Ms. Ames
Dear Parents or Guardians,
I would like to personally welcome your child to Punahou’s Art of Writing 8 Class for the 2016 summer term. As a teacher, I realize that communication with parents and guardians is an essential aspect of providing the best possible education for my students.
I feel it is important for you to know a little about the professional who you are entrusting your child’s education. I am a proud graduate of Punahou School, later earned an undergraduate degree in English and Education from Loyola Marymount University and a graduate degree in English from the University of Hawaii. This will be my fourth summer teaching Art of Writing for Punahou summer school. During the school year, I teach 7th grade English Language Arts at Kalakaua Middle School in Kalihi. My other teaching experiences include teaching 10th grade English at a high school in Los Angeles and working as a skills trainer and tutor for autistic children. I am constantly improving and evolving as a practitioner through my passionate pursuit of growth.
I also feel that it is imperative that you know about the person who you are entrusting your child to. Besides my thirst for learning, I also enjoy hula, reading, listening to a wide variety of music, experiencing theater, finding deals, dining, and celebrating life with friends, family, and my dog. I expect that both your child and I will gain valuable experiences throughout the summer together. I feel very fortunate to be returning to Punahou this summer, because teaching writing is my passion. As the course title suggests, writing can be an art. And like artists, students need an array of skills to successfully reach their audiences. How does this happen? What do writers need?
- First, writers need a combination of technical skill, passion, and plenty of practice. - Writers need choices, and freedom to experiment.
- Writers need an audience, and a supportive community.
- Finally, writers need to have fun, at least part of the time. It is summer, after all.
Over the next five weeks, your child will complete four assignments crafted through a process of planning, drafting, and revision. These assignments include: a poem, a book review, an ad campaign, and a persuasive essay. In addition, he or she will write numerous reflections and notes in a journal daily. The journal will serve as a record of your child’s growth, as a manual of style, and as a “sketch book” to try new ideas.
As part of Punahou’s sustainability initiative, I will also be trying to communicate via the web to save paper, so please periodically check your inbox. Again, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Thank you and I look forward to an amazing summer.
Sincerely, Nicole Ames
I would like to personally welcome your child to Punahou’s Art of Writing 8 Class for the 2016 summer term. As a teacher, I realize that communication with parents and guardians is an essential aspect of providing the best possible education for my students.
I feel it is important for you to know a little about the professional who you are entrusting your child’s education. I am a proud graduate of Punahou School, later earned an undergraduate degree in English and Education from Loyola Marymount University and a graduate degree in English from the University of Hawaii. This will be my fourth summer teaching Art of Writing for Punahou summer school. During the school year, I teach 7th grade English Language Arts at Kalakaua Middle School in Kalihi. My other teaching experiences include teaching 10th grade English at a high school in Los Angeles and working as a skills trainer and tutor for autistic children. I am constantly improving and evolving as a practitioner through my passionate pursuit of growth.
I also feel that it is imperative that you know about the person who you are entrusting your child to. Besides my thirst for learning, I also enjoy hula, reading, listening to a wide variety of music, experiencing theater, finding deals, dining, and celebrating life with friends, family, and my dog. I expect that both your child and I will gain valuable experiences throughout the summer together. I feel very fortunate to be returning to Punahou this summer, because teaching writing is my passion. As the course title suggests, writing can be an art. And like artists, students need an array of skills to successfully reach their audiences. How does this happen? What do writers need?
- First, writers need a combination of technical skill, passion, and plenty of practice. - Writers need choices, and freedom to experiment.
- Writers need an audience, and a supportive community.
- Finally, writers need to have fun, at least part of the time. It is summer, after all.
Over the next five weeks, your child will complete four assignments crafted through a process of planning, drafting, and revision. These assignments include: a poem, a book review, an ad campaign, and a persuasive essay. In addition, he or she will write numerous reflections and notes in a journal daily. The journal will serve as a record of your child’s growth, as a manual of style, and as a “sketch book” to try new ideas.
As part of Punahou’s sustainability initiative, I will also be trying to communicate via the web to save paper, so please periodically check your inbox. Again, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Thank you and I look forward to an amazing summer.
Sincerely, Nicole Ames