Dear Parent(s)/Guardian,
I am excited to start the school year with both you and your child and look forward to meeting and/or seeing you again throughout the year. I think it will be an exciting and busy year. I thought it may help to let you know a little about myself and a few classroom expectations I will have for your child.
My name is Amanda Zanette and I will be teaching grade 3/4 this year. I have taught at Marlborough (Gr. 4 to 5), Lakeview (Gr. 4/5), Forest Grove (Gr.4-6) and UHE (Gr.3/4). I will be teaching grades 3/4 at UHE again this year. I have coached Cross-country, Basketball and Track. For 8 years, I ran a “Me to We” committee and continue to be one of our First-Aid Attendants. In 2013, I graduated with My Masters in Education and have spent the past 7 and a half years focusing on my son.
To know a little about my hobbies – I enjoy running, sports, Lego, Mickey Mouse and chocolate. I am definitely a kid at heart and enjoy having laughter in the classroom as much as possible. I understand the students are in class for many hours each day, so I do not assign homework beyond what we work on within classroom hours. Although, you will find that students may have math homework regularly, if they do not complete it during class time. Students who spend their time talking with others, rather than working on their in-class assignments, may need to complete their homework at home. Later in the year we tend to have projects and this can result in more homework, especially for students who like to put a lot of details into their work.
For those of you who know your child can only sit still for so long, students are aware that they are allowed to move to a table or stand at the back of the room while I am teaching. They are also allowed to go for a quick lap around the school to get a short brain break in between lessons.
I regularly encourage students to share their ideas with me throughout the year. Please encourage them to share any concerns they have, so we can work on a plan that allows your child to be most successful.
You should know that I absolutely love teaching and am very passionate about what I do. Constructive feedback is always welcomed, but please be kind ☺. The only way I can grow, as a teacher, is by hearing from you and the students about what works and what doesn’t work. I will do the same to provide the students with regular feedback, whether it is verbal or written. Student feedback is welcomed often to help direct my teaching with their current needs. I believe students need time, repetition and to be taught the big idea before they can delve deeper into a topic. I enjoy sharing stories with students to help them connect their learning and encourage students to share stories with the class.
I believe that knowledge comes from experience and hope to provide your child with a great variety of experiences they can relate to, and with experiences they can transfer to new experiences they encounter along their journey through life.
Thank you,
Ms. Zanette