Welcome Letter (Recommendation for New Teachers)
When I started teaching English in South Korea I entered in the middle of the school year. The fall semester had commenced when I came in at the end of August 2016. The start of the new academic year commenced in March 2017. After six months of working in a new school, living in a new country and rapidly adjusting to a new culture and community I felt the level in which I was getting to know my coworkers was moving at a slow pace. Although we ate lunch together, several teachers talked around me but not to me. I thought about this one evening and decided that when the new semester started I would write a Welcome Letter.
In my Temple University undergraduate education courses, one of my seasoned professors had us create a Welcome Letter as an introductory assignment. I am so happy that I took that assignment seriously and saved it with my files I knew I would use throughout my teaching career. When I student taught I wrote and distributed a letter to all of my students and it helped to connect with some of them on a personal level. I provided my email address with a daily *deadline of 9pm and a few students actually used it. Lol I refused to include social media or my phone number, for privacy and boundary reasons. Once I remembered this professional tool, I searched my computer files as a guide and composed a concise letter.
I discussed this with my two co-teachers. They agreed to translate the letter, I emailed it and they uploaded it on our school-wide band. The band is for all administrators, faculty, staff and parents connected to our school. There was an immediate switch. This decision truly enhanced my experiences within the school. I became a part of the community, instead of just existing within it. Several teachers started talking with me at lunch. Topics ranged from food, weekend activities, American culture, local festivals, travel, dating, weddings, and the list goes on and on. I made some life-long friends and started spending time with coworkers one-on-one and in small groups, after school and on the weekends. I have went to so many places I could not have known about or reached without a car. (I did not apply for an international driver's license, so renting a car not an option.) Some of the security staff that I greet every morning and afternoon even started practicing English on their own to share well-wishes with me. I got the best surprise on a Wednesday morning with one of the security guards said "Happy Wednesday" to me on a spring morning. He taught me how to say "see you tomorrow" and "have a good weekend" within a few weeks. The letter has had a great impact on our school community, as I speak to everyone in the hallway with a greetings and usually the standard "have a nice day" message. This worked so well, that I decided to compose a new letter for the start of my second year; it was shared the first week of school.
I encourage you to do the same, if you are a person who wants to have a more involved school life and have multiple opportunities outside of the classroom to talk with coworkers. Check out my two letters below.
Please note: as an ambivert, there were times that I felt a little overwhelmed by the teachers with younger students that were forced to touch me, shake my hand or hug me when being introduced. I survived the uncomfortableness and later was able to laugh and smile about the experience. I have no regrets.
*Students/parents who emailed after 9pm, any day of the week, would not receive a response until the following day.
In my Temple University undergraduate education courses, one of my seasoned professors had us create a Welcome Letter as an introductory assignment. I am so happy that I took that assignment seriously and saved it with my files I knew I would use throughout my teaching career. When I student taught I wrote and distributed a letter to all of my students and it helped to connect with some of them on a personal level. I provided my email address with a daily *deadline of 9pm and a few students actually used it. Lol I refused to include social media or my phone number, for privacy and boundary reasons. Once I remembered this professional tool, I searched my computer files as a guide and composed a concise letter.
I discussed this with my two co-teachers. They agreed to translate the letter, I emailed it and they uploaded it on our school-wide band. The band is for all administrators, faculty, staff and parents connected to our school. There was an immediate switch. This decision truly enhanced my experiences within the school. I became a part of the community, instead of just existing within it. Several teachers started talking with me at lunch. Topics ranged from food, weekend activities, American culture, local festivals, travel, dating, weddings, and the list goes on and on. I made some life-long friends and started spending time with coworkers one-on-one and in small groups, after school and on the weekends. I have went to so many places I could not have known about or reached without a car. (I did not apply for an international driver's license, so renting a car not an option.) Some of the security staff that I greet every morning and afternoon even started practicing English on their own to share well-wishes with me. I got the best surprise on a Wednesday morning with one of the security guards said "Happy Wednesday" to me on a spring morning. He taught me how to say "see you tomorrow" and "have a good weekend" within a few weeks. The letter has had a great impact on our school community, as I speak to everyone in the hallway with a greetings and usually the standard "have a nice day" message. This worked so well, that I decided to compose a new letter for the start of my second year; it was shared the first week of school.
I encourage you to do the same, if you are a person who wants to have a more involved school life and have multiple opportunities outside of the classroom to talk with coworkers. Check out my two letters below.
Please note: as an ambivert, there were times that I felt a little overwhelmed by the teachers with younger students that were forced to touch me, shake my hand or hug me when being introduced. I survived the uncomfortableness and later was able to laugh and smile about the experience. I have no regrets.
*Students/parents who emailed after 9pm, any day of the week, would not receive a response until the following day.
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