2021-2022 Ms.

Erin Morrisey

ENGLISH CLASS
Butler University 2021
e.morrisey@school.district.org
(123) 333-4444 ext. 1234
erinmorrisey.weebly.com
(tenth grade edition)
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I’m so excited to welcome your student into my classroom this year, and I can’t wait to begin learning with
them! Before I share a little about what this class will look like this year, it’s important that I introduce myself.
My name is Erin Morrisey, and I’m from southern Illinois. I graduated from Butler University in May 2021
with my Bachelor’s in Middle-Secondary Education and English, and completed an honors thesis exploring
pre-service teacher identities. My education at Butler focused on technology integration into classrooms,
diversifying the education my students receive within the classroom, developing a deep cultural awareness
and reflective practice for my own life, and (perhaps most importantly) planning instruction with real-world
relevance for students. I’ve spent my life passionate about literature and storytelling, studying poetry abroad
for a summer, and I can’t wait to share my love for literature and my passion for education with your children.

I firmly believe that education’s foundational purpose is to prepare young people to become contributing
members of society: people who know themselves, are trying to live out their purpose in the world,
communicate well with others, and strive to make this world a better place—for their generation and those
who come after. I believe we can all become better contributing members of society through the power of
language. Your child might love language, or you might be wondering if they knew this school had a library.
Whatever the case, I’ve designed this class to (1) explore the power of literature in our world, (2) consider the
power language has inflicted on others throughout history, and (3) give students the tools they need to
understand their learning styles, advocate for themselves, and become strong, independent learners ready for
their next stage of life.

Within the first week of school, I will share certain pledges I’ve made to the students. These pledges include
checking in with the students to see how things are working for them within the classroom and
adapting my teaching when something is not working. Because your students are in high school I
expect the students to contact me if they are struggling. I ask that you encourage them to reach out
to me after class, before or after school (I will discuss with students when I am available), or via email.
All students are strong and capable learners, and they know when they need help. However,
neuroscience tells us that learning cannot happen without struggle. So encourage your students in
the struggle this year. If the struggle no longer seems productive, please encourage your student to
advocate for themselves and arrange a meeting with me so they can tell me how I can best help
them.

Again, I’m so excited for the year ahead: for the literature, for the learning, and for the community
our classroom creates. If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please contact me
(my contact information is at the top of this page), and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

Sincerely,