take risks and solve problems.
Promise #4: I will challenge you. Think of me as a coach. If you play a sport think of what your coach does for you. Coaches push you to be the best in order to win. They challenge you in order to bring out your potential and they cheer you on. I am your coach, your Algebra coach, and my job is to push you, to challenge you and to motivate you to be your best in order to win this year!
In closing, I am truly honored to have to opportunity to be your Algebra teacher, I am looking forward to learning with you and watching you grow this year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bettis
Promise #1: ALL of you have the opportunity to succeed in my classroom! It doesn't matter if you haven't ever passed math before or if you feel like you won't ever be able to understand Algebra. You CAN be successful this year! How, you ask? All you have to do is to try. Come to class everyday and give it your honest best effort and you WILL succeed.
This year we will operate with a GROWTH MINDSET. This means that even when we make mistakes and get things wrong we are still learning. In fact, we learn more from the things we do wrong than the things we do right! We will take time in class this year to learn from our mistakes in order to improve. I promise to do everything in my power to give you what you need in order to be successful in Algebra...but you have to trust me enough to do your part as well.
Promise #2: Our classroom will be a safe place. If we are going put forth all this hard work in order to be successful this year we have to have a safe place to do it. That place is our classroom. High School can be intimidating, but I promise to do all I can to keep our classroom free from harassment, bullying, judgment, and anything that hinders you from reaching your fullest potential. I promise to be respectful and kind to each of you and I am asking that you do the same. We all need to try our best to be positive and polite to one another. I want us to become a strong community of learners, a family if you will. A family that supports and encourages one another throughout the year. This will require Trust and Respect from everyone. Let's be honest. Sometimes we may have bad days, but I will try my hardest not to infect the class with my "bad days" and I hope that you will do the same. And if that can not be avoided feel free to let me know.
Promise #3: This Algebra class will not be Status Quo. I promise to try my hardest to make this math class Different, Innovative, Technology enriched, Challenging and Fun. You can think of this year in Algebra I as a Gaming Quest. As you learn and conquer each STAGE of the class you will equip yourself with the essential tools (skills) that will allow you to take on new challenges and unlock even harder levels. We will not just lecture, take notes, do worksheets (or book work), take a quiz, take a test and then repeat. Classes and lessons will be designed as interactive and collaborative, brimming with opportunities to be creative and to move. With each one challenging you to make informed decisions, take risks and solve problems.
Promise #4: I will challenge you. Think of me as a coach. If you play a sport think of what your coach does for you. Coaches push you to be the best in order to win. They challenge you in order to bring out your potential and they cheer you on. I am your coach, your Algebra coach, and my job is to push you, to challenge you and to motivate you to be your best in order to win this year!
In closing, I am truly honored to have to opportunity to be your Algebra teacher, I am looking forward to learning with you and watching you grow this year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Bettis