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DIRECTIONS for LCA Justification Assignment (200 POINTS)
Parent LETTER - introducing parents to your learner-centered classroom - see requirements for letter below.

See LCA Parent Letter Rubric to help understand the expectations. 

You will be using all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy as you 'THINK'.

 PARENT LETTER REQUIREMENTS:

This letter should address the following:

 PARENT LETTER REQUIREMENTS:

This letter should address the following:

1) what a learning center is (Physically...what can it look like?  What is in it?)

2) the kinds of learning centers that can be in the classroom (you can target a specific grade level if you want)

3) how various subjects are integrated in relevant, meaningful ways (what are they?)

4) how this learning transfers into real life situations

5) how autonomy, openness, problem-solving, and integrity play a part of LCA's

6) what role the teacher plays in LCA's

7) what research has influenced your decisions to have learning centers as a part of your day (at least 2-3 theorists should support your thoughts)

8) how LCA's, if planned correctly, encourage thinking on all levels (Blooms) [careful not to give too much information here]

9) the importance of movement for young children

10) how you plan using PreK Guidelines, TEKS, DAP

11) how you use the assessed needs to help plan for centers that will provide optimal learning on all levels, thus creating successes for every student, challenging all, and incorporating all learning styles

12) how you will encourage parents to come to your room and experience the joy of learning in a risk free environment that allows children to be children and learn cooperatively while interacting with all their senses

13) possibly a list of items you know you will need to use in learning centers that parents may begin sending to school (eg. scarves, old keys, beanbags, chairs, ties, dress-up clothes)

*Remember, parents are the best place to get 'stuff' for your room!

This letter should be

• addressed to Parents/Guardians,
• greeting [not the first letter you are sending to parent...one you will send 2 - 3 weeks into school]
• free from grammar or spelling errors
• on 'fancy' paper -- add clip art/pictures, border, background
• 1.5 - 2 pages (may be longer depending on the border or clip art you use)
• 12 point Arial font, single spaced
• bold the theorists' names
• something you could send home to parents 2- 3 weeks into school without making ANY changes (could be sent home 'AS IS')
• DO NOT introduce yourself in this letter...you will already know them
• begin with an introduction paragraph explaining what centers are, (physically) paint parents a picture with your words (remember we can even put centers in a box)
• MUST have 3 paragraphs [beginning - middle - end] --------- may have more

Write this letter with the thought in mind that parents have never seen a classroom that uses learning centers and they do not understand the importance of play and interaction with peers in a learning environment.  Be careful not to use language or terms that only teachers will understand. If you need to,  briefly explain terms. Remain positive. Also remember that parents won't know who the theorist are, so a (very) brief description could be beneficial to them. 

Think back to your first thoughts about learning centers: What has helped you understand their importance to help children truly understand? Maybe that will help your parents/readers. 

Other Things to REMEMBER

• easily read and understood by anyone who is NOT an early childhood major (make sure the reader knows what a learning center is, has in it, and what students do there)
• border, picture, clip art, or background
• support from at least 3 theorists (BOLD their names)---tell who they are and something about them--- should make a smooth and reasonable connection throughout the paper. Make sure theorists support your thoughts…they should NOT be the bulk of the paper (TMI – too much information) or in one clump in the paper but spread throughout.
• use formal word choices, not conversational language (words like "stuff, "a lot" are not formal)