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10. Communications and Collaboration Plan

TWS Standard
The teacher communicates and collaborates effectively with families and colleagues. The
teacher demonstrates the ability to access community resources and participate in extracurricular activities that benefit all students.
Task
Create a plan and provide examples of different ways you communicated regularly and
effectively with families and other professionals concerned with the education of your students.
In addition, provide evidence of accessing community resources and participating in schoolbased extra-curricular activities and events.
1. Provide a plan for communicating regularly with parents/guardians
Throughout this semester I have communicated effectively with parents in different ways. One
way I have communicated with the parents/guardians of the students in the class, is during my
first week I was there I sent home a letter. In the letter I introduced myself and explained some of
the things I would be doing throughout my time in the classroom.. The second way I have
communicated with parents is I have sent a newsletter home during the beginning of the weeks to
let them know somethings we are going to be doing in the classroom that week. One final way I
have communicated effectively with the parents/ guardians of my students is writing notes in the
students agendas. If a child receive a color below green for the day I will write their parents a
note explaining what they struggled with that day. If a child receives a purple or does something
outstanding that I want to acknowledge their parents of, I will also write a note in their agendas.
2. Provide a plan for effective communications or collaboration with colleagues
Throughout this semester I have communicated effectively with my colleagues with multiple
face-to-face visits. Each morning during our planning period we discuss what we have done in
the previous day that has worked or that we have had difficulties with. We discuss the lessons we
have for the next week in each subject area. When we have completed our discussion we email
the plans to each other. I have attached a copy of an email we have sent this semester. Another
way I have effectively communicated with colleagues is attend each instructional meeting. These
meetings are held on Wednesday mornings during our planning period. Present in each meeting
is the second grade team and different personnel from the school. Normally the principle and
instructional specialist are present in these meetings. In some meetings someone from the district
office is present. These meetings have been about several different things such as: guided
reading, DRA levels, classroom libraries, upcoming events in the school, SST, and retention.
During these meetings I have learned a lot. I have also attached a copy of an agenda from our
meeting in March.
3. Provide a plan of ways to incorporate the community or communities resources into
your teaching
During by 461 experience I participated in Truck Day. This was my last full time teaching day.
The students got to see different trucks from the Ninety Six or Greenwood area. At each station

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they got to hear more about what those trucks were used for and what the job is that the people
do in those trucks. The trucks were: fire engine, 96 Sanitation Truck, Greenwood Command
Center, 96 Police Resource Officer vehicle, Ambulance, SCDOT, and Brusters Ice Cream.
While my class was at each station I walked around and made sure everyone was paying
attention. When we returned to the class we talked about some things they learned from all the
different people there that day. Attached are pictures from this day.

I participated in Truck Day at the school. The students got to see different trucks in the area
of Greenwood. Some of the trucks were: Fire Truck, 96 Sanitation Truck, Greenwood Command
Post, 96 Police car, Ambulance, SCDOT, and Brusters truck. I walked around with my class as
they listened to each person give a description on each truck. The students were very involved
and were so excited to learn about each truck.
4. Provide a plan for extra-curricular involvement that will positively enhance your
teaching
I went to the first grade performance on Tuesday March 17th. This performance was during
Career Week and the show what the students would be when they grew up. It was really neat to
see what all they came up with. I also helped out in the Book Fair the same week. I went during
my planning period on the first day. The librarian and I got all the students with money from first
grade and took them to the Book Fair. I rang students up while she helped them find the books
they were looking for. This was also neat to see how things like that work in a school I have
always gone to the Book Fair but never realized how much work actually goes into it. I have
attached pictures of each of these involvements that have positively enhanced my teaching.

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Two Attachments of communication with parents/ guardians:

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Two attachments of ways of communications with colleagues:

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One attachment of Community Resources/Involvement:

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Extra-curricular involvement:
1. PTO 1st grade performance on March 17th

2. Book Fair