Dear Parents,

Welcome to first grade! This is a dynamic year of growth and learning. It is also a year filled with fun, adventure, and challenges. Your child may come home exhausted from all the thinking done during our school day. There is much to learn and every minute will count! One of the subjects that your child will need the most support with is writing. We can work together to help your student become a successful writer in first grade. Hereís how:

?       Make writing a priority in your home. Help your child learn to value writing by making a special place to write together. Find or create a spot where you and your child can observe the world and write down your own thoughts about it together.

?       Encourage your student to write on a daily basis. Help your child practice handwriting as well as compose simple sentences. Share the pen with them and practice writing favorite words or taking turns while writing a story together. Write their ideas down, and invite them to help you write your shopping listsóeven if it is just one word. Every minute of practice helps!

?       Provide your child with writing tools. Help make writing fun by using sidewalk chalk, crayons, markers, special paper and/or journals. Shop for and decorate your writing tools together, or add to your collection of tools as a special surprise.

?       Put letters and words everywhere! Inspire your student to use language by playing letter games, putting magnetic letters on the fridge, and hiding special word cards around the house.

?       READ! Read to your student every day, thereís no way to begin to show you how much this counts! Practice reading and spelling simple words in your favorite stories. Draw pictures about the stories you read and label them. Take special trips to the library together and discover new authors and stories you love.

?       Show your student that you value their writing. When your child brings home a story or even a sentence, take the time to read it. Display it on the refrigerator, and ask them to explain how it was inspired. If your days are busy, make a special time each week to look at their schoolwork together. Praise them for their efforts!

Our class is filled with a wonderful group of students! I am looking forward to a terrific year ahead! Please call me anytime this year if you notice your student struggling, or if you want some inspiration about how to help your student. See you soon!

Warmest wishes,

Mrs. Elliott